The story behind this idiom about deception comes from one of the most famous and fabled chapters in Chinese history, the much-dramatized rivalry between Xiang Yu and Liu Bang. After both generals helped to bring down the Qin Dynasty, Xiang Yu divided China into 18 kingdoms, taking vast, fertile territory for himself and giving Liu Bang remote, mountainous land.

The story continues with Liu Bang plotting to seize the strategically-important Guanzhong area with a clever tactic of deception dubbed "To Secretly Cross at Chencang." After defeating Xiang Yu, Liu Bang went on to found the Han Dynasty.