七擒七纵qī qín qī zòng

What does 七擒七纵 mean?

Capture seven times, release seven times: to win lasting obedience through patience, mercy, and psychological insight

比bǐ喻yù用yòng耐nài心xīn、宽kuān容róng和hé智zhì慧huì让ràng对duì方fāng真zhēn心xīn信xìn服fú，而ér不bú是shì只zhǐ靠kào武wǔ力lì暂zàn时shí压yā服fú。

Historical origin

During the Shu campaign in the southern region, Zhuge Liang captured the southern chieftain Meng Huo a total of seven times and released him each time rather than keeping him prisoner. The first capture came through a dawn trap. The story then compresses the middle captures into repeated examples at a riverbank, in a forest, and at a mountain pass. The seventh and final capture occurred at a rope bridge. After being caught and freed seven times in all, Meng Huo finally knelt by his own choice, and Zhuge Liang won lasting peace instead of a short victory.