Move Wood to Build Trust
Updated 2026-08-22
INTRODUCTION
English translation pending.
CORE DEFINITION
Move wood to build trust refers to Shang Yang's preparation for reform in Qin, where he placed a pole at the south gate and promised a large reward to anyone who moved it to the north gate, then paid immediately when someone did. The core proposition is that a rule gains credibility only after it has been tested and honored once, so a cheap, highly visible and easily verified commitment is the most efficient way to establish a reputation for keeping promises. The key qualification is that the demonstration must be genuinely costly to the promiser, since a promise that is cheap to keep signals nothing about harder ones.
SCAFFOLDING EFFECT
Reduce cognitive load
- Choose A Cheap Signal: pick a small, visible, verifiable promise you can definitely keep. - Honor It Publicly: deliver on the promise exactly as stated, in front of witnesses. - Escalate The Stakes: use the established credibility to introduce the larger rule.
Anchor fast decisions
A promise about future behavior carries no information while it remains untested, because anyone can make one. Honoring a visible promise at a real cost demonstrates that the promiser is willing to bear cost to keep their word, which is the only evidence that distinguishes a credible commitment from cheap talk. Once that reputation exists, subsequent rules are believed without needing separate proof.
MINIMUM ACTION
In progress 0/1Practice this model in one real situation:
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Source support: Explicit
- zh.wikipedia.orghttps://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E5%8F%B2%E8%AE%B0verified
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