杯酒釋兵權

1. • to dismiss military hierarchy using wine cups
2. • cf Song founding Emperor Song Taizu 宋太祖 holds a banquet in 961 and persuades his senior army commanders to go home to their provinces

Character by character

• 杯(bēi)cup
• 酒(jiǔ)wine
• 釋(shì)explain
• 兵(bīng)soldiers
• 權(quán)surname Quan