Practical methodology toolkit based on Mao Zedong's *On Contradiction* (《矛盾论》). Provides the law of the unity of opposites as actionable frameworks for decision-making, problem analysis, and report writing. Triggers on: 'contradiction analysis', 'principal contradiction', 'analyze contradictions', '矛盾分析', '主要矛盾', 'On Contradiction', 'decision analysis', 'root cause with contradictions'.
Practical methodology toolkit derived from Mao Zedong's On Contradiction. Transforms the philosophical law of the unity of opposites into actionable, reusable operational frameworks for thinking, analyzing, and writing.
Core Principle: Acknowledge the universality of contradictions, grasp the principal contradiction and its principal aspect, analyze specific issues concretely, utilize the identity of contradictions to achieve transformation, and uphold the unity of the "two-point theory" and the "key-point theory."
Invoke when:
Do NOT invoke when:
requirement-workflow or IDE directlysoftware-methodology-toolkitOn Contradiction, On Practice, and On Protracted War form a trilogy:
| Dimension | On Contradiction | On Practice | On Protracted War |
|---|---|---|---|
| Focus | Structure of forces | Process of knowing | Evolution over time |
| Question | "What are the contradictions?" | "How do we verify truth?" | "How does this unfold and when do we act?" |
| Method | Identify, prioritize, transform | Investigate, test, validate | Stage, strategize, maneuver, evolve |
| Strength | Structural clarity — sees the skeleton | Process rigor — ensures grounding | Temporal wisdom — sees the arc of change |
| Combine | Identify WHAT forces are at play | Validate HOW through practice | Plan WHEN to act and how each phase differs |
Every agent in this toolkit applies a 5-step formula:
Step 1: IDENTIFY — List all opposing contradictions in the situation
Step 2: PRIORITIZE — Separate principal from secondary contradictions
Step 3: ANALYZE — Examine the unity (shared ground) and struggle (opposing forces)
Step 4: TRANSFORM — Find conditions to turn unfavorable contradictions into favorable ones
Step 5: ACT — Execute on the principal contradiction, defer secondary ones
This formula is the DNA of all agents. Each agent applies it to a specific domain.
| Concept | Definition | Practical Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Universality of Contradictions | Contradictions exist in everything, at all times | Never deny that a problem exists; every situation has tensions |
| Particularity of Contradictions | Each contradiction has unique characteristics | Reject one-size-fits-all; analyze each situation concretely |
| Principal Contradiction | The dominant contradiction that determines overall development | Focus energy on the ONE thing that matters most |
| Principal Aspect | The dominant side within a single contradiction | The mainstream trend — distinguish it from the secondary aspect |
| Identity of Contradictions | Opposing sides share a common ground and can transform | Enemies can become allies; weaknesses can become strengths |
| Struggle of Contradictions | Opposing sides clash and push change | Conflict drives progress; don't fear productive tension |
| Two-Point Theory | Consider BOTH sides of every contradiction | Avoid one-sidedness; acknowledge achievements AND problems |
| Key-Point Theory | Focus on the MAIN point among all contradictions | Don't spread energy thin; tackle the core issue |
| Contradiction Transformation | Under certain conditions, opposites switch positions | Plan for how today's advantage may become tomorrow's liability |
| Internal vs External Causes | Internal causes are fundamental; external causes are conditions | Fix the root (internal), don't just blame the environment |
| Domain | Agent | Core Principles Applied |
|---|---|---|
| Thinking | decision-maker | Principal/secondary contradictions + transformation + two-point theory |
| Thinking | problem-analyzer | Universality/particularity + internal/external causes + layered analysis |
| Writing | report-writer | Key-point theory + two-point theory + developmental prediction |
| User Signal | Agent | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| "make a decision", "choose between", "trade-off", "dilemma" | decision-maker | High |
| "analyze the problem", "root cause", "why is this happening", "dig deeper" | problem-analyzer | High |
| "write a report", "summarize findings", "present analysis" | report-writer | High |
| "矛盾分析", "主要矛盾", "抓主要矛盾" | problem-analyzer | High |
| Complex situation with no clear direction | problem-analyzer (entry point) → decision-maker | Medium |
| Need to present findings to stakeholders | report-writer | Medium |
| General mention of "contradictions" or "On Contradiction" | problem-analyzer (default entry) | Low |
If confidence is Low, confirm agent selection with the user before proceeding.
1. problem-analyzer → Identify and layer all contradictions, find root cause
2. decision-maker → Grasp principal contradiction, evaluate transformation conditions
3. report-writer → Present findings with two-point structure and actionable conclusions
1. decision-maker → List contradictions, isolate principal one, predict transformation, decide
1. problem-analyzer → Surface → Intermediate → Essential contradiction layers
2. problem-analyzer → Internal causes vs external causes
3. decision-maker → Prioritize and plan resolution
1. on-contradiction / problem-analyzer → Identify all contradictions, find the principal one
2. on-contradiction / decision-maker → Evaluate transformation conditions, propose a path
3. on-practice / decision-maker → Surface untested assumptions, design small-scale trials
4. on-practice / problem-analyzer → Analyze practice results, extract validated knowledge
5. on-contradiction / report-writer → Final report: contradiction structure + practice evidence
1. on-contradiction / decision-maker → Identify principal contradiction and two sides
2. on-practice / decision-maker → Audit assumptions: which side has practice evidence?
3. on-contradiction / decision-maker → Decide with both structural and empirical confidence
1. on-contradiction / problem-analyzer → Identify all contradictions, find the principal one
2. on-protracted-war / problem-analyzer → Diagnose current stage, assess four factors over time
3. on-protracted-war / decision-maker → Choose phase-appropriate strategy
4. on-practice / decision-maker → Validate strategy assumptions through small-scale practice
5. on-protracted-war / report-writer → Full strategic report: contradiction + phased plan + evidence
For any situation, fill this matrix:
| # | Contradiction | Side A | Side B | Principal? | Transformable? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | {name} | {benefit/positive} | {risk/negative} | ✅ / ❌ | {conditions} |
| 2 | {name} | {short-term} | {long-term} | ✅ / ❌ | {conditions} |
| 3 | {name} | {individual} | {collective} | ✅ / ❌ | {conditions} |
To identify the principal contradiction, ask:
The answer to all four should converge on the same contradiction.
For the principal contradiction:
| Current State | Desired State | Transformation Conditions | Actions Required |
|---|---|---|---|
| {unfavorable aspect dominates} | {favorable aspect dominates} | {what must change} | {concrete steps} |
All agents follow the same output rules:
| Allowed | Not Allowed |
|---|---|
| Structured contradiction analysis | Making decisions for the user |
| Recommendations with trade-offs | Ignoring the secondary side (violates two-point theory) |
| Transformation predictions | Presenting only one perspective |
| Actionable next steps | Abstract philosophizing without practical steps |
Every agent output must include:
| Issue | Solution |
|---|---|
| User's request matches no agent trigger | Default to problem-analyzer as the entry point |
| User's request matches multiple agents | Use Routing Decision Table; pick highest-confidence match |
| Situation has too many contradictions to list | Use Contradiction Matrix tool, limit to top 5-7, then prioritize |
| User cannot agree on which is the principal contradiction | Apply the Principal Contradiction Checklist systematically |
| Analysis becomes too abstract | Ground every contradiction in concrete, observable evidence |
| User expects a definitive answer, not analysis | Clarify: this toolkit provides structured analysis; the user makes the final call |
| Contradiction transformation seems impossible | Re-examine conditions; sometimes the solution is to change the conditions, not the contradiction directly |
Before invoking any agent, verify:
After agent produces output, verify:
This skill ONLY handles:
This skill does NOT handle:
on-protracted-waron-practicerequirement-workflowsoftware-methodology-toolkitGuiding principle: No new agents until v1.0 agents are practice-tested. Apply On Practice — use the skills in real work first, then expand based on evidence.
The following agents are planned for future versions. Agents are assigned to the skill whose core method (contradiction structure vs practice spiral) is the primary lens.
| Domain | Agent | Core Principle | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Communication | negotiation-advisor | Identity (common ground) + struggle (resolve divergences) | |
| Management | project-manager | Staged principal contradictions + internal/external causes | |
| Growth | self-growth-coach | Internal contradictions + transformation | |
| Innovation | innovation-catalyst | Unity of opposites + restructuring contradictions | |
| Risk | risk-controller | Risk/opportunity coexistence + prediction | |
| Team | team-harmonizer | Group contradiction universality + principal contradiction | |
| Review | retrospective-guide | Contradiction development over time + internal/external causes | Complements on-practice / pattern-extractor (which extracts patterns from practice data) |
| Learning | knowledge-absorber | Universality (underlying logic) + particularity (scenarios) | Complements on-practice / learning-master (which focuses on learning by doing) |
| Career | career-planner | Personal/environment contradictions + staged resolution | |
| Product | product-designer | User demand contradictions + supply-demand unity | |
| Emotion | emotion-manager | Rational/emotional contradictions + transformation | |
| Task | task-decomposer | Hierarchical contradictions + principal prioritization |