Xiangqi (Chinese Chess)
01 · Historical Records
Xiangqi completed its transformation from the elephant game into its modern form in the Song dynasty: the pieces, which were three-dimensional and zoomorphic in the Tang, became flat and round and were distinguished in red and black; the shi and xiang were confined to the nine palaces and to their own side of the river, and the bing (soldier) advanced but never retreated and could move sideways only after crossing the river. The poem “Elephant Game” by Cheng Hao of the Northern Song and the manual recorded in Chen Yuanliang's Shilin guangji at the end of the Southern Song reflect the fact that xiangqi was popular at the same time among scholar-officials and among the common people; in the Ming and Qing dynasties manuals such as the Juzhong mi and the Meihua pu were published one after another, becoming the basic documents in which later generations studied openings and endgames.
02 · Core Techniques & Process
Xiangqi has a long history and is an important part of traditional Chinese culture; it has enthusiasts in China, in Asia and in many regions of the world, and is a traditional game of intellectual skill and competition with a high degree of popularization. The nine palaces on the board symbolize the imperial palace: the shuai (general), who stands for the emperor, and the shi, who stands for the guards close to the emperor, may move only within the nine palaces; the xiang (minister), who stands for the great ministers, may move only around the nine palaces; and the bing (soldier), who stands for the fighters, may advance but never retreat. This arrangement is a true reflection of life in Chinese feudal society, and the process of play carries the instructive meaning of studying ancient warfare. As the times move forward, xiangqi, which carries traditional Chinese culture, has taken a place in world culture with its distinctive way of thinking and its marked competitive character. With the development of society and the growth of international exchange in the present era, xiangqi has already won broad recognition throughout the world, and the founding of the World Xiangqi Federation and the Asian Xiangqi Association has extended the influence of Chinese xiangqi to other countries and regions of the world.
From sculpted to flat pieces
In the Song the sculpted Tang pieces gave way to flat round discs in red and black, the form still used today.
Cheng Hao's poem on the game
The Northern Song scholar Cheng Hao's poem on the game echoes the records preserved in the late-Southern Song encyclopaedia.
Soldiers advance and never retreat
Pawns step forward only until they cross the river, after which they may also move sideways but never back.
The Beijing institute and city competitions
The Beijing institute runs city competitions, youth training and ranking for chess and other board games.
Teahouse boards as urban custom
Play spread through teahouses and street boards, forming professional circles in Shanghai, Beiping, Guangzhou and Chengdu.
03 · Regional Records & Related Items
The protecting unit of this item is the Beijing Chess Academy (Beijing Municipal Chess and Card Sports Management Center), and since the 1950s Beijing has been an important center of national xiangqi competitions and of the teaching of the game. Chess academies, chess clubs, park chess stalls and chess courses in primary and secondary schools together form the inheritance network of Beijing xiangqi; since the twentieth century masters have emerged one after another in the Beijing chess world, and games at park chess stalls and in teahouses have long been part of the daily life of the city's residents.
Other submitting regions for the same item: Xiangqi (Chinese Chess).
04 · Cultural Value & Contemporary Safeguarding
Xiangqi is simple and easy to learn, yet because its variations are endless it is easy to start and hard to master; it carries cultural, educational, competitive and recreational value, and from ancient times to the present it has remained deeply beloved by the people. Though xiangqi serves a variety of important functions and has enthusiasts both in China and across the world, as the economy develops the way of life in modern society has delivered a heavy blow to traditional cultural sports, and this ancient national treasure faces new dangers as well; it likewise still awaits protection.
06 · Authoritative Sources & Bibliography
Sources
China Intangible Cultural Heritage Network (ihchina.cn)
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