Xiangqi: Encyclopedia II - Xiangqi - History

Xiangqi - History

Chinese chess has a long history. Though its precise origins have not yet been definitely confirmed, our earliest indications reveal the game may have been played as early as the 4th century BC, by Meng Changjun for example. (See chess in early literature or timeline of chess.) Judging by its rules, we can conclude that the origin of Chinese chess was apparently closely related to military strategists in ancient China.

The word xiàngqí's meaning "figure game" can also be treated as meaning "constellation game". It is believed by Western culture that xiàngqí is derived from chess, originating in India and adapted in China to use the board of a pre-existing Chinese game that had the same name and different rules. Sometimes the xiàngqí board's "river" is called the "heavenly river", which may mean the Milky Way; that previous xiàngqí game may have been based on movements of sky objects.

During the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, wars were fought for years running. A new chess game was patterned after the array of troops (according to a hypothesis by David H. Li, this was developed by Han Xin in the winter of 204 BC-203 BC to prepare for an upcoming battle). This was the earliest form of Chinese chess.

Because some remnants of Chinese silk have been dated in Egypt as early as 1070 BC (see Silk Road) and because of the astounding similarities between xiangqi and an ancient "game" board portrayed in the tomb of Egyptian Queen Nefertari (see origins of chess) the two ancient countries could possibly have influenced one another in the creation of both games. Nefertari's "game" may have provided early inventors with a fundamental model upon which xiangqi and other ancient chess variants are patterned. The ancient Chinese game of Liubo may also have had an influence as well. Assuming our present day historical records to be accurate, both Nefertari's "game" and Liubo are approximately a thousand years older than xiangqi.

During the Wei, Jin and Northern and Southern Dynasties, a kind of chess game was popular among the people. It laid a foundation for the finalized pattern of Chinese chess. In ancient times, both highbrows and lowbrows enjoyed Chinese chess.

During the reign of Suzong of the Tang Dynasty, Prime Minister Niu Sengru wrote a fictional story about chess. That occurred during the Baoying period, so it was named Baoying chess. Baoying chess had six pieces. He wrote about the rules of the chess. Baoying chess produced a significant influence on the chess in subsequent years.

Three forms of chess took shape after the Song Dynasty. One of them consisted of 32 pieces. They were played on a chessboard with 9 vertical lines and 9 horizontal lines. Popular in those days was a chessboard without a river borderline; the Korean game of janggi is derived from this earlier riverless version. The river borderline was added later, and this form of the game has lasted to the present day.

With the economic and cultural development during the Qing Dynasty, Chinese chess entered a new stage. Many different schools of chess circles and chess players came into prominence. With the popularization of Chinese chess, many books and manuals on the techniques of playing chess were published. They played an important role in popularizing Chinese chess and improving the techniques of play in modern times.

Adapted from the Wikipedia article "History", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki