Chapter 24 Section 7 Ancient Chess Hierarchy

Like Go in ancient times, ancient chess masters also had the official position of chess waiting for edict.This is the highest technical level of ancient chess players.Regarding the situation in this aspect, we have to start with the Hanlin Daizhao. As far back as the Western Han Dynasty, there were people who were expected to be good at chess. "Hanshu" Volume 64 has "Wuqiu Shouwang Biography", which records that Zhaoren Wuqiu Shouwang was good at playing Wuqi when he was young, so he was appointed as the imperial edict.Gewu is a kind of ancient chess game, and its moves are similar to Liubo.

Different from the Han Dynasty in the Tang Dynasty, Qi Daizhao belonged to the Hanlin Academy.All imperial edicts also serve the emperor, but the scope is much wider.In addition to writers and Confucian classics, there are also religious figures such as monks and Taoists, chemists who make alchemy, fortune-telling warlocks, doctors, calligraphy and painting artists, and talents who are good at chess and various acrobatics.According to their specialties, they lived in a hospital each, received their salaries, waited for the emperor's call early in the morning, and returned home in the evening.Among the literati, through contact with the emperor, they could be appreciated by the emperor and take up higher official positions, even serving as prime ministers.Hanlin Bachelor and Daizhao have a noble status, which is a shortcut to promotion.

In Tang Dynasty, there were Wang Jixin in Tang Xuanzong's time, Wang Shuwen in Tang Dezong's time, Wang Yi in Tang Jingzong's time, Gu Shiyan in Tang Xuanzong's time and Hua Neng in Tang Xizong's time.Among them, when Wang Shuwen was in Tang Dezong, he specially served Prince Li Song to play chess.Later, Prince Li Song, who had been ill for a long time, came to the throne and became emperor, that is, Tang Shunzong, and Wang Shuwen became the prime minister of the court. In the Song Dynasty, the Hanlin chess system remained unchanged.For example, Jia Xuan during Song Taizong's time, Liu Zhongfu during Song Zhezong's time, and Li Yimin during Song Huizong's time were all called as chess masters because of their exceptionally high Go play.

The Qidaizhao in the Song Dynasty was much more active than that in the Tang Dynasty.However, since when has there been an imperial edict for chess?Among the large number of chess orders in the Tang Dynasty and Northern Song Dynasty, although it is very likely that there were chess players who were good at chess, there is no clear written record.It was in the time of Emperor Xiaozong of the Southern Song Dynasty that it was officially recorded in the literature that chess was waiting for an imperial edict.In Volume 6 of "Old Stories of Wulin" written by Zhou Mi (AD 1232-1298), there is an article "Masters of all colors", listing 55 professions from "Imperial Yingzhi" to "News", with a total of 504 people.Among them are not only painting, rap, drama, acrobatics and sports (such as wrestling, weightlifting, football), etc., but also "chess to be ordered".It records the list of chess waiting orders at that time.

Zheng Rixin (Yuetong) Courtesy (elephant) Wu Junchen (An Piaohao) Shang Duan (Elephant) Shi Mao (Shi Huzen) Aunt Shen (elephant, female stream) Yazhen Golden Four Officials (Elephant) Tong Xian (also known as Tong Xian) Shangguan Doctor (Elephant) Du Huang (Elephant) Brother Wang (Elephant) Xu Bin (Elephant) Li Heizi (Elephant) Lin Mao (elephant) Among them, the first five people are Weiqi Zhaozhao, and the last 10 people have Xiangqi behind their names.It is worth pointing out that among the 10 chess players, there is a woman named Aunt Shen, who is the only female chess player that we know of in Chinese history.