Chapter 35 Section 5 Seven Kingdoms Elephant Opera

The Seven Kingdoms Xiangxi Opera was designed by Sima Guang in the Northern Song Dynasty based on the reform of the Xiangxi opera of two people playing a game popular among the people at that time.Although it was not popular at the time, it spread to Korea and Japan. Sima Guang was a Jinshi in Baoyuan Junior High School in the Northern Song Dynasty. He served as an official in the Renzong, Yingzong and Shenzong dynasties of the Song Dynasty.He liked chess since he was a child, and always felt that the chess game between two people was not enjoyable, so he had a whimsical idea and expanded the chessboard to 19 vertical and horizontal ways, that is, using the Go board, and increased the number of players in the game from two to seven.He thinks that with such a change, the game can be more lively and interesting.However, his reform ended in failure. The Seven Kingdoms Xiangxi Opera did not become popular, but because of his great official name, his "Seven Kingdoms Xiangxi Opera Picture" has been handed down.Pei Zixi in the Southern Song Dynasty engraved it, and Tao Zongyi in the late Yuan Dynasty included it in "Shuo Yu".Gaoru in the Ming Dynasty and Qian Zeng in the early Qing Dynasty all possessed this spectrum, and Ye Dehui in Changsha reprinted it and handed it down in the 32nd year of Guangxu (AD 1906).

As far as the art of chess is concerned, the Qiguo Xiangxi has no artistic value, but it can be used to infer the chess form of Sima Guang's era.In this regard, it is a valuable historical material. From the description of Sima Guang's "Seven Kingdoms Elephant Opera", we can see that he abolished the two elephants and replaced them with Pian (General) and Pi (General).He mistakenly believes that elephants are not produced in China, so they cannot be used in China.He also abandoned two chariots, thinking that the chariots were used by generals and Pianbi, and duplication should be avoided.But he added two more horses (riders), so that there were four horses (riders) on each side.In addition, Sima Guang changed the eight pawns to bow one, crossbow one, knife two and sword four, which means that the eight pawns hold different weapons.

After Sima Guang's reform, the total number of chess pieces on each side increased from 16 to 17. Regarding the movement of various chess pieces, it is generally similar to the popular two-person elephant play in the Northern Song Dynasty at that time. (1) Travel straight and obliquely without distance.This shows that there was no Jiugong setting in the chess game at that time, and the general's actions were not restricted by the Jiugong. (2) Straight line without distance.Bixing rook footwork, which is exactly the same as the rooks in modern Chinese chess and chess. (3) There is no distance when traveling obliquely.It is exactly the same as the bishop in modern chess, which shows that there was no river boundary in the chess system of the Northern Song Dynasty at that time.

(4) Horse (riding) Quxing four roads, that is, straight, one oblique and three.Sima Guang did not emphasize the restriction of whether there is any tell, which shows that the horse's footwork at that time was the same as modern chess, and there was no limit to tell. (5) The gun goes straight and has no distance.One chess piece before can be hit, but nothing before, or more than two chess pieces before, then it cannot be hit.This is exactly the same as the footwork of the cannon in modern chess.However, in the Seven Kingdoms Elephant Play, each side has only one cannon. (6) Pedestrians walk straight and obliquely without distance.You can't serve the enemy, and the enemy can't serve you either.

(7) Bow straight and oblique four ways. (8) Crossbow straight and oblique five ways. (9) The knife runs obliquely all the way. (10) The sword goes straight all the way. There are 120 chess pieces in the Chess Play of the Seven Kingdoms.Among them, Zhou occupies the central government, and no country can invade it.Qin lived in the west, Han and Chu lived in the south, Wei and Qi lived in the east, and Yan and Zhao lived in the north.Each of the seven countries has 17 chess pieces.Among them, there is one general, one side, one pi, cannon, pedestrian, bow, and crossbow, four cavalry, two knives, and four swords.There are eight colors of chess pieces: Zhou Huang, Qin Bai, Chu Chi, Qi Qing, Yan Hei, Han Dan, Wei Green, and Zhao Zi.

Depending on the number of people, the Seven Kingdoms Elephant Opera has various ways of playing.If there are seven people sitting, each of the seven people is related to one country; if there are six people, then Qin will be united with one country; if there are five people, then Chu will be united with one country; If there are no people, then Qin and the two countries will be in balance; or only the people sitting here will each occupy one country, and the rest of the countries will be left empty.When playing, Qin, Chu, Han, Qi, Wei, Zhao, and Yan play chess in order.If the chess has left its original position, it cannot be reversed.Those who should not move but make mistakes will be punished.Whoever can capture the enemy general wins.Although the enemy general was not captured, the one with more than 10 officials in a country wins.Even if one party has gained less than 10 officials, but the other party has lost more than 10 officials, it will also lose.In the end, the one who sits and wins the most wins.The loser will be fined to drink, and will be out of the game after drinking.Those who have captured two generals or won 30 officials and scholars will dominate, so all countries must obey and drink fine wine.

In the description of Qiguo Xiangxi, the exchange ratio of chess pieces of various arms is finally mentioned.Except for being the supreme commander whose value is immeasurable, the exchange ratio of the rest of the sons is: one cavalry is the second of the bow, crossbow, knife, and sword, the cannon is the third, the scorpion is the fourth, and the partial is the fifth.It can be seen from this that the status, power and value of each son in the Seven Kingdoms Xiang Opera, except for generals, are side, Pi, Pao, horse, and pawn, which decrease in order.