A World of Ancient Board Games
Beyond Go, ancient China boasted a rich variety of two-player board games.Liubo fused divination with play, Shengguan tu mimicked the path to officialdom, Shuanglu originated from India and relied on luck, while Chinese chess drew from military strategy. Some games were foreign imports, others homegrown; some depended on chance, others on skill. Their materials ranged from simple to ornate. More than pastimes, these games appeared in tombs and epitaphs, reflecting deep ties to fate, social order, and the rhythms of life. Together, they reveal the vibrant gaming culture in the world of the ancients.
- Stone Case Relief Rubbing of Figures Playing Zither and Liubo from the Xinjin Cliff Tombs in Sichuan Eastern Han Dynasty Ink rubbing
- 81.8x223
- Zeng Ta 000427
Liubo was a popular board game in ancient China, with origins tracing back to the Shang dynasty (1600-1046 BCE). Ancient records noted how a Shang King (ca. 12th century BCE) played liubo with a figurine, reflecting the game's early religious associations. By the Warring States (476-221 BCE) and Han periods (206 BCE–220 CE), written records reveal how it became a shared pastime among both nobles and commoners. Stone reliefs and game equipment from the Han dynasty further testify to the game's popularity. This rubbing comes from a late Han tomb in Xinjing, Sichuan. On the left, two winged immortals are shown playing the game on a cosmologically symbolic board, expressing beliefs in transcendence and cosmic order.
- Palace Women Playing Double Sixes Attributed to Zhou Fang, Tang Dynasty Handscroll
- 28.8x115
- Gu Hua 000980
This scroll, attributed to Tang dynasty (618-907) painter Zhou Fang (late 8th century), depicts two aristocratic women playing shuanglu (double sixes). They are seated on crescent-shaped stools—stylish Tang furniture often seen in paintings of court ladies. Shuanglu originated in ancient India and was introduced to China during the Six Dynasties (3rd-6th centuries), gaining popularity in the Tang period, especially among the elite. Each player uses 15 black or white pieces and rolls two dice to move them across a board with six points per side. The first to remove all pieces wins, though opponents may send pieces back—mixing chance and strategy like modern backgammon.
- Board Decorated with Flowers of the Four Seasons and Jade Chess Pieces for Chinese Chess Qing Dynasty
- Chess: L. 1.6, W. 1.6, H. 0.5
- Box: L. 6.4, W. 12.8
- Board: L. 25.9, W. 25.6
- Gu Yu 006246
Xiangqi, or Chinese chess, is a two-player strategy game simulating warfare. Originating in the Tang-Song period (ca. 7th -13th centuries), it flourished again under the Qing dynasty (1644-1912). Each player commands 16 red or black pieces representing military ranks, each with distinct movements and hierarchies—unlike the equal, uniform pieces and movements of Go. This exquisite Qing court set features red- and gold-filled characters carved into white and green jade pieces. The folding wooden board is decorated with gold-painted paper on the front, while the reverse reveals a stunning bird-and-flower painting by Italian Jesuit Giuseppe Castiglione (1688-1766), praised in verse by court official Liang Shizheng (1697-1763).
- Ivory "Shengguan tu (rising in the ranks)" Game Pieces
- Precious craft
- Box: L. 24.5, W. 12.2, H. 6.6
- Zeng Diao 000023
Shengguan Tu ("rising in the ranks") is a traditional Chinese board game that simulates rising and falling through the ranks of the imperial bureaucracy. Players roll the dice to advance or be demoted along a chart depicting official titles, often wagering tokens. Originating in the Tang dynasty (618-907), the game flourished during the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1912) periods alongside the civil service exam system. Initially popular among aspiring scholars, its auspicious symbolism and entertainment value made it a favorite New Year pastime. This ivory set includes 129 pieces engraved with animals like lions, tigers, and birds—perhaps a reference to similarly-adorned rank badges worn by imperial officials.