Beach xiangqi set

A year ago to the day, we went out to collect flat round stones from a pebble beach nearby.

The idea was to create a xiangqi set for 'outdoor use', and flat round stones would be perfect for that. For all kinds of reasons, the idea remained just that, an idea, and the stones were patiently waiting in a bag in the shed .... Until earlier this week!

Chinese symbols duly painted on the stones ...

... and, with the pieces done, where better to create an outdoor board than on a beach? So down to Wittering beach on a cold but beautiful day. First measured out and drew the board ...

... and then added the pieces to it. 

Rather than set up the board and pieces for modern xiangqi, I decided to do so for a reconstruction of xiangqi as it is thought to have been played during the Tang and Song dynasties. This reconstruction is by Himly, and dates to 1870.

In terms of the board and initial set-up of the pieces, the main differences with xiangqi as it is played nowadays are the absence of the river (like in modern Janggi), six pawns rather than five, the cannons starting on the back row, a single guard rather than two, and the kings starting in the centre of the palace (like in modern Janggi). There are also differences in the moves of the pieces (e.g. the chariot only moves forward, like the 'lance' in modern Shogi). 

By the way, I did paint the symbol of the guard on the reverse of the 'extra' pawns, so the set can be used for modern xiangqi just as well.