CHINESE CHESS
ROLLUP CHESSBOARD IN FINE HANDICRAFT
UNIQUE HANDMADE CHESS PIECES
This is a brand new Chinese Chess set with a primitive, pictographic rollup chess board. The chess board measures 14.5" (370mm) in length, 13.3" (340mm) in width, and slightly less than 1/8 inch (3mm) in thickness when unfolded. Both the front and the back of this large size chess board are characterized by pictographs and graphic images, a design inspired by the famous Naxi Dongba culture and its pictographic script. Other features you can find only in this xiangqi chessboard but not elsewhere include the "acting mask" icons and the 5-worded Chinese poetic writing.
The "acting mask" icons replace the standard markings for the positions of the pawns and the cannons at the start of the game. The 5-worded verse lines in Chinese, which are in the lower middle part at the back of the rollup chessboard, express the complexity, opportunity and wisdom of xiangqi. The chess board is made of fine synethetic leather, a material giving the leather texture but coming from a non-animal source.
The playing pieces, measured 1.4" (35mm) in diamater, are handmade. The top and the bottom of each piece is tightly sewed together to form a perfect circular chess piece. You can see the great handicraft work when viewing from the side. Each chess piece has the Chinese character on one side and the corresponding pictograph on the other side.
A cylinder in synthetic leather goes with the chessboard and chess pieces. This is the container for storage and protection.
At any time you need a quick reference on the "Chinese Chess Rules", or if you are interested in "Chinese Chess Tactics", you are always welcome to get a softcopy from me. No commitments.
INTERESTING FACTS OF XIANGQI
The roots of Xiangqi (Chinese Chess) dated back to more than 1,400 years ago in the Northern Zhou Dynasty (40 years earlier than the famous Tang Dynasty in China). Through the years the game evolved gradually. By the 12th century AD, the game was stabilized to become the modern day Xiangqi. Several complete sets of copper Xiangqi chess pieces in the period of 12th century AD have been unearthed. Two incomplete wooden sets were found in Fujian Province, China in 1974. They belonged to the period of the 13th century.
SPECIFICATIONS
Dimensions of chess board : 14.5" (L) x 13.3" (W) x 1/8" (D) (370mm x 340mm x 3mm)
Dimensions of playing pieces : 1.4" (35mm) in diameter; 5/8" (15mm) in thickness
Material : synthetic leather
Production method : handmade
Manufacturing location : Kunming, Yunnan Province, China
Weight of chess set : approx. 15 oz. (about 430g)
Playing pieces : 16 pieces in red; another 16 pieces in blue
Packing : Dispatch in padded envelope