Saturday 15 December 1894 Australian Town and Country Journal (NSW : 1870 - 1907) The great game of China is the game of Wei-ehi. It is considered by the Chinese far superior to their chess, which is but slightly different from ours, and to be the special game of the literary class, while the military men amuse themselves with chess. Wei-chi possesses interesting features, and requires great skill in playing. It has for us the merit of absolute nov- elty, because it differs essentially from all Western games. Unlike chess or draughts, the men are never taken, but remain where they are played. The game is not a series of skilful evo- lutions, but a successful occupation of points which, joined together, give a final winning position. Though the game is on a very extensive scale, the boardl containing 361 places and the men employed being nearly 200 a-side, still it is very simple in principle, all the men having the same value, and the same powers. To achieve the ob- ject of the game on such an extensive board requires great foresight and profound calculation. This object is to occupy as much space on the board as possible. He who at the end of i the game commands most places has won. This can be carried out in two ways-by enclosing empty spaces on the board with a certain number of I one's men, and by surrounding and i capturing the enemy's men. Chinese Emperors haye been very fond of the game, though it subjects them to the necessity of forgetting their rank, and those who play with the Emperor sit in his presence. It is recorded of an Emperor of the fourth century that on ono occasion he made a move ir- regularly. The courtier who was play- ing with him held the monarch's fin- ger, and the Emperor was not offen- ded. This was thought important enough to be mentioned In history. Use your browser's Print function to print the article (2 A4 pages). If the print is too small or too large close this window and choose another zoom level to print from. The West Australian (Perth, WA : 1879 - 1954), Thursday 30 June 1892, page 2 A GREAT CHINESE GAME. At a meeting at Shanghai of a branch of the Royal Asiatic Society, M. Yolpicelli read a paper on The Game of Wei-chi, which, he said, was the great game of China« It is considered by the Chinese far superior to their chess, which is but slightly different from ours, and to be the special game of the literary class, while the military men amuse themselves with ehess. Wei- ch; possesses interesting features and requires great skill in playing. It has for, us the merit ef absolute novelty, becauao it differs essentially from all Western games. Unlike chess or draughts, the men are never taken, but remain where they are played. The game is not a series ef skilful evolutions, but a successive occupation of points which, joined together, give a finalwinning position. Though bhe game is on a very extensive scale, the board containing' 361 places, and the men emptoyed being nearly 200 a-side^ still it is very simple in principle, all thé moa having the aamo value and the same powers. To achieve the object of the sun* on such an extensive board requires great foresight and profound calculation. TE» ob- ject is to occupy a»> much space on the beard as possible. He who at the end of the game cosamands most places has won. Thia can be carried cut ia> two ways-by enclosing empty spaces on the board with a certain number of one's men, and by surrounding and capturing the enemy's men. Dr. Edkins said thatrthe game was first mentioned in Chinese writings about Sea» 625, and was probably derived from the Babylonian astronomers, who-were at that time the teachers of the East". Chinese-Jîmperors bave been very fond- of the game* though it subject» them to the* necessity ci forgetting their raak, and those who play with the Emperor sits in his pneaenoo. It a» recorded of an Bmporor of thskfoarth century that on one occasion he made a move irregularly. The courtier who waa playing with him held the monarch's fihger, and the- Emperor waa not offended. Shis was thought important enough to be mentioned in history. Article identifier http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article3037224 Page identifier http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-page756385 APA citation A GREAT CHINESE GAME. (1892, June 30). The West Australian (Perth, WA : 1879 - 1954), p. 2. Retrieved November 11, 2013, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article3037224 MLA citation "A GREAT CHINESE GAME." The West Australian (Perth, WA : 1879 - 1954) 30 Jun 1892: 2. Web. 11 Nov 2013 . Harvard/Australian citation 1892 'A GREAT CHINESE GAME.', The West Australian (Perth, WA : 1879 - 1954), 30 June, p. 2, viewed 11 November, 2013, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article3037224 Wikipedia citation {{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article3037224 |title=A GREAT CHINESE GAME. |newspaper=[[Perth_Gazette|The West Australian (Perth, WA : 1879 - 1954)]] |location=Perth, WA |date=30 June 1892 |accessdate=11 November 2013 |page=2 |publisher=National Library of Australia}}