I read a very amusing little story in the “Memoirs of Sou-Toung-Pao.” Emperor Tai-Tsung used to play chess with one of his ministers. The sovereign used to give him three pawns; but the minister always managed to lose one at the end of each game. The Emperor, noticing that he was being allowed to win, said at last, “If you lose this one more game I shall have you revoked.” The game was played and ended in a draw. “One more game,” said the Emperor. “If you win it I will grant you the honour of wearing a red robe, but if you lose it I will have you dragged in the mud.” The game again ended in a draw. His Majesty, in a great rage, was pushing his minister towards the pond to throw him into the mud, when the minister cried out, “Softly, softly, your Majesty, I have got one pawn left over in my hand.” The sovereign smiled, and gave him the red robe that he had promised. The game is usually played in daytime in the summer and at night in the winter. Do not think that chess is played on any kind of table. The game demands a much more poetical setting, either trees or rocks, or a daintily furnished drawing-room, with tea and wine to be served between the games. It is considered a pleasure to watch the games, and it is etiquette never to give any advice to the players. Besides this game of chess we have another variety, which resembles the one played in Europe more closely. It is played on a draught-board which has nine squares one way and ten the other, with two sets of pieces, which are arranged in three rows, five pawns in the front row and behind them two cannons. Three rows further back is the king, having on one side and the other two councillors, two elephants, two horses, and two carriages. The two camps, which cover each a space of nine squares, are separated one from the other by a single row of squares. The rules of this game are almost the same as in the European game. The pawns can only advance straight forward, and on only one square at a time; the cannons must always pass over a piece in a straight line; the carriages go straight ahead; the councillors go diagonally, and may not leave their camps; the elephants go straight ahead, backways or sideways—like the castles in the European game; the horses are moved like your knights; and, finally, the chief is played just like the king in the game here, and equally when the king is placed so that he is in check from one of the pieces of his adversary, without being able to get away or to take the piece, he is check-mated, and the game is lost. The pieces are not represented by figures, but have their designations written on them. Our industry, so profoundly artistic, has neglected to occupy itself with this game. On the other hand, we manufacture figures of carved ivory for export sets of chess.
CHAPTER XXV
AT TABLE
THE PLEASURE OF DRINKING
Wine was first manufactured in China by a functionary named I-Ti, under the reign of Emperor U (22,000 years before Christ), from fermented rice. The sovereign was the first to taste this new beverage. He found it delicious, and said, “I am sure that hereafter there will be families of kings who will lose their thrones through drinking wine.” But his prophecy was never realised in spite of his prophetic tone, and literary men continue to indulge themselves in wine to their heart’s content. There is no party without wine, and no wine-party without poetry. But by no means do we intoxicate ourselves. I remember that, some years ago, a German deputy, criticising the law against drunkenness, pronounced these words:—“If your law is passed, the people alone will suffer, for the rich, after getting drunk on champagne in their private houses, can always manage to escape the notice of the police, for, if they have to go out, they can go out in their carriages.” The law was not passed. There would be no necessity for such a law in China, because the people there never get drunk. Our custom of seeking for happiness in drinking wine dates from the time of two celebrated poems, written by Li-Tai-Pe of the dynasty of the Thang family.
“Do you not see that the water of the Yellow River seems to come down from heaven,
And throws itself into the sea without ever returning to its sources?