I am, by nature, fixated on board games. I can play morning and night without any thought of food. When I traveled south to Jinhua, I put up at the Chens’ house. Having spoken with my hosts about board games, I subsequently wrote this “Rhapsody on a Handbook for ‘Capture the Horse’.”
As the year draws to a close, we seize the chance to shout “Black Eyes”! A thousand gold is wagered on a single throw, a million cash rides on ten fists of tallies. Wine cups and plates have been set out, the ceremonious greetings have been performed. After the host and guests are tipsy with wine, isn’t there, after all, such a thing as chess? Once Capture the Horse caught on, chupu dice was no longer played. This is, in fact, the most cultured of trivial pursuits, an elegant amusement in the women’s apartments. Powerful steeds like Ji and Lu are yoked together, recalling the ten thousand mile rides of Duke Mu. Black stallions and sorrels prance in tandem, just like the Yang clan’s five teams of mounts. The tinkling of gem pendants— we marvel at jade stirrups struck together. Arrayed like a constellation of stars— we imagine bronze coins smashed to bits. When the maples turn chill along the Wu River, leaves blow off the trees on the nomad hills. When the border is closed at Jade Gate, grasses are plentiful at Sandy Plain. Approaching the waves, one steed would not cross the ford, for fear of staining its mud-guards. Troops may be deployed with surprise, as in the battle fought at Kunyang. Or battlefield protocol may be scrupulously maintained, as with the armies at Zhuolu. There are famed riders long known as outstanding who fall to the ground like Master Yu. There are men with no reputation for horsemanship who perform as brilliantly as Shu the Fool!3 There are those who return home haltingly, having set out brimming with confidence. Some gallop over a steep trail fit only for crows, while others trot gingerly around an ant hill. Struggling to get through perilous terrain, some horses have not met their Wang Liang. Laboring to haul a salt cart, others have yet to encounter their Zaofu. Moreover, the plateaus and hills stretch distantly, white clouds cover the sky. One nag is thinking only of its beloved bin of beans, while a fine steed yearns for the sting of the whip. Hoofs come to rest on yellow leaves, the gold coins are just as many. The tiles that are used number fifty-six, the routes that may be taken amount to ninety-one. Rewards and punishments are meted out unambiguously, the lowest and highest merit are properly tallied. Battlefield commands originate in the recesses of one mind, victory and defeat are decided in advance of the portents.
Besides, fondness for victory is part of human nature, though these minor arts are a gentleman’s smallest skill. Still, mention of the plum served to alleviate thirst, so too this game may calm a mind obsessed with winning. Drawing a pancake satisfied hunger, this pursuit may relieve the ambition to vanquish others. If you aspire to get real results, you must face danger and not retreat. But sometimes to repay high honors conferred on you you must interpret subtle signs and withdraw for a time. Some go forward slowly with gags in their mouths to penetrate the obstacles at mountain passes; Others peddle their valor and strive to be first only to fall into a pit they never saw. That comes from not knowing when to stop, remorse was a result they gave themselves. You must know the proper way to guide the chariot, and not forget the warnings worn at the gentleman’s waist. Is this not better than doing nothing at all, as the classic itself teaches? Each move must be rooted in utmost sincerity the principles must accord with the way of Heaven. The mare conforms to the constancy of earth, the lady of Lu exemplified correct “returning.” We learn from the fallen hair-knots of the Woman Liang, we follow the curving riverbank in the state of Qi. Therefore, when one fellow shouted out as he circled the couch, all five sticks came up black. When another cried out as he sprinkled wine on the ground, all six dice showed red.
One man never lost at board games his whole life, thus his victory at Jiange was assured. Someone else had not gambled away his mountain estate when invaders were already defeated at Huai and Fei.2 Today how could we lack a commander like Yuanzi? Our enlightened age is not short of leaders like Anshi.3 Why must we imitate Tao Changsha, throwing the chessboard away? We should emulate Yuan Yandao, who flung down his cap.
The concluding verse says: Foli is sure to die in the mao year, why are we all, high-ranking and lowly, still fleeing in chaos?
Great steeds like Hualiu and Lu’er fill my eyes, in dangerous times where can we find real horses like these? Old now, who still has one thousand mile ambitions? All I want is to join with others to recross the Huai.
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1.14 打馬賦 Rhapsody on Capture the Horse
Date: 2021-12-18 03:08 am (UTC)予性專博，晝夜每忘食事。南渡金華，僑居陳氏，講博弈
之事，遂作《依經打馬賦》曰:
歲令云徂
盧或可呼。
千金一擲
百萬十都。
樽俎具陳
已行揖讓之禮。
主賓既醉
不有博弈者乎。
打馬爰興
摴蒲遂廢。
實小道之上流
乃閨房之雅戲。
齊驅驥騄
疑穆王萬里之行。
間列玄黃
類楊氏五家之隊。
珊珊珮響
方驚玉鐙之敲。
落落星羅
忽見連錢之碎。
若乃吳江楓冷
胡山葉飛。
玉門關閉
沙苑草肥。
臨波不渡
似惜障泥。
或出入用奇
有類昆陽之戰。
或優游仗義
正如涿鹿之師。
或聞望久高
脫復庾郎之失。
或聲名素昧
便同癡叔之奇。
亦有緩緩而歸
昂昂而出。
鳥道驚馳
蟻封安步。
崎嶇峻坂
未遇王良。
跼促鹽車
難逢造父。
且夫邱陵云遠
白雲在天。
心存戀豆
志在著鞭。
止蹄黃葉
何異金錢。
用五十六采之間
行九十一路之內。
明以賞罰
覈其殿最。
運指麾於方寸之中
決勝負於幾微之外。
且好勝者人之常情
游藝者士之末技。
說梅止渴
稍疏奔競之心。
畫餅充饑
少謝騰驤之志。
將圖實效
故臨難而不迴。
欲報厚恩
故知機而先退。
或銜枚緩進
以踰關塞之艱。
或賈勇爭先
莫悟穽塹之墬。
皆由不知止足
自貽尤悔。
當知範我之馳驅
勿忘君子之箴佩。
況為之賢已
事實見於正經。
用之以誠
義必合於天德。
牝乃叶地類之貞
反亦記魯姬之式。
鑒髻墮於梁家
溯滸循於岐國。
故遶牀大叫
五木皆盧。
瀝酒一呼
六子盡赤。
平生不負
遂成劍閣之師
別墅未輸
已破淮淝之賊。
今日豈無元子
明時不乏安石。
又何必陶長沙博局之投
正當師袁彥道布帽之擲也。
辭曰:
佛貍定見卯年死
貴賤紛紛尚流徙。
滿眼驊騮雜騄駬
時危安得真致此。
老矣誰能志千里
但願相將過淮水
Rhapsody on Capture the Horse
I am, by nature, fixated on board games. I can play morning and night without any thought of food. When I traveled south to Jinhua, I put up at the Chens’ house. Having spoken with my hosts about board games, I subsequently wrote this “Rhapsody on a Handbook for ‘Capture the Horse’.”
As the year draws to a close,
we seize the chance to shout “Black Eyes”!
A thousand gold is wagered on a single throw,
a million cash rides on ten fists of tallies.
Wine cups and plates have been set out,
the ceremonious greetings have been performed.
After the host and guests are tipsy with wine,
isn’t there, after all, such a thing as chess?
Once Capture the Horse caught on,
chupu dice was no longer played.
This is, in fact, the most cultured of trivial pursuits,
an elegant amusement in the women’s apartments.
Powerful steeds like Ji and Lu are yoked together,
recalling the ten thousand mile rides of Duke Mu.
Black stallions and sorrels prance in tandem,
just like the Yang clan’s five teams of mounts.
The tinkling of gem pendants—
we marvel at jade stirrups struck together.
Arrayed like a constellation of stars—
we imagine bronze coins smashed to bits.
When the maples turn chill along the Wu River,
leaves blow off the trees on the nomad hills.
When the border is closed at Jade Gate,
grasses are plentiful at Sandy Plain.
Approaching the waves, one steed would not cross the ford,
for fear of staining its mud-guards.
Troops may be deployed with surprise,
as in the battle fought at Kunyang.
Or battlefield protocol may be scrupulously maintained,
as with the armies at Zhuolu.
There are famed riders long known as outstanding
who fall to the ground like Master Yu.
There are men with no reputation for horsemanship
who perform as brilliantly as Shu the Fool!3
There are those who return home haltingly,
having set out brimming with confidence.
Some gallop over a steep trail fit only for crows,
while others trot gingerly around an ant hill.
Struggling to get through perilous terrain,
some horses have not met their Wang Liang.
Laboring to haul a salt cart,
others have yet to encounter their Zaofu.
Moreover, the plateaus and hills stretch distantly,
white clouds cover the sky.
One nag is thinking only of its beloved bin of beans,
while a fine steed yearns for the sting of the whip.
Hoofs come to rest on yellow leaves,
the gold coins are just as many.
The tiles that are used number fifty-six,
the routes that may be taken amount to ninety-one.
Rewards and punishments are meted out unambiguously,
the lowest and highest merit are properly tallied.
Battlefield commands originate in the recesses of one mind,
victory and defeat are decided in advance of the portents.
Besides, fondness for victory is part of human nature,
though these minor arts are a gentleman’s smallest skill.
Still, mention of the plum served to alleviate thirst,
so too this game may calm a mind obsessed with winning.
Drawing a pancake satisfied hunger,
this pursuit may relieve the ambition to vanquish others.
If you aspire to get real results,
you must face danger and not retreat.
But sometimes to repay high honors conferred on you
you must interpret subtle signs and withdraw for a time.
Some go forward slowly with gags in their mouths
to penetrate the obstacles at mountain passes;
Others peddle their valor and strive to be first
only to fall into a pit they never saw.
That comes from not knowing when to stop,
remorse was a result they gave themselves.
You must know the proper way to guide the chariot,
and not forget the warnings worn at the gentleman’s waist.
Is this not better than doing nothing at all,
as the classic itself teaches?
Each move must be rooted in utmost sincerity
the principles must accord with the way of Heaven.
The mare conforms to the constancy of earth,
the lady of Lu exemplified correct “returning.”
We learn from the fallen hair-knots of the Woman Liang,
we follow the curving riverbank in the state of Qi.
Therefore, when one fellow shouted out as he circled the couch,
all five sticks came up black.
When another cried out as he sprinkled wine on the ground,
all six dice showed red.
One man never lost at board games his whole life,
thus his victory at Jiange was assured.
Someone else had not gambled away his mountain estate
when invaders were already defeated at Huai and Fei.2
Today how could we lack a commander like Yuanzi?
Our enlightened age is not short of leaders like Anshi.3
Why must we imitate Tao Changsha, throwing the chessboard away?
We should emulate Yuan Yandao, who flung down his cap.
The concluding verse says:
Foli is sure to die in the mao year,
why are we all, high-ranking and lowly, still fleeing in chaos?
Great steeds like Hualiu and Lu’er fill my eyes,
in dangerous times where can we find real horses like these?
Old now, who still has one thousand mile ambitions?
All I want is to join with others to recross the Huai.
[see footnote]