There are several interesting legends about the origin of China's chess in ancient China literature: First, Shennong, who originated in the legendary era, said in Yuan Nianchang's "Buddhist Collection of Past Dynasties": "Shennong takes the sun as an image, and Tang Guo Xiang Niu, monks and children take cars, horses, scholars and soldiers as opportunities instead." Second, the Yellow Emperor originated from the legendary era. For example, Huang Bu's Preface to Guangxiang Xige in the Northern Song Dynasty said: The battle of the Yellow Emperor is like a war play, driving away animals and thinking about the array; The elephant is also a male among wild animals, so the soldiers play it by its name. Thirdly, it originated in Zhou Wuwang during the cutting of the Zhou Dynasty, and said in Hangwu Magazine: "Elephant drama is said to have been made during the cutting of the Zhou Dynasty, that is, it is not the case, but also a stream of military strategists in the Warring States." Fourth, it originated in the Warring States period, and the hermit book said: "Zhou said. Warring States used soldiers, so people used the image of war as a chess position. Fifth, when it originated from Emperor Wu of the Northern Zhou Dynasty, Taiping Yulan said: Emperor Wu of Zhou made an elephant play. Ming Luo Qi and Wuyuan said, "Emperor Wu of Zhou played chess. "Everything in the world is gradually developed in the struggle of opposites. History has proved that chess is the result of continuous creation and innovation by ancient Chinese people in long-term practice. It is deeply rooted among the working people in China and spreads widely. " Chess originated from the Book of Changes. On the category of "chess" (its typical representatives are Weiqi, China Chess, Chess, etc. ), as a precious product of human culture and a great invention showing advanced intelligence, has been valued and loved by people since ancient times. When it comes to the origin and evolution of chess, it is little known and has become a mystery in ancient and modern cultures. (1) There are generally three theories about the origin of chess. 1 originated in China at the end of primitive society. According to the relevant records in Historical Records, such as "Yao made Weiqi" and "Shun used his son to be stupid and pretended to teach Weiqi", it is inferred that some painted pottery unearthed is similar to modern chessboard patterns, so this is said. 2. The Warring States Theory originated from China in the late Zhou Dynasty. According to the Analects of Confucius, Zuo Zhuan, Mencius and other historical records, as well as the physical inference in the tombs of Han Dynasty and Tang Dynasty, the reason for this is that. Encyclopedia Britannica basically agrees with this statement. 3. Originated from ancient Central Asia and Hawaii. Japanese scholars infer from a Pangu chess game between the two places, so there is this saying. The above three theories are based on some limited historical records and individual physical evidence, which are simply inferred, without necessary research and demonstration on the essential connotation of Go and chess, the typical representative of chess and the relationship between original arguments, which is too hasty and therefore unsatisfactory. (B) "Chess" originated from the theory of "Yi". Yu ren said: "chess" is also "chess"; Yi ","Yi "is also chess" and "Yi" is also. According to this theory, chess * * * originated from China's ancient classic Three Changes (Lianshan, Guizang and Zhouyi). The direct ancestor of modern chess is the ancient legendary sage's chess in China (see figure 1). This article is called Yi. The origin of Yi originated from the formation of Sanyi in the early Xia, Shang and Zhou Dynasties, while modern chess (Go, Chess, etc. ) It broke away from foreigners at the end of Shang Dynasty and the beginning of Zhou Dynasty, and basically took shape in the late Zhou Dynasty. (3) Before demonstrating this point, describe its origin again for easy understanding. Yu people said: When mankind entered the early stage of civilization, sages such as Fuxi, Shennong, Huangdi, Yaoshun, etc. "looked up at the sky, looked down at the earth, watched the articles of birds and beasts, adapted to the earth, approached all things, and far away from all things, so they started gossip to understand the virtues of gods and the feelings of all things. Therefore, the hexagram "Yi" was created to simulate the operation of all things in the universe, so as to seek a harmonious state between man and nature and benefit the lives of all things. Sages and sages are proficient in the Book of Changes. At that time, how could it be passed down from generation to generation without words? Only oral communication can not meet the needs of Yi people's integration. The ancients said: words are not full of meaning, but they should be expressed in hieroglyphics. Sages and kings use it to achieve their goals. Specifically, it is to draw pictographic figures on the ground according to the system of the Book of Changes, and then use stones, bones and so on. Vividly put forward the theoretical significance of studying the Book of Changes. When two people communicate, they put stones on the map array in turn to simulate the meaning of Yi, that is, the earliest Yi appeared, that is, the shadow bud of modern chess. Sages spread Yi through Yi, which has three main purposes: (1) Playing chess: By playing chess, chess players (people who learn Yi) can cultivate their advanced consciousness and thinking ability and learn the basic knowledge of Yi. (2) Learning the Book of Changes: Learn the unified theory of the Book of Changes vividly through games. (3) Prediction: specific divination and prediction can be made through easy access. The early "Yi" was only recited by sages and kings, so it was regarded as the "Yi" of sages and immortals and was unique to the world. With the development of the times, the first half of "Yi" was passed on to the "Chen Xiang" attached to the holy king to cultivate his disposal ability, and then gradually evolved into an abstract Go. Later, the second half was passed on to the soldiers attached to the holy king to cultivate their fighting ability, and then gradually evolved into image chess. Go and chess are played by ordinary people, so they are like places. However, "Yi" itself is gradually lost as a secret. The appearance of seal script at the end of Shang Dynasty and the beginning of Zhou Dynasty and the completion of Zhouyi are also one of the reasons for its loss. Legend has it that folk Taoism occasionally appeared in later generations. (4) Argument 1: According to ancient records, Yi means Go, and it also means other players. Judging from the word "easy", "easy": from hand to hand; However, "Yi" is arrogant, and the person who is the biggest is a vast country (see Shuo Wen), and "Yi" says: "Yi is a book, a preparation, a natural way, an authentic way ..." It can be seen that Yi and Yi are directly related. Chess players talk about Yi's form and meaning, but they don't know chess. Therefore, "chess" is also; Yi ","Yi "also plays chess" is also very easy. Argument 2: Go. (1) The black-and-white yin and yang of chess pieces are directly derived from the yin and yang of Yi, which is an abstract simulation and is not discussed much. (2) The chessboard consists of 19 straight lines, and * * there are 36 1 chess positions. Why? There are six hexagrams and four hexagrams in the Book of Changes, and each hexagram is * * * 384 hexagrams, which is the total number of changes in everything simulated by the Book of Changes. Weiqi has 36 1 positions, and the number closest to this total cannot be more. It can be seen that Go and Yi Yuan are the same. Argument 3: Chess. (1) "Yi" said: "Those who are" Yi "are like; Elephants like it, too. " He also said, "A saint can see the world, but he deliberately describes it properly. This is the image of reason. "The image of chess simulates the confrontation stage of human struggle, so it can be seen that the image of chess and the image of Yi belong to the same category. (2) China's chess and chessboard are essentially 64 squares, which is also the number of 64 hexagrams in the Book of Changes. This is no coincidence, which shows the close relationship between chess and the Book of Changes. Argument 4: If the Yi in Figure 1 is introduced, its chess position is basically composed of the sixty-four hexagrams of Yi, and the style of play is the connotation of Sanyi. The whole game process is simulated from disposal to confrontation, and the sky is round. (1) Go is actually an arrangement, an abstract evolution of the arrangement in the first half of Yi, which is learned by scholars. (2) The essence of chess is confrontation, which is the evolution of the image of confrontation in the second half of Yi, and was learned by the military personnel in the general school. It can be seen that Go and Chess should be divided into "Yi", and simulated evolution is undoubtedly the same. Argument 5: The Book of Changes says, "Do it for the sky, for the circle ..." The ancients regarded the sky as a circle and the earth as a square. The ancient "Yi" is the image of heaven and the heavenly chess of sages. Go, chess, etc. They are all images of places, but they are actually chess of mortal places. Argument 6: The (mountain) chess handed down by Central Plains people (see Figure 2), if it is folded into a circle (see Figure 3), it is not difficult to see that it is an ordinary Yi Tu. It is not difficult to see from its gameplay that it is the form and meaning of three meanings. In fact, it is an empirical study of Yi and Qi. Argument 7: Lingqi Jing is a book that completely describes the divination of human beings with their own spiritual body-Qiqi in ancient books. It can be seen that Qiqi and Yiji are related. Argument 8: Archaeological findings are similar to those of Gu Yi. For example, as early as the Neolithic site in Jiahu, Henan Province, various stones were found in tortoise shells. Similar stones also appeared in tombs of the Yin and Shang Dynasties. The biggest possibility of this stone is a divination tool, or it may be a chess piece that was "easy" at the beginning. It is reported that an ancient chess was unearthed in a later tomb. It is expected that there will be more closely related chess in future archaeology. From the above, although chess originated from Yi, its existence and research value as a new theory is self-evident.