Masterpieces from the Plantain Window: 5 classical compositions

蕉窗逸品 (Jiaochuang Yipin) is a Qing-dynasty manual of ten jianghu (street-hustler) endgame compositions, compiled in 1879 by Gu Shunchen (顾舜臣) and printed from woodblocks under its original title 象戏新谱 as the fourth book of his series. Five of the ten problems are included here, each rooted at its own diagram with the book's solution as the mainline; the other five are held back until their recorded lines have been checked against the book. Chapters follow dpxq's listing order; the book's own order is not recorded there. Titles are English renderings of the original four-character names, which are kept alongside. Records come from dpxq.com, whose text follows a 1988 annotated reprint; that edition's prefaces and notes are left out, and only the moves and the verdict line are reproduced here. Each composition credits its source. Every line replays legally through the Mistboard rules kernel, which is a check on the record and not on the book: this text has a single source, and a solution recorded short would still replay cleanly. The compositions are nearly a century and a half old and long out of copyright.

5 chapters

  1. 1. Seven Stars Gather63 moves

    七星聚会 — "Seven Stars Gather" Problem 1 of 蕉窗逸品. The book's note: 「低头卒红车守中，和局。」 Transcribed from http://www.dpxq.com/hldcg/search/view_u_42708.html

  2. 2. Two Cannons Race to the Front33 moves

    二炮争先 — "Two Cannons Race to the Front" Problem 2 of 蕉窗逸品. The book's note: 「和局」 (Draw) Transcribed from http://www.dpxq.com/hldcg/search/view_u_42709.html

  3. 5. Peach Red, Willow Green21 moves

    桃红柳绿 — "Peach Red, Willow Green" Problem 5 of 蕉窗逸品. The book's note: 「和局。」 (Draw) Transcribed from http://www.dpxq.com/hldcg/search/view_u_42712.html

  4. 7. The Wild Horse Works the Field47 moves

    野马操田 — "The Wild Horse Works the Field" Problem 7 of 蕉窗逸品. The book's note: 「和局。」 (Draw) Transcribed from http://www.dpxq.com/hldcg/search/view_u_42714.html

  5. 8. Xiang Zhuang's Sword Dance11 moves

    项庄舞剣 — "Xiang Zhuang's Sword Dance" Problem 8 of 蕉窗逸品. The book's note: 「红胜。」 (Red wins) Transcribed from http://www.dpxq.com/hldcg/search/view_u_42715.html