What the solver found: an exact audit of the classical manuals

Every short continuous-check composition in 適情雅趣 (1570), 渊深海阔 (1808) and a modern collection, checked by exhaustive search rather than by an engine opinion: is the printed solution the only one? This study shows what turned up. The book’s line is always the mainline; the branch is the fault, at the move where it happens. A dual is a second winning continuation after some defence; a second key is another first move that wins; a faster mate cooks the stipulation outright. Three records turned out to be corrupt rather than wrong, which an evaluation caught and an exact search alone would have mistaken for a refutation.

22 chapters

Sound · Eyes on the Flooding Current5 moves
Eyes on the Flooding Current (目视横流) — Elegant Pastime Manual (適情雅趣, 1570), no. 13 The book claims mate in 3 by continuous checks. Exhaustive search agrees: one key, no second solution after any defence, and nothing faster. The mainline is the book’s solution; a branch, where th…
Sound · Joining Forces Against the Yellow Turbans11 moves
Joining Forces Against the Yellow Turbans (会剿黄巾) — Deep as the Sea (渊深海阔, 1808), no. 156 The book claims mate in 6 by continuous checks. Exhaustive search agrees: one key, no second solution after any defence, and nothing faster. The mainline is the book’s solution; a branch, w…
Sound · Waning Moon, Fallen Blossom11 moves
Waning Moon, Fallen Blossom (月缺花残) — Lin Youru: collected compositions (林幼如作品集, 20th c.), no. 4 The book claims mate in 6 by continuous checks. Exhaustive search agrees: one key, no second solution after any defence, and nothing faster. The mainline is the book’s solution; a br…
Dual · Rats Fighting Over a Burrow13 moves
Rats Fighting Over a Burrow (群鼠争穴) — Elegant Pastime Manual (適情雅趣, 1570), no. 11 At move 6 the book plays He6+; Hc6+ mates just as fast. A dual. The mainline is the book’s solution; a branch, where there is one, is what the solver found. Record from dpxq.com.
Dual · In War, Crude Speed Wins13 moves
In War, Crude Speed Wins (兵贵拙速) — Elegant Pastime Manual (適情雅趣, 1570), no. 31 At move 3 the book plays Rf9+; Rxg10+ mates just as fast. A dual. The mainline is the book’s solution; a branch, where there is one, is what the solver found. Record from dpxq.com.
Dual · Havoc at Kunyang13 moves
Havoc at Kunyang (大闹昆阳) — Deep as the Sea (渊深海阔, 1808), no. 44 At move 4 the book plays Ch5+; Ch4+ mates just as fast. A dual. The mainline is the book’s solution; a branch, where there is one, is what the solver found. Record from dpxq.com.
Dual · One Torch for Epang Palace13 moves
One Torch for Epang Palace (阿房一炬) — Deep as the Sea (渊深海阔, 1808), no. 69 At move 3 the book plays Rf9+; Rxg10+ mates just as fast. A dual. The mainline is the book’s solution; a branch, where there is one, is what the solver found. Record from dpxq.com.
Dual · Three Worthies Die for the State13 moves
Three Worthies Die for the State (三贤殉国) — Deep as the Sea (渊深海阔, 1808), no. 70 At move 6 the book plays Re10+; Rf9# mates just as fast. A dual. The mainline is the book’s solution; a branch, where there is one, is what the solver found. Record from dpxq.com.
Dual · Rats Fighting Over a Burrow (what the solver found)13 moves
Rats Fighting Over a Burrow (群鼠争穴) — Elegant Pastime Manual (適情雅趣, 1570), no. 11 At move 6 the book plays He6+; Hc6+ mates just as fast. A dual. The mainline is the book’s solution; a branch, where there is one, is what the solver found. Record from dpxq.com.
Here the book plays He6+. Hc6+ forces mate in the same number of moves. The 排局 tradition tolerates a dual; Western composition counts it as a fault, and it is the commonest one in these books.
Second key · Deftly Shaking the War Bell11 moves
Deftly Shaking the War Bell (妙振兵铃) — Elegant Pastime Manual (適情雅趣, 1570), no. 15 The book opens Rh10+ and mates in 6. So does Pd10+: the key is not unique. The mainline is the book’s solution; a branch, where there is one, is what the solver found. Record from dpxq.com.
Second key · The Dragon Turns at the Pool's Floor13 moves
The Dragon Turns at the Pool's Floor (龙翻潭底) — Elegant Pastime Manual (適情雅趣, 1570), no. 35 The book opens Cxe7+ and mates in 7. So does Rxd10+: the key is not unique. The mainline is the book’s solution; a branch, where there is one, is what the solver found. Record from dpxq.co…
Second key · The Horned Beast Bars the Way7 moves
The Horned Beast Bars the Way (角端阻道) — Deep as the Sea (渊深海阔, 1808), no. 71 The book opens Rxd8+ and mates in 4. So does Rb10+: the key is not unique. The mainline is the book’s solution; a branch, where there is one, is what the solver found. Record from dpxq.com.
Second key · Li Jing Scouts the Camp11 moves
Li Jing Scouts the Camp (李靖探营) — Deep as the Sea (渊深海阔, 1808), no. 126 The book opens Rxf10+ and mates in 6. So does Rb10+: the key is not unique. The mainline is the book’s solution; a branch, where there is one, is what the solver found. Record from dpxq.com.
Second key · The Maple Stripped of Its Red15 moves
The Maple Stripped of Its Red (枫经红摧) — Lin Youru: collected compositions (林幼如作品集, 20th c.), no. 15 The book opens Pfxe9+ and mates in 8. So does Pdxe9+: the key is not unique. The mainline is the book’s solution; a branch, where there is one, is what the solver found. Record fr…
Second key · Deftly Shaking the War Bell (what the solver found)11 moves
Deftly Shaking the War Bell (妙振兵铃) — Elegant Pastime Manual (適情雅趣, 1570), no. 15 The book opens Rh10+ and mates in 6. So does Pd10+: the key is not unique. The mainline is the book’s solution; a branch, where there is one, is what the solver found. Record from dpxq.com.
Pd10+ forces mate in the same 6 moves as the book’s Rh10+. A composition is asked for one solution, so a second key is a fault.
Faster mate · Racing for the Boat at the Ford13 moves
Racing for the Boat at the Ford (争舟走渡) — Elegant Pastime Manual (適情雅趣, 1570), no. 108 The book prints a mate in 7. Pxe9+ mates sooner, which breaks the stipulation outright. The mainline is the book’s solution; a branch, where there is one, is what the solver found. Record from…
Faster mate · Recommending a Worthy on Horseback13 moves
Recommending a Worthy on Horseback (走马荐贤) — Deep as the Sea (渊深海阔, 1808), no. 97 The book prints a mate in 7. Hf8+ mates sooner, which breaks the stipulation outright. The mainline is the book’s solution; a branch, where there is one, is what the solver found. Record from dpxq.…
Corrupt record · Zhang Qian Rides the Raft9 moves
Zhang Qian Rides the Raft (张骞乘槎) — Deep as the Sea (渊深海阔, 1808), no. 202 The record has Red a chariot down and losing, so it cannot be the composition. The mainline is the book’s solution; a branch, where there is one, is what the solver found. Record from dpxq.com.
Corrupt record · Swiftly Slaying Wen Chou9 moves
Swiftly Slaying Wen Chou (疾诛文丑) — Deep as the Sea (渊深海阔, 1808), no. 217 The book’s mate in five fails at Black’s first reply, and Black is winning the position, so the record cannot be the composition. The mainline is the book’s solution; a branch, where there is one, is what t…
Corrupt record · Ma Yuan Sweeps the North11 moves
Ma Yuan Sweeps the North (马援扫北) — Deep as the Sea (渊深海阔, 1808), no. 265 In the recorded position Black mates first, so the record cannot be the composition. The mainline is the book’s solution; a branch, where there is one, is what the solver found. Record from dpxq.com.
Corrupt record · Swiftly Slaying Wen Chou (what the solver found)8 moves
Swiftly Slaying Wen Chou (疾诛文丑) — Deep as the Sea (渊深海阔, 1808), no. 217 The book’s mate in five fails at Black’s first reply, and Black is winning the position, so the record cannot be the composition. The mainline is the book’s solution; a branch, where there is one, is what t…
At Black's move 4 the book gives Ae9, which loses. Re10 instead, and Red has no mate in the printed length: exhaustive search, not something the board shows in one move. Black is winning in this position, which is why the record, not the composition, is the thing at fault.
Holds · Seven Stars Shine Bright54 moves
Seven Stars Shine Bright (七星曜彩) — Deep as the Sea (渊深海阔, 1808), no. 1 Neither side forces mate. The most famous position in the literature, and the claim holds. The mainline is the book’s solution; a branch, where there is one, is what the solver found. Record from dpxq.com.