Secrets of the Golden Roc: 18 classical compositions

The complete composition set of 金鵬秘訣象棋局, a Qing dynasty woodblock manual of xiangqi endgame studies, keyed from the Bavarian State Library copy (public domain). All 18 diagrams and their printed solutions were transcribed from the original leaves and replayed move by move through the Mistboard rules kernel: 11 end in literal checkmate, 6 in decisive positions the book scores as wins, and 1 in the lone printed draw. Woodblock misprints (worn numerals, ink-flipped discs) are noted and emended in the chapter comments.

18 chapters

1. The horse leaps Tan Creek37 moves
Composition 1 of 金鵬秘訣象棋局, "Secrets of the Golden Roc": a Qing dynasty woodblock manual of xiangqi endgame compositions, keyed from the Bavarian State Library copy (public domain, shelfmark L.sin. L 59). 馬跳澶溪, "The horse leaps Tan Creek". Red to move; the printed verdict is 勝. Eve…
A rank-ten check forced the elephant block, and the chariot takes the blocker at once.
2. Five tigers lean on the mountain19 moves
Composition 2: 五虎靠山, "Five tigers lean on the mountain". Red to move; the printed verdict is 勝. The line is the book's printed solution, kernel-verified. This leaf omits the closing 勝 character; the line ends in checkmate on the board regardless.
Checkmate on the board, exactly as the book's 勝 claims.
3. Slaughter at Red Cliffs15 moves
Composition 3: 赤壁鏖戰, "Slaughter at Red Cliffs". Red to move; the printed verdict is 勝. The line is the book's printed solution, kernel-verified.
The book closes here with 勝. The verdict is exact: red now has a forced mate in 3 (engine-verified).
4. The emperor tours his palaces17 moves
Composition 4: 明皇遊宮, "The emperor tours his palaces". Red to move; the printed verdict is 勝. The line is the book's printed solution, kernel-verified.
Checkmate on the board, exactly as the book's 勝 claims.
5. The net is drawn13 moves
Composition 5: 動行網羅, "The net is drawn". Red to move; the printed verdict is 勝. The line is the book's printed solution, kernel-verified.
The book closes here with 勝. The verdict is exact: red now has a forced mate in 2 (engine-verified).
6. Withdraw, reflect, mend your faults19 moves
Composition 6: 退思補過, "Withdraw, reflect, mend your faults". Red to move; the printed verdict is 勝. The line is the book's printed solution, kernel-verified.
The book closes here with 勝. The verdict is exact: red now has a forced mate in 7 (engine-verified).
7. Night raid on the enemy camp17 moves
Composition 7: 偷營刦寨, "Night raid on the enemy camp". Red to move; the printed verdict is 勝. The line is the book's printed solution, kernel-verified.
Checkmate on the board, exactly as the book's 勝 claims.
8. Three enemies, hobbled13 moves
Composition 8: 三敵刖足, "Three enemies, hobbled". Red to move; the printed verdict is 勝. The line is the book's printed solution, kernel-verified.
Checkmate on the board, exactly as the book's 勝 claims.
9. Carrying fire onto the woodpile13 moves
Composition 9: 抱火積薪, "Carrying fire onto the woodpile". Red to move; the printed verdict is 勝. The line is the book's printed solution, kernel-verified.
The book closes here with 勝. The verdict is exact: red now has a forced mate in 4 (engine-verified).
10. Dragon tamed, tiger crouched18 moves
Composition 10: 龍降虎伏, "Dragon tamed, tiger crouched". Red to move; the printed verdict is 和, a draw. The line is the book's printed solution, kernel-verified. The collection's lone draw.
和: both sides spent, the book's verdict is a draw.
11. The enemy state overthrown11 moves
Composition 11: 立傾敵國, "The enemy state overthrown". Red to move; the printed verdict is 勝. The line is the book's printed solution, kernel-verified. Two discs on this leaf are inked wrong: the d6 horse prints filled like a black piece, but the solution's final 馬六進七 proves it red.
Checkmate on the board, exactly as the book's 勝 claims.
12. Valor to eclipse the age13 moves
Composition 12: 英畧盖世, "Valor to eclipse the age". Red to move; the printed verdict is 勝. The line is the book's printed solution, kernel-verified.
The block prints 車五平四 here, but red's only chariot stands on the second file: a worn numeral. 車二平四 is the unique legal reading, and the rest of the printed line follows from it.
13. Wei besieged, Yan held back13 moves
Composition 13: 困魏掣燕, "Wei besieged, Yan held back". Red to move; the printed verdict is 勝. The line is the book's printed solution, kernel-verified.
The book closes here with 勝. The verdict is exact: red now has a forced mate in 11 (engine-verified).
14. A dragon leaps from the gray sea19 moves
Composition 14: 滄海騰蛟, "A dragon leaps from the gray sea". Red to move; the printed verdict is 勝. The line is the book's printed solution, kernel-verified.
Printed 馬六進二 with a worn 四: f8 is the only legal destination, and it completes the mate.
15. Dragons and serpents churn the sea13 moves
Composition 15: 龍蛇混海, "Dragons and serpents churn the sea". Red to move; the printed verdict is 勝. The line is the book's printed solution, kernel-verified.
The block prints 馬八退一, an impossible retreat from this square. 馬八退七 is the only checking retreat, and it is mate. Checkmate on the board, exactly as the book's 勝 claims.
16. Terror near and far21 moves
Composition 16: 逺近驚駭, "Terror near and far". Red to move; the printed verdict is 勝. The line is the book's printed solution, kernel-verified.
Printed 士六進五; the f8 advisor can only travel to e9, so the direction character is a misprint for 退.
17. The dragon soars, the phoenix rises19 moves
Composition 17: 騰蛟起鳳, "The dragon soars, the phoenix rises". Red to move; the printed verdict is 勝. The line is the book's printed solution, kernel-verified.
A worn digit: 退三 would land on red's own soldier, so 退二 is the printed intent.
18. Push open the window, view the moon11 moves
Composition 18: 推窗觀月, "Push open the window, view the moon". Red to move; the printed verdict is 勝. The line is the book's printed solution, kernel-verified.
The block prints 相五進變 here: the 變 marks the printed variation, and the move itself is 相五進三, a deflection sacrifice. The elephant leaves e3 so that the flying-general rule seals e9.