古代 Past
雙陸棋在中國
Backgammon in China
雙陸棋是人類有記載⽂明史上最老的遊戲，起源於五到六千年前，於古代的波斯王國。據說，在兩漢時期經天竺、西域傳入中原。後來流⾏於曹魏，盛行於隋唐，以迄宋、元時期，曾經在我國風靡了1400 年之多。
Backgammon is one of the most ancient games in recorded human civilisation, dating back some 5-6000 years ago in Persia.
According to various legends, the game reached China during the Two Han Dynasties (ca. 200 B.C. to 200 A.D.) From there on, the game enjoyed an immense popularity in China for 1400 years, throughout all the Dynasties that came and went in between.
雙陸棋尤其於唐代有非⼀般的影響力，受到上⾄宮廷，下⾄黎民百姓的廣泛喜愛。唐代很多文學藝術作品中都能⾒到雙陸的影子。唐書中還記載着武則天與狄仁傑打雙陸的故事。《唐國史補》記載武則天夢⾒與⼤羅天女打雙陸，但頻頻輸給天女。狄仁傑則吿訴她說是「雙陸不勝，無子也。」勸說是上天⽤棋⼦來警示武則天。
Backgammon’s popularity in China was at its height during the Tang Dynasty (ca. 700 A.D.) The game not only pervaded the royal court and amongst the noble and rich, but it was also played enthusiastically amongst ordinary folk. One can see the shadow of backgammon in the volumes of literature from that period. There were even anecdotes of Empress Wu Zhe Tian playing backgammon with her Prime Minister Di Ren Jie while discussing state affairs.
唐朝敦煌《孔子項橐相問書》，出現孔子邀請項橐玩雙陸的劇情。
Confucius was recorded as having invited Xiang Tuo to play a game of backgammon in “The Debates between Confucius and Xiang Tuo”.
周昘有畫《楊妃架雪衣女亂雙陸圖》，描畫唐玄宗與人玩雙陸要輸時，楊貴妃故意放⽩鸚鵡擾亂棋局。
Zhou Fang’s painting “Princess Yang Gui Fei disrupting backgammon”, brings to life the vivid scene of Princess Yang Gui Fei disrupting a game of backgammon by releasing her white parrot, causing chaos, seeing that her Emperor Tang Xuan Zong was losing in a backgammon game against his opponent.
唐．周昉《內人雙陸圖》
Zhou Fang "Court Ladies Playing Double-sixes"
南宋時洪遵詳記了東亞多種雙陸變體的局盤、制度、布⼦格式、⾏棋規則等的《譜雙》。
In the Southern Song Dynasty (1127 - 1279 A.D.), the book “Pu Shuang” (or “Cataloging backgammon”) by Hong Zun recorded many different types of backgammon being played with different rules, number of pieces, the patterns on the board, or table, or carpet, and the Chinese regional names given to each of these variants.
雙陸在元代屬於⼀種 “才⼦型” 的遊戲，為⽂⼈及風流⼦弟所喜愛，像詩⼈柳貫、曲家周德清、戲劇家關漢卿等均有詠嘆雙陸的佳作傳世。從《⾦瓶梅》中可⾒雙陸在當時是時髦⼈⼠必須會玩的遊戲，比如⻄⾨慶便是 “學得些好拳棒，⼜會賭博、雙陸、象棋、抹牌、道字，無不通曉”。
In the Yuan (Mongolian) Dynasty (1271 - 1368 A.D.), backgammon was a game for the intellectuals and dandies, and poets, lyricists, scriptwriters have all sung praises of backgammon in their respective works. In “Jin Pin Mei” (“Plum of the Golden Vase”, a major work in classic Chinese literature) backgammon appeared frequently and was clearly a favourite game amongst the fashionable and elites of society then.
雙陸在清初開始失傳。當時仍然有《紅樓夢》寫到 “打雙陸”。乾隆王本⼈的⼀套非常精美的雙陸棋盤，今天還展示在北京的故宮博物館裡。
It was during the early years of the Qing Dynasty (1616 - 1912 A.D.) that backgammon began to disappear in China. Even then, in “Hong Lou Meng” (“Dreams of the Red Mansion”, another major work of classic Chinese literature) there remain copious references to backgammon being played in everyday life at the time. Emperor Qian Long’s own intricate and lavish backgammon set is on display in the “Gu Gong” (“Ancient palace”) Museum in Beijing.
然⽽，在2023年的今天，在中國會玩雙陸棋的⼈非常少，很多⼈甚⾄從未聽過這是什麼遊戲。
Today, in 2023, very few people in China know how to play this game, and most people have not even heard of it.
現今 Present
2023年5月, 澳門雙陸棋協會受邀成為世界雙陸棋聯盟之中國代表!
In May 2023, Macao Backgammon Association Joins
World Backgammon Federation as China Representative!
