Game set (composition and variants)

The game set is designed for two, three or four players and contains the following components:

• Cards with hieroglyphs (hieroglyphs);
• Cards with expressions or thematic sequences (questions, tasks) to be collected from hieroglyphs;
• One central and several base fields where players can perform certain actions;
• Teleport fields (4 pieces) to be able to move from one teleport to another;
• 40 game coins (yuan'ka), received by the player for the correct declaration of the value of the hieroglyph (in the hands of the player can not be more than 10 coins);
• 4 figures of to move around the playing field.

The playing field consists of hieroglyphs, basic fields, teleporter fields, located around the central card.

The number of hieroglyphs in the set corresponds exactly to the total number of characters in the task cards. If there are two expressions in the task cards that contain the character "knife" 刀, then there will be two cards of the hieroglyph "knife" in the set.

Images of any component of the game may differ from those described in the rules and depend on the theme of the specific game set.

In the case of a game set for a larger number of players, the number of yuan'ka should be increased from "one player - 10 yuan'ka".

Traditional and simplified hieroglyphs

Chinese hieroglyphs have been constantly changing during the period of time. Images of the same concept on oracle bones, bronze vessels, bamboo sticks, silk and monitor screen eventually became so different that without a certain training and deep interest to catch their identity of an ordinary person is very difficult.

In addition to this, over time the same image could change its meaning or several different images could be standardized and given to one form. In different centuries the writing of China was subjected to different variants of unification of writing, which eventually made it possible to smooth the differences in the dialects of different territories, providing the transmission of important information in writing.

After the last reform of the language and writing, including those conducted in the People's Republic of China (PRC), the so-called "simplified hieroglyphs", which became official, were introduced in the territory of PRC. The old forms of hieroglyphs were called "traditional", and still continue to be used in Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan and Singapore. For example, two hieroglyphs are used to refer to the term "East": 东-simplified form and 東-traditional form.

In the game set, depending on the specifics of the set, can be used both simplified and traditional forms of hieroglyphs. There may be situations of mixed sets (simultaneous presence of traditional and simplified forms on the cards of hieroglyphs and tasks). In the case of a mixed set, the traditional and simplified forms of hieroglyphs are considered interchangeable.

Pronunciation of hieroglyphs (putonghua, pinyin)

In the framework of the latest language reform in the People's Republic of China was continued work on the formation of a single national language by introducing a single pronunciation of simplified chinese characters. The unified national language was called putonhua-"common language" and was based on the Beijing dialect (Mandarin).

To record the pronunciation (transcription) of hieroglyphs on putonghua was developed a special alphabet, named Pinyin. The study of putonghua is compulsory in primary education at school, and given the large number of dialects in the country, facilitates communication between representatives of different nationalities living in China, as well as allows foreigners communicate with the Chinese in one language.

In the game, the symbol of pronunciation of hieroglyphs in the language of putonghua is usually given for informational purposes, but gives the players the opportunity to complicate the gameplay by including the requirement for correct sounding of hieroglyphs in the "common language".