Tang Guoshi Bu 唐国史补

Among today's board games, Changxing is the most flourishing. Its equipment consists of a board, fifteen yellow pieces, and fifteen black pieces. Two dice are cast. Its rules originate in Woshuo, evolved alongside Shuanglu, and then, through human ingenuity, gave rise to  Changxing.

There are also other variants known as Xiao Shuanglu (Little Shuanglu), Weitou (Wall-Breaker), Dadian (High-Dice), Xiaodian (Low-Dice), Youtan (Courtly Game), or Fengyi (Phoenix Wings), but none could match the popularity of Changxing (Long March).

This game demonstrates the hazards and ease [of life], and serves as a metaphor for world affairs; through its capacity to adapt to changes, it can be compared to the hexagrams of the Yijing (The Book of Changes). Princes and great ministers indulge in it to such an extent that they neglect congratulations and condolences, lose sleep, and forget to eat and drink.

As for the gamblers, they fiercely compete in what they call Liaoling (the challenge). The middlemen who lend money and host the table are called Nangjia (the bankers), and they take one-tenth of the winnings, which is called Qitou (the commission). Some fight thus through the night, while others ruin themselves completely. Among the most skillful players of our time, Hun Gao and Cui Shiben are the most famous.