Components
Gray Wolf Games has been working with an amazing artist from JiangSu Province, China named Yan Li to develop the look and feel of the octagon terrains, the five elements, and the single-colored images of the Shaolin five animals. The octagons have a painted quality to them that gives the board a beautiful depth. In contrast, the elements and animals were created as solid cutouts with the feel of a traditional Chinese seal.
As Wu Wei has evolved, so has the art. Matthew Waggle has created some amazing character art and an inspired box cover that really helps bring the game together.
Octagonal Tiles
The shape of each octagonal tile is based on the Feng Shui Ba Gua Mirror. The Ba Gua mirror is among the most well-known and commonly used of all the Feng Shui protection spells, remedies, or magical cures for improper placements of houses – placements that may attract bad luck or lead to sorrow or illness in the dwelling. Buildings placed near graveyards, bridges, or with a large tree blocking the entrance are said to be at a disadvantage from “poison arrows” of sha that damage those inside the dwelling or place of business.
Center Tile Back
The Tree of Life
“The tree which fills the arms grew from the tiniest sprout; the tower of nine stories rose from a small heap of earth; the journey of a thousand miles commenced with a single step.”
Disciple Level
This symbol is known
as the Wu Xing
or “Five Elements”
“Ward Off, Rollback, Press, and Push are called the four cardinal directions. Rollpull, Split, Elbow, and Lean Forward forms are called the four diagonals. Forward, backward, to the left side, to the right side, and center are called metal, wood, water, fire, and earth, respectively. When combined, these forms are called the thirteen original styles of T’ai Chi.”
Master Level
This symbol is known
as the Bagua
or “Eight Trigrams”
“T’ai Chi is born out of infinity. It is the origin of the positive and negative. When T’ai Chi is in motion, the positive and negative separate; when T’ai Chi stops, the positive and negative integrate.”
Emperor Level
This symbol is a
stylized version of the
Chinese character Lu
or “Prosperity”
“The control of a large force is the same in principle as the control of a few men: it is merely a question of dividing up their numbers.”
Spring Forests
6 octagons per game
Summer Mountains
6 octagons per game
Autumn Marshes
6 octagons per game
Winter Lakes
6 octagons per game
Fields
The back side of all spring, summer, autumn, and winter octagons
Walls
8 octagons per game
After ending a move on a field, the emperor may place a wall on that field.
Students and masters may not move onto spaces with a wall on them
3 chi of the active element destroys a wall adjacent to one of your characters
Sun
First Player Marker
This marker starts with the sun side facing up.
When the season changes to winter, the first player marker flips to the moon side.
Moon
First Player Marker
The moon side indicates that a gathering (a blind bid of chi) will take place before the first player’s next turn to determine the new first player.
The Emperor
China was eventually united under one of the regional kings, the first emperor Qin Shi Huang. During the Qin Dynasty, the emperor wielded absolute power over all of China. The emperor was despotic, ordering the burning of books to remove all evidence of any earlier dynasties and burying many scholars alive. His tight control of China allowed him to conscript massive labor forces and construct ambitious projects like the Great Wall of China. Abolishing landowning lords increased agricultural output and allowed for larger military forces. His public works projects included a massive new national road system as well as the city-sized mausoleum guarded by the life-sized Terracotta Army. He ruled until his death, despite his infamous search for an elixir of immortality.
Lao TzuTao Te Ching, Chapter 22
Square Tiles
There are nine square tiles in each quadrant of the board placed between the octagons. The shape of the square tile and the formation of each quadrant is reminiscent of the Lo Shu Square. The Lo Shu Square is part of the legacy of the most ancient Chinese mathematical and divinatory traditions, and is an important emblem in Feng Shui, the art of geomancy concerned with the placement of objects in relation to the flow of chi or “natural energy”.
North
This is not a valid space for players to move on. It indicates the direction where octagons can be flipped and walls can be placed.
South
This is not a valid space for players to move on. It indicates the direction where octagons can be flipped and walls can be placed.
East
This is not a valid space for players to move on. It indicates the direction where octagons can be flipped and walls can be placed.
West
This is not a valid space for players to move on. It indicates the direction where octagons can be flipped and walls can be placed.
Town Back
Except for the towns in the four corners of the board, the type of chi in a town remains hidden until a player ends their turn on it.
Ending your turn on a town changes the type of chi that players can use.
Temple Back
Temples are hidden during setup and revealed before the game begins.
Ending your turn on a temple changes the season and that determines which octagonal tiles players can travel on when they move.
Palace Back
The type of chi in a palace remains hidden until a player ends their turn on it.
In a student level game, ending your turn on a palace gives you the opportunity to place a wall in the direction indicated on the square card.
In a master level game, ending your turn on a palace gives you the opportunity to flip an octagon to the fields side in the direction indicated on the square card.
Tower
5 squares per game
After ending a move on a town, a general may place a tower on that town. If this is the second tower placed in a corner of the board, gain a second black general. If its the third, gain a white general. New generals start on the center octagon.
Wood Town
4 squares per game
+1 Wood Chi
Wood Temple
1 square per game
+1 Wood Chi
Wood Palace
Starting position for
the Leopard Master
1 square per game
+1 Wood Chi
Leopard Lineage Marker
After moving, a master gains three chi. Leopard Masters receive Wood Chi.
Fire Town
4 squares per game
+1 Fire Chi
Fire Temple
1 square per game
+1 Fire Chi
Fire Palace
Starting position for
the Tiger Master
1 square per game
+1 Fire Chi
Tiger Lineage Marker
After moving, a master gains three chi. Tiger Masters receive Fire Chi.
Silver Town
4 squares per game
+1 Metal Chi
Metal Temple
1 square per game
+1 Metal Chi
Metal Palace
Starting position for
the Crane Master
1 square per game
+1 Metal Chi
Crane Lineage Marker
After moving, a master gains three chi. Crane Masters receive Metal Chi.
Water Town
4 squares per game
+1 Water Chi
Water Temple
1 square per game
+1 Water Chi
Water Palace
Starting position for
the Dragon Master
1 square per game
+1 Water Chi
Dragon Lineage Marker
After moving, a master gains three chi. Dragon Masters receive Water Chi.
Earth Town
4 squares per game
+1 Earth Chi
Earth Temple
1 square per game
+1 Earth Chi
Earth Palace
Starting position for
the Snake Master
1 square per game
+1 Earth Chi
Snake Lineage Marker
After moving, a master gains three chi. Snake Masters receive Earth Chi.
Yin Side of Yin Yang Tiles
The two yin-yang tiles begin the game on white and black.
Each time a yin-yang tile becomes unoccupied, flip that tile to the other side. The flow of yin-yang determines which character(s) you may move during your turn.
In a student level game, this space is blocked by a Black General.
In a master level game, this space is the starting position for the First Black General.
Yang Side of Yin Yang Tiles
The two yin-yang tiles begin the game on white and black.
Each time a yin-yang tile becomes unoccupied, flip that tile to the other side. The flow of yin-yang determines which character(s) you may move during your turn.
In a student level game, this space is blocked by the White General.
In a master level game, this space is the starting position for the Emperor.
General Kwan
Warrior of Peace & God of War
Kwan Gong (Guan Yu) is poised in practically every kung fu Kwoon (school). Whether as a picture or statue, his presence to oversee activity and training is inspiring.
It is said that not only was he an excellent General that was able to avoid confrontations when advantageous, but that over time he was offered land, money, and women by the Emperor’s enemies. These enemies knew that if they had to face Guan Yu on the battlefield, that would most likely lose, so they took a softer approach to get themselves on his good side.
Sun TzuThe Art of War, Chapter 3
Character Pieces
Shaolin monks admired the beauty, power, grace and fluidity of various animals and sought to emulate them. They copied their movements and their fighting tactics and created some of the most beautiful and deadly martial arts the world has ever seen.
The snake, dragon, tiger, leopard, and crane served to strengthen the bodies of monks who had been sitting all day in meditation. Each animal helped develop certain aspects of the students such as patience, aggression, fluidity of movement, awareness of environment, playfulness and so on.
Dragon Student
Dragon Master
Tiger Student
Tiger Master
Leopard Student
Leopard Master
Snake Student
Snake Master
Crane Student
Crane Master
Oath of the Peach Garden
“When saying the names Liu Bei, Guan Yu and Zhang Fei, although the surnames are different, yet we have come together as brothers. From this day forward, we shall join forces for a common purpose: to save the troubled and to aid the endangered. We shall avenge the nation above, and pacify the citizenry below. We seek not to be born on the same day, in the same month and in the same year. We merely hope to die on the same day, in the same month and in the same year. May the Gods of Heaven and Earth attest to what is in our hearts. If we should ever do anything to betray our friendship, may heaven and the people of the earth both strike us dead.”
Emperor
White General
First Black General
Second Black General
Tracking Boards
The circle represents the infinite, and the infinite is at the basis of all things. The triangle comes from the void of the circle. The triangle is the beginning of all forms. Out of the triangle comes the square. A square is the triangle doubled. This doubling process goes on infinitely until we have the entire universe. If one truly understands the functional use of the square, circle, and triangle in combat, they will become a highly skilled fighter.
Chi Tokens
There are 36 chi tokens for each of the five elements for a total of 180 tokens per game. Between each of the elements there exists the close relationships of mutual generation, mutual subjugation, extreme subjugation, and counter subjugation. The five elements theory explains the interrelatedness of all things through the use of those close relationships.
