Plum Flower Manual by Wang Introduction
The birth of a new counter to the Central Cannon
The original Plum Flower Manual was written by Wang Zaiyue (王再越 wáng zài yuè). The date generally accepted for its publication was around AD 1662-1722, in the Qing Dynasty era, possibly when Emperor Kang Xi (康熙 Kāng xī) reigned.
The Plum Flower Manual by Wang is another super ancient manual, one that has shaped the Xiangqi scene for centuries to come. Together with The Secret in the Tangerine and the Elegant Pastime Manual, the three Xiangqi ancient manuals are hailed as the greatest Xiangqi manuals of all time.
Not much historical evidence can be found regarding Wang. All that is known from his prologue was that the times were turbulent when he wrote this masterpiece. He lived in poverty but was very upright in character.
The Plum Flower Manual by Wang consists of two volumes with three sections each. In these sections, the screen horse defense, same direction cannons, opposite direction cannons, cross palace cannon, etc. were discussed. Wang showed his genius by injecting life into the screen horse opening.
To date, the most played Xiangqi opening for Red is the central cannon, and the general opinion is that the Screen Horse Defence is the best counter. Indeed, the Central cannon vs Screen Horse Defense opening system accounts for approximately half of the games played in tournaments, everywhere in the world.
The popularity of the Screen Horse Defense can be attributed to Wang Zaiyue. It was so influential that it sparked many other similar publications in centuries to come.
Throughout the centuries, there were different hand copies of this original work whereby improvements and modifications were added.
The Webmaster has studied the ancient manual in detail, translated the text, added new explanations to help beginners and published the Plum Flower Manuals by Wang in English to preserve the masterpiece in English. It is available in both print version and ebook version on Amazon.com. For more information, please go to the Publications by the Webmaster page.
Please click on the Links in Bright Red to go to the relevant pages.
Contents:
Volume 1: Black uses the Screen Horse Defence to trounce Red's Central cannon.
Game 1: Central cannon with riverbank chariot attacking left red flank vs Screen Horse Defence.
Game 2: Central cannon with riverbank chariot attacking lt black elephant early vs Screen Horse Defence
Game 3: Central cannon with riverbank chariot sacrificing cannon vs Screen Horse Defence
Game 4: Central cannon with riverbank chariot vs Screen Horse Defence.
Game 5: Central cannon with riverbank chariot and side horse variation vs Screen Horse Defence with ranked chariot variation
Game 6: Central cannon with pawn ranked chariot take black 3rd pawn vs Screen Horse defense with throat ranked cannon
Game 7: Central cannon with pawn ranked chariot with side horse variation vs Screen Horse defense with early riverbank horse var
Game 8: Central cannon with pawn ranked chariot and ranked chariot side horse vs Screen Horse defense with double headed snake variation.
Volume 2: Black uses the central cannon to wallop Red's cross palace cannon opening
Game 1: Cross palace cannon with riverbank chariot taking black 3rd pawn C6=7 variations vs Left Central cannon with
5th pawn advancement
Game 2: Cross palace cannon with riverbank chariot taking black 3rd pawn C8=7 variation vs Left Central cannon with
5th pawn advancement
Game 3: Cross palace cannon with riverbank chariot taking black 3rd pawn C6=5 variation vs Left Central cannon with
5th pawn advancement
Game 4: Cross palace cannon with riverbank chariot taking black 3rd pawn C8+4 variation vs Left Central cannon with
5th pawn advancement.
Game 5 Cross palace cannon with pawn ranked chariot vs Left central cannon
Volume 3: Red uses the elephant opening with cross palace horse variation, and gets whooped by Black's central cannon.
Game 1: Elephant opening with cross palace horse variation vs Left Central cannon
Game 2: Elephant opening with cross palace horse variation vs Left Central cannon
Game 3: Elephant opening with cross palace horse variation vs Left Central cannon
Volume 4: Red uses the filed chariot to win black's ranked chariot in the Same direction cannons opening.
Game 1: Same direction cannons (SD): Filed chariot win Ranked chariot. Black attempts early capture of red's left horse.
Game 2: SD cannons: FR wins RR. Red uses left riverbank cannon to win black's early attempt to take riverbank pawn.
Game 3: SD cannons: FR wins RR. Red uses left riverbank cannon to win black's early attempt not to take riverbank pawn.
Game 4: SD cannons: FR wins RR. Red uses left riverbank cannon to win black's early attempt to block riverbank cannon.
Game 5: SD cannons: FR wins RR, Red use left riverbank cannon to win black's early attempt to block riverbank cannon part 2.
Volume 5: Red uses the ranked chariot to win Black's filed chariot in the Same direction cannons opening.
Game 1: SD cannons: RR win FR. Black moves A4+5 early. (similar to Vol 1 game 7 of The Secret in the Tangerine)
Game 2: SD cannons: RR win FR. Black uses the riverbank chariot for pawn exchange variation.
Game 3: SD cannons: RR win FR. Black uses the riverbank chariot and then A4+5 variation
Game 4: SD cannons: RR win FR. Black uses A6+5.
Game 5. SD cannons: RR win FR. Black tries to get right chariot out first.
Volume 6: Opposite direction cannons is the opening discussed in this volume.
Game 1: Opposite direction cannons: Both sides use the filed chariot and fight it out at the river bank.
Game 2: Opposite direction cannons: Both FR and black push horse to the riverbank to try to catch red chariot
Game 3: Opposite direction cannons: Both FR and black pushes horse to the riverbank to try to catch red chariot
Game 4: Opposite direction cannons: Both FR with riverbank chariot. Black offers early chariot exchange.
Game 5: Opposite direction cannons: Red uses the river bank chariot while black uses the pawn ranked chariot.