Traditional Games as a Tool of Buddhist Diplomacy in East Asia

Abstract

In the worldwide religious Buddhist tradition, regardless of its directions and schools, it has long been customary to exchange gifts as a sign of respect and good intentions. Important symbolic gifts exchanged, when establishing relations between Buddhist communities or organizations, both at the official level and at the level of personal contacts, are often objects of art, religious attributes – bowls, lamps, incense and censers, sweets, tea and vegetarian dishes, mandalas and Buddhist figurines. In this context, traditional checkers and chess games are considered as unique types of diplomatic gifts in East Asia. Diving briefly into the history of how Asian board games developed, the close connection of chess games with fortune-telling and religious activities is considered. It is appropriate to consider the features of chess games against the background of the activities of Buddhist temples, which served as ideological and cultural centres, largely preserving their educational and spiritual status to this day. The Buddhist symbolism of the main chess pieces and combinations is analyzed in the context of the development of the idea of the mutability and frailty of the world, where each decision can lead to a new reality. Chess games can act as a valuable diplomatic gift, since they are an elegant way to create a dialogue of mutual interest between the parties through culture and traditions.