Rosewood Chinese Chess (Xiangqi) Set with Folding Wooden Board

Why Collectors and Players Choose This Set?

Wipe down and disinfect with a wipe that contains a known disinfectant.
Rosewood (紫檀, or "red sandalwood" in Western catalogs) has been used in Chinese woodworking for more than 2000 years, and is mentioned as early as the Book of Songs (诗经). Trees take 100s of years to reach harvestable size and today, dense and true rosewood stock is rare because it is a slow-growing hardwood. In addition to the tight grain of the wood, it is also very dense which provides a cool hand weight that is not found in either pine or basswood.

Designed to be folded flat, Built to Last.
It is a solid-wood folding board unlike printed vinyl or cardboard chessboards, which will collapse when folded, or sag when opened. Hinged construction allows it to be folded down to approximately half its playing dimensions for storage or traveling, yet remain rigid and flat for a game. No warping and no creasing.

Two Craftsmanship Levels

Playboard: A traditional board for everyday play that is kept clean.
Carved (relief) board: Hand-engraved detailing around the edge for use in presentation quality boards for display

You need two sizes for each use case.You need two sizes per use case.
Folded up to a small size when stored in a study or travel bag, or down to a full size game table, both the 50# board and 60# board can be folded and unfolded with ease.

A Gift With Real Meaning.
Rosewood gifts are typically reserved for those to be given with respect to mentors, family elders or for those who have a serious hobby. This collection is also a great idea for a meaningful present, or for the personal use of the recipient.

Specifications

Material: Solid rosewood (紫檀)
Board Styles: Standard (smooth finish) / Carved (relief-engraved border)
Construction: Hinged, solid-wood folding board
Includes: Xiangqi (Chinese Chess) piece set + folding wooden board

Note: Measurements are approximate due to the handcrafted nature of solid-wood production; expect minor variance of a few millimeters between individual pieces.

FAQ

Q: Is this a real rosewood or a stained rosewood?
A: The material of this set is real rosewood wood (紫檀) and not dyed or veneered rosewood. Rosewood is a dense, slow growing hardwood, and so will be heavier than traditional wooden chess pieces.

Q: How many pounds does the 50# board weigh more than the 60# board?
The 50# board is approximately 18" x 20" when opened, and is more ideal for smaller tables or travel. The 60# board is a bit larger and will open to about 21" x 23", thus providing a more generous table top presence and a more satisfactory display for a dedicated game table or display setting.

Q: In fact, does the board fold or is “folding” a description?
The board is an actual foldable hinged board. It folds to about half its original width (50# folds to 25 cm wide), but remains stiff and flat, making it useful not only as a packaging, but also for storage and transportation.

Q: How is the standard version different to the carved version?
Clean, traditional lines with the standard board are ideal for everyday use. Carved (relief) board, this will have hand-engraved decoration around the edge and works well if a decorative board as well as a board to use is desired.

Q: Will the wood be prone to warping or cracking with time?
One of the reasons rosewood has been a favorite of furniture and fine woodworkers for so many years is because of its natural density and stability. Like all solid-wood products we do recommend that we keep it away from direct sunlight and excessive humidity in order to maintain its finish over time.

Q: Is this set suitable to give as a gift?
Yes – in Chinese culture, rosewood items have special meaning and are often to be given as a sign of respect to mentors, elders and/or those who love playing chess. The folding board also facilitates easy safe packaging and shipping.