The Spread of Ancient Chess (1)
古代国际象棋的传播
The game of chess originated around 500 AD in India and was spread by the Arabs through the Middle East to Europe. The design of the chessmen and the chess rules reflected the influence of each local culture.
国际象棋起源于公元500年左右的印度，随后由阿拉伯人传播到了中东和欧洲。当时棋子的设计和下棋的规则与世界各地文化习俗息息相关。
The earliest chess set discovered in Europe is called Lewis chessmen, which was found in Scotland in 1831. The pieces were made of ivory and were exquisitely carved with human statues. It is believed that the chess pieces were made in Norway, and they can be dated back to the 12th century. At that time, Europe was in the Middle Ages, an era of “dark ages”, characterized by a strict hierarchy and constant warfare. The features of the Lewis chessmen vividly reveal the characteristics of the Medieval European society.
欧洲现存最早的国际象棋名叫刘易斯棋子，1831年在苏格兰被发现。棋子用象牙制成，被精细地雕刻成人像。据说这些棋子是在挪威制造的，它们的历史可以追溯到公元12世纪。那个时候，欧洲正处于中世纪，也就是我们说的“黑暗时期”，那时社会等级制度森严，战争不断。刘易斯棋子生动地展示了中世纪欧洲社会的特征。
Lewis chessmen
刘易斯棋子
The naming of some pieces was influenced by the social system in Medieval Europe. For example, the figure “Knight” is called “Horse” in Hindu and Chinese, but when it came to Northern Europe, it was renamed “Knight”. Knights were a prominent character in Medieval Europe. They were the most outstanding soldiers, who played a crucial role in the fight against the Muslims during the Crusades and in protecting the pilgrims to Holy Land – Jerusalem.
英语中对一些棋子的命名正是受到了中世纪欧洲社会的影响。比如，国际象棋中的“马”在印度语和汉语中同样被称为“马”，但是到了北欧就被称为了“骑士”。骑士是欧洲中世纪的一个主要角色。他们是最出色的士兵，十字军东征期间，他们在与穆斯林军队的较量中发挥了重要的作用，并且保护了前往圣地耶路撒冷的朝圣者。
Similarly, the piece bishop is called “Elephant” in most Asian countries, but was renamed “Bishop”. In Medieval Europe, Christianity dominated people’s lives, and the bishop held one of the most powerful positions, even powerful enough to combat the monarch. Do you remember the monarch Henry VIII, who was famous for having six wives? The Christian Church did not allow him to divorce his first wife. So he had an argument with the pope (the highest bishop), and as punishment he was excommunicated by the Church.
同样的，棋子“象”在大多数亚洲国家中被称为“象”，但是在北欧被重新命名为“主教”。在中世纪的欧洲，基督教统治了人们的生活，因此主教是欧洲最有权势的群体之一，权利大到连国王都要让他们三分。你们还记得亨利八世，就是那位因为六个老婆而出名的君主吗？当时教会不允许他和他的第一任老婆离婚。他与教皇（最高级别的主教）发生了争吵，作为惩罚他被教会开除了教籍。
Henry VIII and his six wives
亨利八世和他的六个老婆
We can also notice from the Lewis chess set that all the pieces have human figures:
我们还可以从刘易斯棋子中发现所有的棋子都被雕刻成了人形:
Except for the pawns…
除了兵……
Pawn: I am weak, poor, lonely, and humble…
兵：我弱小、可怜、孤独、又卑微……
Pawns represent the peasantry, which was at the very bottom of society in the Middle Ages. These peasants had to provide food and military service to their masters in order to acquire land and protection. They could easily be exploited by their masters and sacrificed in the battles. Therefore, pawns were deprived of their human forms and were given the least power.
兵代表了农民阶层，在中世纪欧洲社会处于最底层。这些农民必须给他们的主人提供食物和兵役，为的是换取他们的土地和保护。他们很容易被他们的主人剥削，或者在战场牺牲。所以，兵没有被雕刻出人的形态，而且被给予了最小的威力。
When chess became prevalent in the Middle East, its design and rules were modified according to Islamic culture. Islamic religion prohibited idol worship. If you travel to the Middle East, you will find that the works of art and architecture were decorated with vibrant patterns, flowers and animals, just like this:
当国际象棋在中东盛行的时候，它的设计和规则也因为受到了伊斯兰文化的影响而发生了变化。伊斯兰教禁止偶像崇拜。如果你去中东旅游，你会发现那儿的建筑和艺术品都刻有艳丽的花纹、花卉或动物的图像，就像这样：
And this:
这样：
But not this:
但没有这样的：
Therefore, chess pieces were made more abstract without human forms. They might be more comparable to chess pieces nowadays.
所以同样棋子也被雕刻得非常抽象，没有人形了。他们也许和今天的国际象棋棋子更加相似。
In the Islamic world during the Middle Ages women did not have a high status. So for a certain time the power of the queen was limited, or the queen was even replaced by other figures. In contrast, women in Medieval Europe had a relatively higher status. Women could inherit land and possess power. Again, we should mention the famous Henry VIII. He had six wives, but was blessed with only one son, who unfortunately died at a very young age.
在中东的伊斯兰教世界，女人的地位不是很高。所以有一段时间中东国际象棋中皇后的威力被限制了，甚至皇后被换成了其它棋子。相比之下，在中世纪欧洲，女人有着较高的地位。她们可以继承土地甚至拥有权力。这里我们又要提到那位有名的亨利八世了。他的六个老婆只给他留下了一个儿子，更不幸的是他的儿子很早就去世了。
Since there was no male heir, the daughters of Henry VIII, the bloody Mary and Elizabeth I, became monarchs one after the other. This indicates that the relatively high status of women in Europe might explain the queen’s greatest power in chess.
因为没有男性继位人，亨利八世的女儿，血腥玛丽和伊丽莎白一世，先后成为了英国的君王。这说明中世纪欧洲女性相对较高的地位或许能解释为什么在国际象棋中皇后的威力最大。