The Fascinating Tibetan Dice Games: Sho Para

Tibetan dice, known in Tibetan as Shö (ཤོ་), is a treasured folk game, hailed as “the crystallization of plateau wisdom.” This game blends ancient traditions of divination with competitive strategy, boasting a history spanning over a thousand years. It was listed as a regional-level Intangible Cultural Heritage of Tibet in 2009 and is particularly popular among all Tibetan men.

Name and Origins: From Oracle to Pastime

The origins of Tibetan dice trace back to sacred practices, demonstrating a fascinating transition from the divine to the secular.

• Formal Name: Shö (ཤོ་), which literally means “dice” in the Tibetan language.
• Common Name: Shö Bara is the colloquial name, derived from the enthusiastic chant players shout when throwing the dice: “Baré Shö, Baré Shö, Baré Shö! “
• Historical Roots: Its history can be traced back to the Tubo Dynasty (7th–9th century CE). It initially served as a divination tool for the indigenous Bön religion.
• Documentary Evidence: Documents found in Dunhuang confirm the rich variety of Tibetan divination methods, which included “bird divination, dice divination, and sheep bone divination.”
• Mythology: Folk legends credit the dice to the “nine Mäsang brothers.” It is recorded in the Bön classic The Nine Eyes of the Cat.
• Cultural Shift: Over time, Shö transitioned from a “divination tool on the altar” to a “secular amusement,” eventually becoming one of the “Nine Arts” essential for Tibetan men.

The Legend of Masang and Dice Invention:

During the reign of the tribal Masang brothers, it is believed that the Masang invented the dice. Masang, a demigod belonging to the one-legged ghost category, is a central figure in many ancient Tibetan tales, including the mythological stories of ‘Masang’s Nine Strongmen’ (མ་སངས་སྤུན་དགུ་). Masang, after being subdued by Guru Padmasambhava, became a protector deity who not only invented dice but also helped players win by invoking his name.

Game Props: Miniatures of Tibetan Craftsmanship

A complete Tibetan dice game requires a meticulously crafted set of props, each imbued with cultural significance.

Dice Construction: Standard Tibetan dice are six-sided cubes. Each face represents a different number of spots. Some dice are engraved with the Six-Syllable Mantra or other auspicious patterns, adding both practical and collectible value.

Gameplay Rules: A Contest of Wisdom and Chance

Shö is an intellectually demanding game that combines foresight and risk management.

Player Setup

• Participants: 2 to 6 people; a 3-player game is the most common.
  • 2 players: Direct competition.
  • 3 players: Each acts independently.
  • 4 to 6 players: Grouped into teams (2 players per team).

Game Flow

1. Preparation: The 64 counters are arranged on the dice mat to form a circular path. Each player places their 9 chips at the starting position.
2. Playing: Players take turns throwing the dice clockwise. Two dice are placed in the bowl, vigorously shaken, and then the bowl is quickly inverted onto the mat.
3. Movement: The bowl is lifted, and the sum of the dice determines how far the player can move their chips.
4. Special Rule: If the two dice show the same number, the player earns an extra throw.

Winning Conditions

• Standard Victory: The first player to move all 9 of their chips from the starting point to the finish (past the 64th counter) wins.
• Perfect Victory: A player wins instantly by managing to “stack” all 9 chips together and passing the finish line in a single move.
• Tactical Victory: Players can “eat” (block or capture) an opponent’s chips through clever movement, effectively weakening their opponent’s strength.

Strategy and Movement

The simple sum of the dice is not the only factor. Strategic movement is crucial, requiring players to “merge or add to their own Laki (path/route)” or “eat the opponent’s Laki.” Success demands calculating potential moves and anticipating the opponent’s actions, demonstrating a specific kind of strategic thinking characteristic of the Tibetan people.

The Unique Language of Dice Invocation:

In Tibetan dice games, players use a unique set of words to call out numbers, different from the standard Tibetan language. Here’s how they announce each number:

• For the number “2,” It is called “Para” (པ་ར་)
• 3 is “Sug” (མཛོ་པོ་སུག་) instead of “Sum” (གསུམ་).
• 4 is “Dzig” (ཚིགས་) rather than “Shi” (བཞི་).
• 5 is “Kha” (ཁ་), not “Nga” (ལྔ་).
• For “6,” the term is “drug” (འབྲུག་) in place of “Drug” (དྲུག་).
• 7 is “Ri” (རི་), not “Dun” (བདུན་).
• 8 is “Sha” (ཤ་) instead of “Gyed” (བརྒྱད་).
• 9 is “Gur” (སྒུག་/སྒུར་), not “Gu” (དགུ་).
• 10 is “Chhu” (ཆུ་) rather than “Chu” (བཅུ་ without aspiration).
• 11 is “Thog” (ཐོག་) or “Doo-ge” (རྡོག་གེ་) instead of “Chuchig” (བཅུ་གཅིག་).
• Lastly, “12” is “Cham” (ལྕམ་) rather than “Chunyi” (བཅུ་གཉིས་).

This unique linguistic twist adds an interesting layer to the traditional Tibetan dice games, reflecting the rich cultural heritage of Tibet.

The Shö Chant: The ‘Soul’ of the Game

The Shö Chant (Shobshey) is considered the “soul” of the Tibetan dice game. These are the unique, often poetic, verses that players sing or chant while shaking and throwing the dice.

• Pastoral Chants: Feature a rugged and unrestrained style, often reflecting nomadic life. Example: “If I climb the wish-fulfilling tree, let my satin robe and fur coat be torn.”
• Agricultural Chants: Characterized by elegant language and a beautiful rhythm.

The Shö Chant is considered the “soul” of the Tibetan dice game. These unique, often poetic, verses are sung or chanted by players while shaking and throwing the dice, adding immense atmosphere and cultural depth.

Classic Shö Chant Examples

The chants often draw inspiration from everyday life, philosophy, and humor, turning a mathematical outcome into a storytelling moment.

Cultural Functions of the Chants

• Atmosphere: They significantly enhance the game’s enjoyment and create a passionate, engaging environment.
• Artistry: They showcase Tibetan linguistic art and literary talent in the form of folk poetry.
• Social Bonding: Humorous expressions and banter deepen the emotional connection between players.
• Philosophy: They subtly convey Tibetan values and life philosophies, from perseverance to acceptance of fate.

Dice Games in Tibetan Folklore:

Tibetan folklore is replete with stories about gods and deities using dice games to decide their dominions and the fates of mortals. These tales highlight the deep-rooted significance of dice games in Tibetan mythology and culture.

Dice Games in Modern Tibetan Society:

Even today, dice games remain a vital part of traditional entertainment in Tibetan areas. These games are not just pastimes but represent a brilliant facet of Tibetan folk culture, a testament to the enduring legacy of these ancient practices and their role in the cultural fabric of the Tibetan community.

Discover the intriguing world of Tibetan dice games, a cultural treasure with deep historical roots on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. While variations exist across regions, the core principles remain similar, blending strategy and entertainment.

Basic Rules of Tibetan Dice Games:

Tibetan dice games are known for their simple yet strategic rules. Games can be played by 2, 3 or 4 players, with the latter two formats typically involving teams of two. The game begins with each player or team holding nine tokens. The oldest player starts the game in the morning, while the youngest takes the lead in the afternoon. Players throw dice in a clockwise direction, setting the game’s pace.

Game Mechanics:

The first token placed is called the ‘mother token,’ requiring two tokens to be laid down. Special numbers like 2, 3, or 12 allow for three tokens to be placed. Subsequent turns involve placing only one ‘child token.’ Players aim to match the dice numbers with their tokens on the board, allowing for the addition or merging of tokens. The game involves strategic moves, including attacking opponents’ tokens, with specific conditions governing these actions.

Players have the chance to re-roll the dice under certain conditions. For instance, if a player’s token count is lower than their opponent’s and they roll a number matching an opponent’s token, they must hold their position. A player whose tokens are completely captured by an opponent can make a comeback by rolling a nine (specifically a combination of 6 and 3) and placing all nine tokens on the number nine spot, continuing the game.

Winning the Game:

Several scenarios determine the winner of a Tibetan dice game:

1. A player successfully navigating their tokens through all 64 positions on the board, especially grouping all nine tokens and passing through, is deemed the winner.
2. If a player continuously lands on an opponent’s mother token, moving their mother token forward until it completes the circuit, they win.
3. Rolling the number two three consecutive times grants immediate victory.
4. A special win occurs when a player rolls a unique combination and recites the corresponding specific dice chant accurately and promptly, winning not only the round but also the entire set of gaming tools. This achievement is considered highly auspicious.

Unique Features of Tibetan Dice Games:

1. Exciting Three-Player Games: This format is particularly intense and engaging. Players must strategize and sometimes collaborate to prevent an opponent’s victory, leading to dynamic and ever-changing alliances.
2. Flexibility and Adaptability: Tibetan dice games require minimal equipment and can be played anywhere. Improvised dice from Tsampa (barley flour), counters from small stones, and tokens from matchsticks or twigs make the game accessible and adaptable to any setting, allowing players to immerse themselves fully in the excitement and joy of the game.

Conclusion:

Tibetan dice games are not just a form of entertainment but a cultural phenomenon. They encapsulate the spirit of Tibetan life, showcasing the region’s rich heritage and the community’s capacity for creativity and joy. Whether played in a cozy room or under the vast sky, these games continue to be a vibrant part of Tibetan culture.