酒令 Chinese Drinking Games

[Peng]

Since I am planning to throw my birthday party, my friend and I decided to get Sushi platter, Sake, and etc. I want to try out some Chinese Drinking Games.

After I googled "Chinese Drinking Games" or "Jiuling" up, I only understand finger-guessing and dice game. Animal betting is bit confused (need help here?). I maybe can try this Chinese-Japanese drinking game.

I didn't go look up 酒令 because I am so awful at reading Chinese...

Anyone know different Jiuling?

[skylee]

Consider these -> http://big5.xinhuanet.com/gate/big5/www.tj.xinhuanet.com/shkj/2006-12/21/content_8849893.htm

I particularly like "the little bees" - 兩隻小蜜蜂呀，飛在花叢中呀

PS - you can also consider a simplier version of the finger game which is called "15 20". Take a look ->

[gougou]

I've seen the finger-guessing game on several occasions, albeit using two hands and guessing multiples of five (it seems the Chinese genetic structure has become more accommodating to alcohol over the ages?).

Never heard of the animal betting game, but it seems to be just a variation of rock paper scissors (or vice versa).

There is another dice game, which seems to me to be the most common drinking game. Every player gets 5 dice, which he rolls once at the beginning of the game. Every player only looks at their own dice, then they have to guess how many of a certain number there are, e.g. four 5's, or five 6's. The next player has to increase the bet (either guessing the same amount of a bigger number, or guessing a larger amount of any number), or open the previous players cup if he does not believe his guess. 1's are jokers, they count for all other numbers, too - unless somebody has guessed the amount of 1's already. I have encountered two different regulations concerning the situation when all five dice are different: in one, you roll again, in the other, you play as if you had none of any number.

A fourth game I saw for the first time this weekend is about two bees flying into the bush. Because I wasn't very good at it, I don't recall how exactly it went...

[necroflux]

I just played some drinking games in Taipei last night, let me see if I can drudge up any memories of how the hell they worked.. haha.

The one we played the most goes like this: Initially you play rock paper scissors at the beginning of each round to determine who goes first (this is only a two person game). Then for each round you either have two closed fists (沒有 or mei2you3), one open hand (五 wu3), or two open hands (十 shi2). The object is to guess how many fingers are out in total between two people. So the number can be 0, 5, 10, 15 (shi2 wu3), or 20 (er4 shi2). Both people start with two closed fists (0). The person who won the rock paper scissors guesses first and at the same time they speak both people make their "move" (opening fists or leaving them closed). You have to guess twice in a row to win. If you guess incorrectly, it's the other person's move.

The other game I played was with a group of people. Each person either holds out 5 fingers or none. You go around the circle and each person guesses how many total fingers are out (again, everyone either opens or closes their hand at the same time the person speaks). If the person guesses right, everyone who had their hands open for that round has to drink! (obviously you could cheat and never open your hand, but that's no fun, right?)

There were a couple more but they'd be hard to explain without being in person. These are pretty damn fun already though.

[gougou]

If the person guesses right, everyone who had their hands open for that round has to drink! (obviously you could cheat and never open your hand, but that's no fun, right?)

Right, this one I played before, too. (how strange that I should forget...) However, we there was no possibility to avoid drinking, if somebody guessed right the person before him would have to drink.

[gougou]

Experienced two new ones yesterday. The first one was the Chinese version of spin-the-bottle, I guess: one person would hold a paper napkin in his mouth. The next person would rip off a piece of that napkin (of course just using her mouth, too). The piece getting smaller and smaller, there will come a point where a person has no possibility to rip off another piece (or where the person holding the napkin will panic and let go of the whole napkin in order to avoid their lips actually touching...). Either way, who ends up without a piece of paper in their mouth has to drink.

The second one, we played with five people, and you'd take turns ordering people to drink by finding exactly two people that shared a certain attribute. For example, the two people wearing a wristwatch must drink. Or, the two youngest must drink. Mostly, people of course would choose attributes were they knew the results beforehand, but when you end up calling on two people and only one person, or more than two, had the attributes asked for, you'd have to drink yourself.

In fact, there was a third one, but I don't get it together any more. It started with some lines of text that you would repeat every round, something like "今天晚上很高兴，又一次玩。。。“ Forgot the rest. Would anybody happen to know that?

[necroflux]

Haha sounds like someone lost the first two games a few too many times?

[jak__]

If you really want to get serious about it there's a book by Ma Guojun 麻国钧 called 中国酒令大观 that has just about every Jiuling there is in it (like 400 pages worth). I'm not sure if it's still in print, but its worth checking out！

[simonlaing]

Have you ever heard of drinking games, where people can choose to take off clothing rather than drink? I heard some people playing the dice game with this method. Then I read an article online about a Madame in HK who through house parties for pop stars and millionaires to meet each other. They play strip poker type games, and have a password to get in.

The article didn't really have much corroborating evidence other than the person's word of mouth but it sounded interesting.

Has anyone heard of this? Skylee you're from Hong Kong Right?

Have fun,

Simon:)

[mr.stinky]

not exactly a game, but....

gather six or eight people around a table, in the center is a large bowl (the bigger, the better)

or pot. dump in 3-4 bottles of beer (or beijiu for the very brave). using a soup ladle, go

around the circle, each person feeding a ladle of beer to the person on their right.

lather, rinse, repeat.

[laohu]

I never saw this as a drinking game, but I wouldn't rule out the possibility of it being played as one. It's called the Mooncake game and involves dice being rolled into a large bowl. Prizes are awarded depending on the combinations (prizes were originally, you guessed it, mooncakes!). It think it's only played in Xiamen and surrounding area but maybe wrong,

http://www.amoymagic.com/custom.htm

--about 1/2 way down the page of this nostalgicly oldschool webpage (dial-up anyone?)

[shanghaikai]

There are a few variations to the dice in cup game. While the standard game involves (as described above) knowing one's own dice and guessing the sum total, there is a reverse version where you can see everyone else's dice but not your own.

Then there is 7, 8, 9. where you take two dice and a communal glass/shot glass (mixed drink/beer for the former and hard liquor for the latter...usually). People go around taking turns rolling the two dice into a cup. If your dice fall out, you have to automatically drink the entire communal glass (and then refill). If you hit snake eyes, you choose someone to drink and then go again. If you hit a 9, you drink the entire glass and refill. If you hit an 8, you drink half of what is remaining. If you hit a 7, you fill up the glass (seems to only be applicable if the glass is semi-empty). If you hit a 6, you actually reverse the order in which people go around trying their luck. Anytime you hit a number that requires action, you go again until you hit a number that doesn't.

One pretty hardcore game is where you take six shot glasses (fill with drink or liquor of your choice) and one dice. What you roll is which shot glass to drink. If you roll a shot glass that is empty, you refill and it is the next person's turn. Theoretically, you could take six shots in one turn, or none (of course). As you can imagine, it can be pretty easy to get drunk off this (though it depends on what you're filling the shot glasses with).

Have fun!

[entilan]

There is another dice game, which seems to me to be the most common drinking game. Every player gets 5 dice, which he rolls once at the beginning of the game...

Hi... whats the english name of this game? And have somebody a link to a step by step guide (in english). Because, as I in Guangzhou, i play this game everyday. I also buy some cup, to play here in switzerland.

[dbozam]

The game you asked about is called "liar's dice" in English and is described here:

 

http://www.echinacities.com/news/How-to-Play-and-Lose-at-Chinese-Drinking-Games

 

I am curious if anyone can refresh my memory about a game that is played as follows:

 

Each round, is a sequence of hand motions followed by the number reveal.

 

Two players, along with music (typically played in bar or club, at least in Guiyang, Guizhou, CN), perform a certain sequence of three or four motions followed by one or more number reveals (as necessary until there is a winner).

 

Please correct me if I'm remembering wrong, the exact motions and sequence of the opening dance, I may have remembered incorrectly. All the moves are performed with the beat of whatever music is playing: I think it starts like the macarena with right hand face down, then left hand face down, then right hand face up, then left hand face up, then it does include moving right hand from in front of your right shoulder to in front of the left shoulder like a wave and then repeating with the left hand from left to right across the chest, almost like a 60s or 70s move you would do when listening to the popular oldies song "wipe-out".

 

The above dance motions are done in synchronicity by each player (like waiving your fist in rock, paper, scissors, shoot) and then each player drops, at the same time, one of the following hand signals as a reveal, indicating one of the numerals below:

 

One: index finger on the lips.

Two: two index fingers, each one on each dimple of your cheek, like the typical Asian girl pose for pictures.

Three: OK sign with three fingers up (circle made with thumb and index finger, middle, ring, and little pinky up).

Four: dual peace signs (index and middle fingers of each hand pointing up, also a typical Asian girl photo pose).

Five: open palm, facing up, fingers facing forward, moves from under your chin directly forward, almost like a "f--- you" in america but without scratching your chin

 

Winner is the person who makes the motion signaling the number directly above the other player's number. Example: four and five, five wins. Three and two, three wins. One and five, one wins. Loser drinks. If the two numbers are not consecutive (such as one and three), repeat the reveal, without redoing the opening hand motions (so if there is no winner, the reveals are done in a rapid sequence with the beat of the music, adding to the challenge because...)

 

If someone does not make one of the above signals (you know, messes up, or forgets the correct hand signals) he loses and drinks. This can happen if he's a little tipsy and puts one peace sign, or two fingers on the lips, etc. This can also happen if you're bad at recognizing numbers and thought there was a reveal of sequential numbers, but there wasn't, and your opponent keeps going and drops the next reveal while you stand dumbfounded.

 

After a reveal, winner, and loser's drink, the sequence repeats again, stating with the opening dance moves.

 

This game is great because it involves a bit of dancing, cute play, and can include really fun attitude as you learn to put your own spin or flavor on the opening dance moves before the reveal. It's a great way to flirt too as it can involve light touching as you play/dance with your partner.

 

Personal note: I saw this played by girls together and asked about it. Played with girls and saw other men play with girls. Rarely or maybe never saw it played by two guys.

 

Please remind/correct me if I remembered the opening dance sequence wrong.

 

-James