6. Huanghuali Foliate Weiqi Counter Box and Cover (weiqizihe)
Qing dynasty, 18th century
Diameter: 11.0cm
Height: 8.8cm
In the shape of a lobed melon, this box is carved from a single piece of wood and the domed cover features a five-petalled flower. The box was intended to hold counters for the popular game of weiqi or ‘encirclement chess’, which had been played in China since around the Han dynasty (206 BC - 220 AD).
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