Autumn charm along the Jin River links the Silk Road, and chess players gather in Chengdu to open a splendid new chapter. On the evening of Oct. 16, the opening ceremony of the 2026 9th “Belt and Road” Jinjiang Cup Chengdu Global Xiangqi Pairs Tournament was elegantly staged at Qingling Wharf on the banks of the Jin River. Thirty-two top-level xiangqi players from 18 countries and regions — including six world champions, one Asian champion and ten national champions, among them Yin Sheng, Meng Fanrui and Lai Liziong — gathered by the Jin River, opening across the “Chu River and Han Border” a dialogue of wisdom that crosses national borders and spans ancient and modern times, and sketching for Chengdu’s autumn night a new picture of culture, tourism and sport that blends classical elegance with international vitality.
He Fengxiang, first vice president of the World Xiangqi Federation and director of the Chess and Card Sports Management Center of the General Administration of Sport of China; Chen Hao, secretary-general of the World Xiangqi Federation and director of the Xiangqi Department of the Chess and Card Sports Management Center; Xue Zhong, deputy secretary-general of the World Xiangqi Federation; Sun Yong, director of the Sichuan Provincial Social Sports Guidance Center; Zhang Huaping, chairman of the Sichuan Provincial Chess Association; Luo Yin, Party secretary of the Chengdu Municipal Bureau of Sports; Zhong Haiyan, deputy director of the Chengdu Municipal Bureau of Sports; Wu Hong, director of the Competition Division of the Chengdu Municipal Bureau of Sports; Gong Ke, president of the Chengdu Chess Academy; Zhang Lei, member of the Standing Committee of the Jinjiang District Party Committee and deputy head of the district government; and Lu Bin, Party secretary of the Jinjiang District Bureau of Culture, Sports and Tourism, attended the opening ceremony.
The opening ceremony began with a stunning cross-time and cross-space recitation and dialogue performance titled “Rhyme of the Jin River, A Millennium Dialogue,” which took the Jin River’s thousand-year chess culture and poetic heritage as its core to create a unique artistic conception of dialogue between past and present. On a cruise boat on the Jin River, a performer in the style of the Tang-dynasty poetess Xue Tao stood by the water and gave free rein to her feelings, recreating the elegant scene of Tang poets boating on the Jin River and composing poems over a chess game, her flowing sleeves displaying the thousand-year refinement of the land of Shu; on the wharf, a children’s recitation group chanted in bright, resonant voices, interpreting the philosophy of xiangqi and the cultural heritage of the Jin River, with the voices of past and present echoing across the water in mutual harmony. The classical imagery of boating and playing chess complemented the brilliant modern night scene, and the timeless charm of chess blended with the flowing waters of the Jin River, vividly illustrating the profound historical heritage of xiangqi culture and the distinctive Bashu humanistic temperament nurtured by the landscapes of the Jin River, allowing the audience and players from home and abroad to immerse themselves in the gentle depth of Tianfu culture and the endless charm of this traditional Chinese art.
Afterwards, the 16 pairs formed through five rounds of individual blitz games on Oct. 15 and 16 made a collective appearance, walking out two by two in Hanfu to striking effect. Zhang Lei, member of the Standing Committee of the Jinjiang District Party Committee and deputy head of the district government, delivered a welcome speech. He said that the Chengdu Global Xiangqi Pairs Tournament has been held for eight consecutive editions, and that this year’s event brings together 32 players from countries and regions along the “Belt and Road,” fully reflecting the tournament’s international, open and inclusive nature. Pairs competition tests not only individual skill but also the ability to cooperate across linguistic and cultural differences — precisely a vivid practice in the field of sport of the people-to-people connectivity and mutual learning among civilizations advocated by the Belt and Road Initiative. He invited the players, outside of competition, to walk the streets and alleys of Jinjiang District, feel the fashionable vitality of the Chunxi Road commercial area, take a night cruise on the Jin River to enjoy the interplay of light and shadow, and experience the collision of tradition and modernity in Taikoo Li, so as to feel for themselves the unique charm of Jinjiang.
“In golden October, Chengdu is at its most beautiful,” said Huo Zhenting, honorary member of the International Olympic Committee and president of the World Xiangqi Federation, who has visited Chengdu many times and who invited friends from all over the world to Chengdu via video. “Chengdu is a partner city for world xiangqi brand events and a beautiful city. We welcome everyone to come to Chengdu, stroll along the banks of the Jin River, play chess and enjoy the scenery, share the beautiful autumn days of Chengdu and feel the vitality of its sporting events.”
Afterwards, athlete representative Li Guozhi and referee representative Sun Ruogu took their oaths one after another. Attending leaders and guests jointly launched the tournament on stage, and the 2026 9th “Belt and Road” Jinjiang Cup Chengdu Global Xiangqi Pairs Tournament officially opened.
With light and shadow flowing and classical charm in the air, and with an immersive experience of the cultural heritage of the Jin River amid the river breeze and lantern light, this most distinctive opening ceremony gave players and spectators a deep sense of the unique romance of xiangqi blending with mountains and waters, as well as Chengdu’s profound urban heritage and its open, vibrant urban charm.
As a top-level xiangqi brand event deeply rooted in Chengdu, based on the Silk Road and reaching the world, the “Belt and Road” Jinjiang Cup Chengdu Global Xiangqi Pairs Tournament has accumulated eight years of experience and has become an important platform linking cultural exchange, mutual learning in sport and people-to-people connectivity among countries and regions along the “Belt and Road.” This year, the 9th edition continues the pairs format, bringing together elite xiangqi players from around the world for high-level matches and in-depth exchanges. From Oct. 17 to 18, seven rounds of competition will determine the final rankings. The tournament will again be broadcast live throughout, allowing xiangqi fans worldwide to witness this feast of wisdom.
In addition, as important supporting activities of the 2026 9th “Belt and Road” Jinjiang Cup Chengdu Global Xiangqi Pairs Tournament, national masters Jiang Quansheng and Li Aidong will give brilliant large-board commentary and instruction games for fans at the square in front of Hejiang Pavilion on Oct. 17; and a series of cultural exchange and promotion activities will be held at the Jinjiang Theater on Oct. 18, including master simultaneous exhibitions and master exhibition matches for xiangqi enthusiasts, as well as rich traditional cultural experiences such as face painting and making lacquer fans. Cultural promotion activities teaching foreign friends to play xiangqi will also be staged. Through the “xiangqi plus” format of cultural presentation, the event builds a platform for communication and exchange for players and enthusiasts around the world and promotes the integration and development of xiangqi culture.
Bridging with chess and gathering strength with wisdom, chess knows no borders and connects the world. This year’s Global Xiangqi Pairs Tournament innovatively lands in three landmark sites of Jinjiang District: a nighttime waterside opening ceremony on the banks of the Jin River, inviting players from various countries to take a night cruise on the Jin River; open-air public commentary and master instruction games at Hejiang Pavilion, where two rivers converge; and fan-themed promotion activities at the Jinjiang Theater. Connected by the single river of Jinjiang, the river course, wharves, ancient pavilion and theater are woven together, integrating xiangqi competition, Jinjiang night cruising, Tianfu cultural heritage and the art of Chinese national essence into one, creating “one river, three sites, chess shining over Jinjiang” — a world-class xiangqi gathering in which one can see the lights of the Jin River, taste a thousand years of cultural heritage and connect chess friends from across the four seas.
The tournament is hosted by the World Xiangqi Federation and organized by the Chinese Xiangqi Association, the Chengdu Municipal Bureau of Sports and the People’s Government of Jinjiang District, and co-organized by the Chengdu Chess Academy (Chengdu Intellectual Sports Center), the Jinjiang District Bureau of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Tencent Tiantian Xiangqi and the Chengdu Chess Sports Association.