Jiuling
From ancient China: everyone may propose a contest – the loser drinks.
How to play
Jiuling dates back to the Chinese Zhou dynasty. Players take turns proposing any contest – dice, cards, guessing questions, arm wrestling.
Whoever loses drinks.
Modern variations
- Contest carousel: write contests on slips – arm wrestling, rock-paper-scissors, guessing questions – and draw one in turn.
- With dice: whoever proposes the contest rolls to decide how many sips are at stake.
- Team round: in big groups, two teams compete against each other.
Background
Drinking contests and drinking rules have a long tradition in China and are still played at banquets today – the finger-guessing game, for example. Jiuling is the open basic form: anyone may propose a contest.
Agree on drinks and amounts before you start. The game works just as well without alcohol.
Jiuling: FAQ
How many players do you need for Jiuling?
Jiuling is played with 5+ players.
What do you need for Jiuling?
Jiuling needs no equipment – just drinks of your choice.
How hard are the rules of Jiuling?
Rule difficulty: Easy. The instructions above are all you need to start.
Can you play Jiuling without alcohol?
Yes. Jiuling works just as well with water, soft drinks or alcohol-free beer. Agree on drinks and amounts before you start.