Chessboard Platform

Chessboard Platform

Ascending the steps from the River-Viewing Platform leads to the Chessboard Platform. Legend has it that immortals once played chess here. A cliffside stone tablet bears the three running-script characters "Chessboard Platform," erected in 1795 (the 60th year of the Qianlong reign in the Qing Dynasty). Originally, there was a pavilion here, which was rebuilt into the Kuixing Pavilion in 1846 (the 26th year of the Daoguang reign), but it later fell into ruin. In 1982, during mountain restoration, the stone tablet was discovered, and a new Chess Playing Pavilion was built on the original site of the old pavilion. The wooden structure features double eaves and six ridges, with red pillars and dark tiles, standing 6 meters high and 3.15 meters in diameter. Inside the pavilion, there is a stone table and chessboard, along with drum stools.

After the discovery of the Chessboard Platform Tablet and the ruins of the Chessboard Platform Pavilion, a touching story began circulating among some locals.

Since the Qianlong reign of the Qing Dynasty, elderly residents of Zhenhai often gathered in the Chessboard Platform Pavilion to play chess, enjoying a leisurely retirement. However, in 1841, Zhenhai and Ningbo were successively occupied by British forces, who burned, killed, and looted, destroying nearly all the temples and towers on Zhaobao Mountain.

There was a man over 90 years old who had played chess at the Chessboard Platform since childhood and became a renowned chess master in the Zhenhai area. When the British troops invaded Zhaobao Mountain, he hid in the bushes near the Chessboard Platform and witnessed firsthand a blue-eyed, blond-haired British sailor dousing the Chessboard Platform Pavilion with kerosene and setting it ablaze. The once elegant pavilion was reduced to ashes, leaving only a solitary stone tablet standing in place. The old man wept bitterly at the sight, heartbroken, and fell seriously ill after returning home. On his deathbed, he told his children, "The Chessboard Platform is the most unforgettable place in my life. When I die, I hope you will bury me there with the Chessboard Platform Tablet, to keep me company..." With that, he passed away.

This is the story of why the Chessboard Platform is associated with a tomb. Later, the people of Zhenhai rebuilt a replica of the Chessboard Platform Pavilion on the original site, while keeping the Chessboard Platform Tablet in its original place. The pavilion features double eaves and six angles, with red pillars and dark tiles, exuding elegance and an ancient charm. Sitting in the Chessboard Platform Pavilion, one can see distant mountains emerging across the river and floating clouds drifting by. The surrounding exotic flowers, lush peaks, and peculiar rocks create an exceptionally tranquil and enchanting atmosphere, making it one of the scenic spots on Zhaobao Mountain.

It is said that on clear, moonlit nights, the sound of "click-clack" chess pieces can be heard coming from the Chessboard Platform Pavilion—legend has it that the Goddess of Mercy and the Laughing Buddha are playing chess there again.

Address: No. 10, Zhaobao Mountain Road, Northeast Corner, Zhenhai District, Ningbo, Zhejiang Province

Type: Historical Site

Recommended Visit Duration: 40–60 minutes

Opening Hours:

Open all day

Ticket Information:

No admission fee.