The Winding Stream

After a purification ceremony at the Orchid Pavilion, Jin dynasty noble Wang Xizhi held a The Winding Stream (曲水流觞) gathering. Participants placed wine cups into a flowing stream, and wherever a cup stopped, the person there would compose a poem and drink. This elegant cultural tradition has been celebrated ever since. The Winding Stream is a competitive puzzle game for 2–6 players with a focus on speed and strategy. Players recreate poetic patterns by arranging streams and wine cups on eight cards each round, trying to match a target layout. The player who completes the pattern in the fewest moves and shortest time earns points, testing both memory and planning skills. This game is part of the first edition of the 9 Cards series.