Tessellation Bagua Formation

Author: Yu Yiming, Chen Jingbo, Zeng Wen
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2001-02-01
Features: Tangram is an intellectual toy that involves dividing thin boards into a certain number and shape of small pieces to assemble various figures. During the process of tangram, it not only enhances a person's observation and combination skills but also enriches imagination, fosters creativity, and is suitable for people of all age groups to play intelligently. It is especially beneficial for the intellectual development of teenagers, which is why it has been widely popular and loved by people. Tangram toys have a long history; as early as the Qing Dynasty, our ancestors invented "Tangram" and "Intelligence Chart." Among them, Tangram is one of the oldest types of tangram toys. According to records, as early as the Jiaqing period of the Qing Dynasty, Pan Shi (Bige Jushi) compiled and printed "Tangram Combined with Patterns," which had over 20 pages, with most patterns depicting common folk utensils, plants, and animals. In the Wuxu year of Daoguang (1838), a person with the alias Fan Yin collected his life's collection and compiled the book "Comprehensive Tangram Patterns," which was finely printed but unfortunately not widely circulated. In the eleventh year of Xianfeng (1861), Wang Qichen compiled his wife Qian Jingji's collection over ten years into "Tangram and Eight Parts Left," which was republished by the Commercial Press in 1918. Tangram has not only been widely popular in Chinese folk culture but has also spread to the world early, known as "Tangtu," meaning Chinese patterns. There are many types of tangram, and it is difficult to count how many there are in the world today. The 25 types of tangram introduced in this book are collected and designed by the authors over the years. Each set of tangram can usually assemble a variety of patterns, including figures, animals, plants, tools, utensils, transportation vehicles, clothing, toys, as well as landscapes, buildings, texts, numbers, geometric shapes, and more. With the continuous development of science and technology, the materials used to make tangram have become increasingly diverse, ranging from thin paper to thin wooden boards, from plastic boards to stainless steel plates. The precision of tangram production has also improved, with some countries adopting advanced laser cutting technology to create highly refined tangram crafts. The division and production methods of tangram depend on the material. Generally, thin cardboard can be cut with scissors or a craft knife; wooden boards can be split with a saw, then leveled with a hammer and chisel, and polished with sandpaper; plastic boards or plexiglass can be cut with a wire saw or a hacksaw, leveled with a hammer, and polished with fine iron sand and toothpaste. The way to play tangram can vary depending on the age of the player and should progress from easy to difficult. For example, children can start by following the reference patterns for each tangram type shown in the book, teenagers can try to assemble the patterns based on the outlines in the examples, and adults can unleash their imagination and creativity to assemble even more colorful and diverse patterns with their intelligence.