About

Retelling the Tales of an Old District is a site-specific board game that invites players to reimagine the stories of Chanzong district, one of the oldest street in Changsha, China. The game featured in the exhibition is a tabletop game inspired by Rory’s Story Cubes. In this public space, visitors (players) are encouraged to actively participate, collaboratively imagining and creating fictional stories about the old streets of Chaozong Street through gameplay.

This project is a game and an exhibition. The game serves as a medium to spark imagination and discussion among participants. Using randomly drawn prompt cards, new urban stories are written within the gallery space. This participatory exhibition is inspired by relational aesthetics and critical play theory, turning audience interaction and experience into an integral part of the exhibition itself.

Through this gamified experience, a collection of unique old street tales emerges. Participants are invited to record their fictional stories using the provided art materials in various creative forms. These stories will ultimately be displayed in the form of a zine.

Rule

English Translation:

Game Rules

Number of Players: 1 to ∞
Game Duration: 1 minute – ∞
Recommended Age: 6 years and older

Basic Game Rules

Step 1: Divide the cards into two piles: black background location cards and white background character cards.
Step 2: Randomly draw one card from the black location deck.
Step 3: Randomly draw three cards from the white character deck.
Step 4: Based on these 4 cards, create and write a story.
Step 5: Write your story on paper, or use our prepared art materials to illustrate and turn it into a page.

Gameplay Modes

Single Player:

Draw cards and independently create a story.

Multiplayer Competitive Mode:

Create stories together with your friends! See who can come up with the most creative and engaging story — the more outrageous, the better!

Multiplayer Collaborative Mode:

Each player draws one card from both the location and character decks. Based on the cards they draw, players collaboratively create a story, and together complete a full narrative.

More Ideas for Gameplay

Time-Limited Mode: 3-minute limit to draw cards and tell a story.

Location Chain Mode:
Draw 2–5 location cards from the black deck and lay them out in a line. Then, draw the same number of white character cards and place them beneath each corresponding location. Create a story connecting the characters and locations.

No Limit Mode:
Use the entire deck. Shuffle and stack face down. Draw cards one by one to build the story as you go. Continue drawing and telling until everyone agrees the story is complete.

Tips

  • There’s no bad story! Don’t worry about whether your story makes sense — the first story is always the hardest!

  • Your story doesn’t need to be original — it can be something you've read, seen, dreamed, or experienced. You can even start by recalling something familiar and expanding it into a full story.

  • You can tell your story through narration, dialogue, performance, drawing, or writing — or even a combination.

  • If you feel stuck, start with one card and let your imagination grow from there. Ideas will slowly emerge as you speak or write.

  • Share your stories with us! Whether your story is based in reality, fantasy, mystery, or action, we’d love to hear them all.

  • You can use any form of art to present your story. You can write a short text, create a comic, or combine both.

Installation Documentation

Play Documentation

Co-created Stories

Acknowledgement:

The exhibition is supported by P8 Changsha and 戏剧商店 (Comedian Store). Thank you for the support from the staff at P8 and Comedian Store! This board game was featured as part of the City Radar Festival in Changsha, China from April to May, 2023.