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Hopscotch
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No one knows where hopscotch began. Old Chinese writings mention the game as early as 2,357 B.C. Wherever inscriptions have been found, in Rome, Egypt, Greece or elsewhere, the game has always used the same rectangular or spiral plan.
The player hops along, pushing a marker that represents the soul. If he wobbles, it is because his soul is weak and he must work at purifying himself to get to heaven. After avoiding hell, and earning different merits, the player reaches heaven, picks up the marker (his soul) and places it under his arm or on his head, symbolising the re-merging of soul and body.
The aim of the game is to avoid stepping on the lines dividing the boxes, symbolic of keeping one's life free of uncertainty. Hopscotch is entirely predictable. It is a game of initiation, which helps the player learn about himself through the development of certain skills.
Once scratched in the dirt, hopscotch was later drawn on flat surfaces. It is the predecessor of board games such as Go, Chess, Checkers, which are known as seated hopscotch games.
Check that you understand what these words mean in this document Inscriptions: words that are written or cut in something. To wobble: to move unsteadily from one direction to another. To purify: to clean (by removing evil thoughts). The merits of (something): the advantages something has compared to something else. Initiation: the process of introducing somebody to an activity or skill for the first time.