Tóu Hú 101 — The 2,500-Year-Old Chinese Vase-Throwing Game

What is this game?

Tóu hú (投壺) is a classical Chinese game dating back ~2,500 years to the Zhou dynasty. Players throw arrow-like sticks into a special vase with side handles, scoring points based on which opening the arrow enters.

Detailed rules appear in the Confucian classic Liji (Book of Rites), and the game was a refined court pastime for ancient China's gentry. It later spread to Korea as tuho (투호) and to Japan during the Heian period.

Today, you can still try tóu hú at sites like Gyeongbokgung Palace in Korea, and at Asian cultural festivals worldwide.

Equipment & setup

Vase (tóu hú) — a special pot with a narrow neck and small handles on each side
- Height: 30–50 cm
Arrows — slim wooden rods, ~45 cm long, 4–12 per player
Throw line — set ~2 m from the vase
Venue — indoor or outdoor

Authentic sets are available at Chinese specialty shops or online. For family play, a tall bottle + chopsticks works as a budget alternative.

Players & ages

2–8 players take turns
Anyone from kids to seniors can play; minimal physical demand

Rules

Minimal rules (just play)

Place the vase in the center; players throw from ~2 m away
Each player gets 4–12 arrows
Scoring:
- Arrow lands in the central mouth: base points (1–10 in classical scoring)
- Arrow lands in a side handle (ear): double points
- Arrow stands upright in the vase: bonus / max (quan hu, "full vase")
After all rounds, the highest score wins

Standard rules (Liji classical rules)

Detailed point tables existed in the classical text. Reaching 120 points was a "full vase" win, and at banquets the loser would be required to drink — making this a charming game-and-toast tradition.

Official competition rules

Modern Korean tuho associations and Chinese cultural societies have codified modern formats — fixed distance, 12 arrows per round, 30-second turn timer.

Tips for enjoying the game

Common beginner mistakes

Throwing too hard — the trajectory wobbles. Use a graceful wrist toss
Trying to drop straight down — instead, arc the arrow into the mouth
Aiming for the side handles too soon — master the central opening first

How to make it more fun

Set classic-style rewards/penalties (drinks, prizes) for end-of-round scores
Wear traditional clothing for festival photos
Make the arrows by hand with kids — half the fun

Age variations

Kids: 1 m distance, lightweight arrows
Seniors: seated games are perfectly fine
Events: Lunar New Year, garden parties, autumn festivals

Playing Tóu Hú in Japan

Authentic sets at Yokohama Chinatown or specialty shops
DIY: tall bottle + chopsticks works for casual play
Some shrines and Asian festivals host live tuho/tóu hú booths

Learn more

The classical Liji — Tóu Hú chapter
Korea National Folk Museum — tuho exhibits and demos
Beijing Palace Museum — tóu hú artifacts
Related: see also darts, ring toss, and Pétanque — fellow target throwing games