China, 1570. China is under the reign of Emperor Longqing of the Ming Dynasty. He inherited a country in disarray after years of mismanagement and corruption. He resided in the Forbidden City, which was the seat of many emperors under the Ming dynasty. Built from 1406 to 1420, the complex consists of 980 buildings and covers 72 ha (over 180 acres). It is also under the Ming Dynasty that the Great Wall of China was rebuilt, fortified, and expanded. Around this period, China was under heavy attack from the Mongols, so maintaining the Great Wall was essential. Most of what we now have left of the Great Wall, we owe to the Ming dynasty.
The country was already famous for its intricate bureaucracy, but this also led to a great deal of corruption. Although the penalties for corruption were very high, senior officials in the Forbidden City sought to uphold the prohibition of corruption, accepting gifts from petitioners, and returning one of seemingly inferior value.
Gugong uses this extraordinary custom as a basis. Players take on the role of powerful Chinese families trying to gain influence and power by exchanging gifts with officials. The gift cards that you offer as a player have to be of a higher value than the one you receive, forcing you to make strategic decisions regarding the actions you want to take each turn.
