It is important to keep in mind that we will explain how to play, but to win you must learn how to play efficiently. This will come with time and we wish you luck...

When you begin:
You first need to decide whether you want to play the Zhanshen Team Game or the Zhanshen Multi-Level Game. They are almost identical.

Zhanshen Multi-Level Game
-Players are randomly arranged in Levels and Areas within these Levels when they first register. Each Area has hundreds of players and you can only play with those players. At the end of the month we will take the best players and move them up a level and take the worst players and move them down. In this way, the game will be more exciting and fun to play.
-Following the Rules and Regulations of the game, we will be very vigilant about deleting accounts where people have registered more than one nation. In fact, it is quite simple for us to do and easy for us to see, so we hope players won't try to test the Emperor's Great Powers. Those who test the emperor will have a swift death.

Zhanshen TEAM Game
-This game is separate from the Multi-Level game, but the game play is almost identical. The difference is that players will have the ability to join a team. The name of the team will be displayed beside the players name and nation number in the score list. Players may play one nation in the Multi-Level game and one nation in the Team Game however those nations MUST be different.
-Zhanshen Team Creation: Any player in the Zhanshen Team Game can create their own team. The player will then choose a team name and will be the super user for that team. The team super user will then create a password for other players to join the team. Team leaders can choose who joins the team if they wish or openly recruit players for the team.

REMEMBER: If you have a nation in the Multi-Level Game, you CANNOT use that nation to play in the Team Game, and vice versa.

Now that you have just registered for the game and you're looking at the game. What the heck is it? Here is a schematic drawing of the screen and what it all means:

#1 Navigation Menu: From this static menu you can choose what to do. Click on a link and the corresponding page will open on the right.
#2 Status Bar: Your most vital statistics are listed here. How is your nation doing? Check it here.
#3 Zhanshen Messages: On this first page we frequently update you on new features of the game.
#4 Your Nation's Update: Here your nation's vital statistics are broken down into finer segments. Gauge how your nation is existing and whether you ahve the resources to stage attacks on other nations.
#5 Sponsor's Area: Zhanshen is free because of the support of our sponsors. Visit a sponsor daily and receive free rounds!

Cruise through this first page and you'll see that your nation has just been born--it lacks many vital things to survive. Perhaps you should go to the "Research" or "Build" screens to start constructing your nation.

Important Information:
Your initial number of rounds will be 60. You can get extra rounds of play by visiting the "Bonus" link on the navigation menu.

When you begin playing your nation will, by default, have Social Strategist as the Government Leadership. You may change this from the "Manag" screen.

You will also have Imperial Amnesty at the begnning of the game and it will last for your first 100 rounds. During this Amnesty you will not be able to attack other nations, and they won't be able to attack you. Use this time to familiarize yourself with the game features.

Activation Code: Immediately after registering with Zhansen.com, your Activation Code will be sent to you. After you have played 97 rounds, Zhanshen will prompt you for your Activation Code. You can not play again until you have entered this Activation Code correctly. If you forget it, logout of the game and go to Zhanshen's homepage. From here you can follow links to have your Code sent to you again. Each month we will send you a NEW Code to enter to ensure that you nation and you are still playing.

This Is The Most Important Information:
Playing Time - Just as you can expect the sun and moon to follow each other, each day you will be given a certain amount of rounds to play. The amount of rounds to play depends on time. Each minute that goes by will count toward a new round of play. About every 25 minutes amounts to one more round. In addition if you play only once a day you will receive extra rounds to play. Your body must rest, Great Leader, so rest and you shall have more turns later! When you have finished playing your rounds for the day you need to Logout and come back tomorrow to play some more.

Territory - There are two ways to get more land: discover it or wrestle it from the hands of another player's nation.

Building Efficiency (BE) - At the beginning, your workers can only build a small amount of structures per piece of territory. Increase this ability and you will become more efficient.

Building Structures - Each piece of territory is ready for you to put a structure on. Each structure produces different items for your nation's growth. This is how you will increase the amount of armies and overall score of your nation.

Research - Increase your Knowledge Points here. We Wise Elders do believe in the power of the mind to overcome great adversity, and so too do we think information is key to making your country more efficient. With your great research abilities you can build more, make more money and make more food.

Money - Money buys food, armies and research. Running out of money will cause a certain amount of your armies to flee your nation. Money is of course the route to Zhanshen! ...and perhaps also the root of evil...

Explore - There are 2 ways to gain more territory, explore it or win it from a defeated nation. Over time you will explorer less and less territory as their is a finite amount on earth!

War - The more land you have the better you will be, and there is no better way to get more land than to win a war with another player and to steal his land and resources. Oh, Great Leader, there are multiple ways to attack a nation and must choose the right path.

Friends - Only the strongest and smartest of leaders can survive without friends. Can you? Friends will make your armies stronger for both attacking nations and defending yourself. Friends can lend a hand when droughts, famines, and wars decimate your people.

Spy - With your highly trained agents you can learn many things about other nations. Ah, but remember that what you can do to others will surely be done to you...

Your Domestic Market (D-Buy & D-Sell) - You can buy and sell the items at set prices within your nation.

Your National Market (N-Buy & N-Sell) - This market allows players and leaders like you to buy and sell items to everybody who plays the game. This market is subject to normal market forces and only the best bargainers will walk away richer than when they entered the buying fray.

News - This option will allow you to see what has happened during the day. Who won and who lost in the day's battles and wars? Find it here.

Forum - Ask and answer questions. Get the low-down on Zhanshen strategy.

CompMessage - Here you can send a courier to deliver urgent messages to any player you like. You can also do this when you are about to attack another player (ha!). We Wise Elders from time to time monitor the couriers' satchels for poor language and misconduct...beware! If you use bad language we will immediately delete your account.

Manage - With what philosophy will you choose to govern your nation? Choose it here. What items will your craftsmen construct and how much will you tax your people? Don't tax too much or your people will revolt! You can conduct all those duties here.

Preferences -You can change your password here.

Logout - This is how you should end your daily play. You will be rewarded each time you tell the Great Elders you are finished playing

"Live a very difficult life and you will survive; live in luxury and you shall die."

Will You Be Zhanshen?