Chinese Code

Encryption with chinese code uses the positions (ranks) of vowels and consonants in the alphabet.

In the original chinese code cipher, the horizontal bars represent the vowels : A (1 bar), E (2 bars), I (3 bars), O (4 bars), U (5 bars), Y (6 bars) and vertical bars represent the number of consonants that follow the vowel in the alphabet.

Example: To code C, which is the 2nd consonant following the vowel A, use 1 horizontal bar (A is the first vowel) and 2 vertical bars.

Example: To code L, which is the 3rd consonant following the vowel I, use 3 horizontal bars (I is the 3rd vowel) and 3 vertical bars.

Example: DCODE is written

The full original alphabet used is:

There exists a variation which inverts the vertical and horizontal bars (also called the Samurai alphabet)

Count the number of horizontal and vertical lines. The number of horizontal lines represent the vowels: A, E, I, O, U, Y then the number of vertical lines is used for the number of consonants following the vowel.

The Samurai variant swap the vertical and horizontal lines.

The ciphered message is made of horizontal and vertical bars/lines/sticks. It is often used by scouts.

References to China, Samurai or Mandarin are clues.

It is possible to switch vertical and horizontal lines in order that the represent consonants and vowels or the opposite.