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Home History and Culture The Game of Go
The Game of Go
Learn Chinese - History and Culture

weiqi

As a crystallization of wisdom, the game of go (wéi qí 围棋) is a legacy of traditional Chinese arts, and has contained many rich values and profound cultural significance throughout the ages. Together with playing musical instruments, reading, and painting, it was considered as one of the essential qualities for ancient Chinese literati.
As a traditional form of art, the game of go also boasts a number of legends about its origin. One of the best known is that when Emperor Yao (yáo 尧帝) married Fuyi Shi (fù yí shì 富宜氏) and had a son named Zhu (zhū ), Yao became very disheartened when the son did not behave well. So Yao made the game of go to cultivate him morally and intellectually. Meanwhile, some believe a political strategist in the Warring States Period (zhán guó shí qī 战国时期)(475-221BC) created it.

weiqi
Nevertheless, despite the legends, the fact is that the primitive form of the game of go appeared in the primitive society, and the game was a collective, rather than an individual, creation from ancient China.
The board of go consists of a grid 19 by 19 resulting in, 361 intersections. The pieces are placed on the intersections in such a way as to gradually command more territory by surrounding and eliminating the opposition. Each of the two sides, one with black pieces and the other with white pieces, possesses 180 of them. It is an exciting and intense competition and the situation on the board keeps changing and unpredictable. Players have to resort to all sorts of tactics in order to defeat the opponent. As the tactics used in the go are so variable and profound, the ancient Chinese said in an exaggerated manner that only deities can invent such a game.
weiqiPlaying go exercises the brain and enhances one’s sense of logic. At the same time, it can also cultivate temperament, build up character of perseverance and calmness. Therefore, go has become more and more popular with young people.
Go was introduced into Japan during the Sui (su
í 隋) (581681) and Tang (táng ) (618907) dynasties and into Europe in the 19th century. Today, it has spread to more than 40 countries and regions. Players form China, Japan and The Republic of Korea are of the highest skill in the world, and Chinese competitors Nie Weiping (niè wèi píng 聂卫平)and Ma Xiaochun (mǎ xiǎo chūn 马晓春) enjoy international fame. Go has been developed into a very important international contest.

围棋
       作为中华名族智慧的结晶,围棋是中华民族优秀的传统文化遗产,它包含了中华五千年悠久的历史和厚重的文化沉淀。它与琴、书、画一起,成为了中国四大传统艺术形式之中的一员。
       作为中国另一古典艺术,围棋的起源也有许多传说。传说尧娶妻富宜氏,生下儿子朱,儿子行为不好,尧很难过,特地制作了围棋,"以闲其情",按照这种说法,制造围棋,是为了开发智慧,纯洁性情的。不过,另有一说:围棋始于战国,是纵横家们的创造。
       weiqi当然了,这些都只不过是传说而已,最为可信的说法应该是围棋在于是社会时已具雏形,它的创造者并不是个人,而是我国古代广大劳动群众。
       围棋的棋盘面由纵横的19条交叉线组成,构成361个交叉点,棋子就下在这些交叉点上。围棋棋子分为黑白两色,各有180枚。围棋对弈,千变万化,紧张激烈。双方动用各种技术、战术攻击对方,非常具有战斗性。由于围棋奥妙无穷,古人曾经夸张地说,只有神仙才能发明它。
       围棋是一种智力型运动,学围棋既可以锻炼提高人们的逻辑思维能力,又能陶冶性情,培养人们顽强、冷静、沉着的性格。因此,它越来越受到现代人的欢迎。
       隋唐时期,围棋传到日本,19世纪时又传到欧洲。现在,世界上已有40多个国家和地区开展了围棋运动。其中,以中国、日本、韩国的围棋棋手运动水平最高。中国的围棋选手聂卫平、马晓春等,都是国际著名的选手。围棋已发展成为一种重要的国际体育竞赛项目。
 

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