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Go

The Academy of Contemporary China and World StudiesUpdated:  August 30, 2024

Go

Go is a traditional Chinese board game. It was referred to as "yi" in ancient times. Legends trace the game's origin back more than 4,000 years to the mythical Chinese emperor Yao, making it the oldest board game in the world.

Go is a two-player game played with a board and pieces. The board is marked with 19 parallel vertical lines and 19 par- allel horizontal lines, forming 361 points. The pieces used in the game are flat underneath and convex on top, and they come in two colors, black and white. The players have at their dis- posal 181 black pieces and 180 white pieces. There are various formats, including occupying territory and drawing unbroken lines. In ancient times Go held significant cultural and recre- ational value, and was popular among literati and scholars. They regarded music, chess, calligraphy, and painting as the four essential arts, and considered Go to be an elegant activity that reflects intelligence and personality.

Go holds a crucial place in the history of China's cultural exchanges with foreign countries. From the Sui (581-618) and Tang (618-907) dynasties, the game was introduced to Korea, Japan, and other countries and gradually spread to various parts of the world. Today, Go has become an important intellectual sport in the international sports arena.

围棋

围棋是中国传统棋种,古称“弈”,相传为上古时期部落首领尧所发明,是世界上最古老的棋类游戏。中国围棋历史已有4000年以上。

围棋是两人对局,有棋盘和棋子。棋盘上有横竖各19条平行线,构成361个交叉点。棋子为扁圆形,分黑白两种,黑子为181枚,白子为180枚。古时,围棋作为一项重要的文化娱乐活动,在文人和士大夫中较为流行。他们将“琴、棋、书、画”四者相提并论,认为围棋是一个反映智慧、体现志趣的高雅艺术。

围棋是中国历史上对外文化交流的重要内容。隋唐以后,围棋先后传入朝鲜、日本等国,并逐渐传播到世界各地。如今,围棋已成为国际体育领域智力竞技的重要项目。

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