Chinese Weiqi Association
Encyclopedia
Chinese Weiqi Association or Chinese Go Association, (Simplified
: 中国围棋协会; Pinyin
: Zhōngguó Weíqí Xíehuì) is the major go
organization in China
. As a branch of the Zhongguo Qiyuan
, It oversees professional players
as well as strong amateurs, functioning in the same way as the Nihon Kiin and other such groups.
Although go was invented in China more than 2000 years ago, in early 20th century the game had been dominated by strong Japanese presence. In 1960, China's Foreign Minister, Chen Yi
, a fanatical go player who had carried a go board with him during military campaigns, arranged for five Japanese professional players to visit. The government had by then recognized go as a national sport and established go institutes in Beijing
and Shanghai
; however, the Japanese team won 32 of its 35 games. In the annual "Super Go" exchanges that followed, China's improved and younger players appeared on the team, showing the increasing popularity of go in China. The exchanges were interrupted by the Cultural Revolution
, but resumed in 1972. The China Weiqi Association as it is known today came into being in 1973. By 1979, Chinese player Nie Weiping
was strong enough to win the first World Amateur Go Championship, thereby declaring a challenge to the hitherto unchallenged supremacy of Japanese players. In the 1980s the Chinese turned the tables, besting the Japanese year after year and eventually dominating international go until the rise of Korean players from the Hanguk Kiwon in the 1990s.
Simplified Chinese character
Simplified Chinese characters are standardized Chinese characters prescribed in the Xiandai Hanyu Tongyong Zibiao for use in Mainland China. Along with traditional Chinese characters, it is one of many standard character sets of the contemporary Chinese written language...
: 中国围棋协会; Pinyin
Pinyin
Pinyin is the official system to transcribe Chinese characters into the Roman alphabet in China, Malaysia, Singapore and Taiwan. It is also often used to teach Mandarin Chinese and spell Chinese names in foreign publications and used as an input method to enter Chinese characters into...
: Zhōngguó Weíqí Xíehuì) is the major go
Go (board game)
Go , is an ancient board game for two players that originated in China more than 2,000 years ago...
organization in China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
. As a branch of the Zhongguo Qiyuan
Zhongguo Qiyuan
Zhongguo Qiyuan is an official agency responsible for board games and card games such as go, bridge, chess and Chinese chess affairs under the All-China Sports Federation of the People's Republic of China...
, It oversees professional players
Go professional
A Go professional is a professional player of the game of Go. The minimum standard to acquire a professional diploma through one of the major go organisations is very high. The competition is tremendous, and prize incentives for champion players are very large...
as well as strong amateurs, functioning in the same way as the Nihon Kiin and other such groups.
Although go was invented in China more than 2000 years ago, in early 20th century the game had been dominated by strong Japanese presence. In 1960, China's Foreign Minister, Chen Yi
Chen Yi (communist)
Chen Yi was a Chinese communist military commander and politician. He served as the 2nd Mayor of Shanghai and the 2nd Foreign Minister of China.-Biography:Chen was born in Lezhi, near Chengdu, Sichuan, into a moderately wealthy magistrate's family....
, a fanatical go player who had carried a go board with him during military campaigns, arranged for five Japanese professional players to visit. The government had by then recognized go as a national sport and established go institutes in Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
and Shanghai
Shanghai
Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...
; however, the Japanese team won 32 of its 35 games. In the annual "Super Go" exchanges that followed, China's improved and younger players appeared on the team, showing the increasing popularity of go in China. The exchanges were interrupted by the Cultural Revolution
Cultural Revolution
The Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution, commonly known as the Cultural Revolution , was a socio-political movement that took place in the People's Republic of China from 1966 through 1976...
, but resumed in 1972. The China Weiqi Association as it is known today came into being in 1973. By 1979, Chinese player Nie Weiping
Nie Weiping
Nie Weiping in Shen, Hebei, China) is a professional Go player.- Biography :Nie began learning Go at the age of nine and won the inaugural World Amateur Go Championship in 1979. Nie was given 9 dan rank in 1982. He became famous in the Go world after leading China to victory in the China-Japan...
was strong enough to win the first World Amateur Go Championship, thereby declaring a challenge to the hitherto unchallenged supremacy of Japanese players. In the 1980s the Chinese turned the tables, besting the Japanese year after year and eventually dominating international go until the rise of Korean players from the Hanguk Kiwon in the 1990s.
List of Chairmen
- Li Menghua (李梦华): 1962-1988
- Chen ZudeChen ZudeChen Zude is a Chinese professional Go player. He was also the President of the Chinese Chess Association.-Go career:...
(陈祖德): 1988-2006 - Wang Runan (王汝南): 2006-incumbent
See also
- International Go FederationInternational Go FederationThe International Go Federation is an international organization that connects the various national Go federations around the world. It is usually referred to as IGF.-Role of the IGF:...
- List of professional Go tournaments
- Nihon Ki-inNihon Ki-inThe Nihon Ki-in , also known as the Japan Go Association, is the main organizational body for Go in Japan, overseeing Japan's professional system and issuing diplomas for amateur dan rankings. It is based in Tokyo. The other major Go association in Japan is Kansai Ki-in.Nihon Ki-in was established...
(Japanese Go Association) - Kansai Ki-inKansai Ki-inThe Kansai Ki-in , i.e., Kansai Go Association, is an organizational body for the game of Go in Japan, which was founded by Hashimoto Utaro in 1950...
- Hanguk Kiwon (Korean Go Association)
- Taiwan Qiyuan (Taiwanese Go Association)
- HoenshaHoenshaThe Hoensha was a Japanese Go organization founded in 1879 by Honinbo Shuho. The Hoensha was the successor to study groups set up by Nakagawa Kamesaburo and other players. It was the major Go organization of the later Meiji period. Like the many Go organizations today, the Hoensha awarded...
- American Go AssociationAmerican Go AssociationThe American Go Association was founded in 1935 to promote the board game of Go in the United States. Founded by chess master Edward Lasker and some friends at Chumley's restaurant in New York City, the AGA is one of the oldest Western Go associations...
- Canadian Go Association
- European Go FederationEuropean Go FederationThe European Go Federation is a non-profit organization with the purpose of encouraging, regulating, co-ordinating, and disseminating the playing of the board game Go in Europe. The EGF was founded in 1957, the same year that the inaugural European Go Congress took place - in Cuxhaven, Germany...