The Master of Go
Encyclopedia
The Master of Go is a novel by the Nobel Prize
-winning Japanese
author Yasunari Kawabata
, first published in serial form in 1951. Titled Meijin
(名人) in its original Japanese, Kawabata considered it his finest work, although it is in contrast with his other works.
by the respected master Honinbo Shūsai
, against the up-and-coming player Minoru Kitani
(although the latter's name is changed to Otake in the book).
It was the last game of the master Shūsai's career, a lengthy struggle which took almost six months to complete; he lost to his younger challenger, to die a little over a year thereafter.
The book has many layers of meaning, more so than Kawabata's other works. As well as simply describing the game, on the surface there are the inherent themes of the struggle between the older player whose powers are fading, and his younger challenger; and also the clash between the differing playing styles, and the personalities in which they are to some degree rooted. The book also reflects the tension between old traditions and new pragmatism - for example, commenting upon the rigid rules governing the contest, the author writes:
Finally, as a retelling of a climactic struggle, translator Edward Seidensticker
considers it a symbolic parallel to the defeat of Japan in World War II
, an event which affected Kawabata deeply. Kawabata began work on the book during the war, but did not complete it until well after the end of it.
The game, as actually played in real life, lasted 237 moves, and is documented in the book by means of diagrams. Kitani Minoru, playing Black, won by 5 points. The game can be downloaded in .sgf format. The book is frequently used by western Go players as a starting point to explore the place of Go in Japanese society and it is commonly recommended to younger players.
Nobel Prize in Literature
Since 1901, the Nobel Prize in Literature has been awarded annually to an author from any country who has, in the words from the will of Alfred Nobel, produced "in the field of literature the most outstanding work in an ideal direction"...
-winning Japanese
Japanese language
is a language spoken by over 130 million people in Japan and in Japanese emigrant communities. It is a member of the Japonic language family, which has a number of proposed relationships with other languages, none of which has gained wide acceptance among historical linguists .Japanese is an...
author Yasunari Kawabata
Yasunari Kawabata
was a Japanese short story writer and novelist whose spare, lyrical, subtly-shaded prose works won him the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1968, the first Japanese author to receive the award...
, first published in serial form in 1951. Titled Meijin
Meijin
Meijin , literally translated, means "Brilliant Man." It is the name of the second most prestigious Japanese Go Tournament. It also refers to a traditional Japanese title given to the strongest player of the day during the Edo period.- The tournament :...
(名人) in its original Japanese, Kawabata considered it his finest work, although it is in contrast with his other works.
Plot introduction
It is a semi-fictional chronicle of the lengthy 1938 "retirement game" of GoGo (board game)
Go , is an ancient board game for two players that originated in China more than 2,000 years ago...
by the respected master Honinbo Shūsai
Honinbo Shusai
is the professional name of Hoju Tamura, also known as , who was a Japanese professional Go player.- Biography :He was born in Shiba, Tokyo, son of Tamura Yasunaga, a retainer of the shogun. He learned go at age 10 and joined the Hoensha in 1883, then under the leadership of Murase Shuho. He was...
, against the up-and-coming player Minoru Kitani
Minoru Kitani
was one of the most celebrated professional Go players and teachers of the game of Go in the twentieth century in Japan.- Biography :He earned the nickname "the Prodigy" after winning a knockout tournament. He defeated eight opponents from the Kiseisha in a row during 1928. He played a celebrated...
(although the latter's name is changed to Otake in the book).
It was the last game of the master Shūsai's career, a lengthy struggle which took almost six months to complete; he lost to his younger challenger, to die a little over a year thereafter.
Major themes
Kawabata had actually reported on the match for the Mainichi newspaper chain, and some sections of the book are reworked versions of his original newspaper columns. The Japanese word used to describe the book is shōsetsu, which may be translated as "chronicle-novel", but it is mostly true to life.The book has many layers of meaning, more so than Kawabata's other works. As well as simply describing the game, on the surface there are the inherent themes of the struggle between the older player whose powers are fading, and his younger challenger; and also the clash between the differing playing styles, and the personalities in which they are to some degree rooted. The book also reflects the tension between old traditions and new pragmatism - for example, commenting upon the rigid rules governing the contest, the author writes:
- From the way of Go, the beauty of Japan and the Orient had fled. Everything had become science and regulation.
Finally, as a retelling of a climactic struggle, translator Edward Seidensticker
Edward Seidensticker
Edward George Seidensticker was a noted scholar and translator of Japanese literature. He was particularly known for his English version of The Tale of Genji , which is counted among the preferred modern translations...
considers it a symbolic parallel to the defeat of Japan in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, an event which affected Kawabata deeply. Kawabata began work on the book during the war, but did not complete it until well after the end of it.
The game, as actually played in real life, lasted 237 moves, and is documented in the book by means of diagrams. Kitani Minoru, playing Black, won by 5 points. The game can be downloaded in .sgf format. The book is frequently used by western Go players as a starting point to explore the place of Go in Japanese society and it is commonly recommended to younger players.
Release details
The book was translated into English (ISBN 0-679-76106-3) in 1972, by Seidensticker. The original Japanese book version, published in 1954, was somewhat longer than the version translated by Seidensticker, which was Kawabata's later revision.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