Chapter 8 Section 8 Ancient Go Theory

Theory comes from practice and is higher than practice.Theory is the summary, refinement and sublimation of practice, and it is also a guide to practice.The process of research, exploration, formation, improvement and development of Go theory and its application and testing in actual combat games have proved the incomparable correctness of this universal truth. Go theory is gradually formed through the research and exploration of countless chess players in the past dynasties. It is the summary and improvement of the experience of Go practice, and it is the essence extracted from the practice of countless games.From individual and partial actual combat experience to a systematic and complete Go theory, this is a leap in the player's understanding of Go from perceptual to rational.

The oldest and most primitive go theoretical document in the history of our country is "Yi Zhi" written by Ban Gu, a famous writer in the Eastern Han Dynasty.Ban Gu is particularly fond of Go, and has in-depth research.He pointed out in the article "Yi Zhi": A good chess player should have "the posture of Su Zhang, consolidate the foundation and expand oneself", which means that he must have the great talents like Su Qin and Zhang Yi to make "the enemy fear"; trend", carefully planned and caring for the overall situation.Otherwise, "There is a flaw in every hole (a gap appears), and it is decadent (a complete defeat)".In the confrontation, tactics must be used, "Ambush, set up fraud, break through and run rampant."It is necessary to protect yourself alone, "if you have faults, your energy is weak and strong, you need to do what you need to do, keep your corners by your side, but make up for yourself, even if you lose, you will not perish."

Ma Rong, Ban Gu's student, was taught by his teacher when he was young, and he also likes Go.The "Go Fu" written by him is richer in content than "Yi Zhi", reflecting his deeper understanding of chess.The article pointed out that the strategy of winning and losing in Go is as subtle as hair, and the layout of black and white is as intricate as hemp.Otherwise, "go deep into the greedy land, kill soldiers", "separate the upper and lower sides, and isolate the four sides", "encircle and scatter, and choke when facing each other".Ma Rong (79-166 A.D.) had a high reputation and thousands of disciples.His students Ma Rixun and Lu Zhi were both high officials of the imperial court, and his student Zheng Xuan was a master of Confucian classics.Therefore, Ma Rong's "Go Fu" has a great influence on his students.

Later, in Ma Rong, Huang Xian, a celebrity known as the "Zhengjun", wrote "Ji Lun", which specifically discussed the virtual and real situation of Go.Huang Xian pointed out: "The opportunity of playing chess is nothing more than false and real. If the truth is used to show the falsehood, it can complete its momentum; if the falsehood is used to attack it with reality, it can control its shape. Therefore, those who are good at chess can use their opportunities without breaking up. To be able to hide the opportunity and not be greedy, and to fight after the opportunity is to be difficult to control when the situation is over." Huang Xian's "On Opportunity" laid the foundation for the strategic thinking of the layout of Go in our country.

At the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty, the seven well-known Jian'an masters were all Go enthusiasts, among which Ying Ju and Wang Can were the most skilled.Ying Yu, styled Delian, was born in Nandun, Runan. Cao Cao, the ancestor of Wei Dynasty, was elected as the prime minister (yuanyuan, subordinate official position). He once wrote an article "Yi Shi", which discussed the gains and losses in the confrontation of Go games. During the Southern and Northern Dynasties, Emperor Wu of Liang Xiao Yan (502-549 A.D.) was in power, he strongly advocated Go and literature, especially loved Go, and often played chess with his officials all night long.He also wrote chess books and articles such as "Chess Pin", "Chess Law", "Chess Review", "Go Fu". "Fu of Go" is still handed down to the world. For details, please refer to "History of Go" edited by Li Songfu. From a general perspective, what is discussed is the experience and experience of Go masters at that time.There are many Go terms in it.For example: "Today, in a chess move, think about nine things and defend against them. The enemy plans to make a decision but plans to injure, and wants to invade the ground but has no way... Or four squares gather five, spend six and hold seven, although it involves recent events in play, it is also You should learn it before the game. Either take the corner, or fight the edge, or die first, or die first." Emperor Wu of Liang's "Fu of Go" discussed the meaning, method and combat theory of Go, which is still in use today. A precious Go theory document preserved intact.

Under the influence of Emperor Liang Wu's advocacy of Go, the creation of Go flourished during the Southern and Northern Dynasties, and the number of Go manuals published was almost the highest in all dynasties.Among them, the most complete and important Go book is the Dunhuang manuscript "Chess".It can be seen from this book that the theory of Go in the Southern and Northern Dynasties has been further developed on the basis of books such as Ban Gu's "Yi Zhi" and Ma Rong's "Fu of Go" in the Eastern Han Dynasty. In the Tang Dynasty, Wang Jixin was famous all over the world for his superb chess skills. Based on his predecessors and his own practical experience, he summed up the "Ten Tactics" of Go and wrote it in the book "Chess Jue".The ten Go tactics he put forward are: 1. Do not be greedy to win; 2. Take time to enter the boundary; It must be corresponding; Nine are strong to protect themselves; Ten forces are lonely and harmonious.These ten tips concisely and accurately summarize the strategies and tactics commonly used in actual Go combat.It points out the contradictory relationship between attack and defense, abandonment and capture, advance and retreat, big and small, son and first, victory and defeat, superiority and inferiority, global and local, etc. that often need to be considered in actual Go combat.Wang Jixin's "Ten Tactics of Go" has far-reaching influence.Chess players in the Song, Ming, and Qing dynasties all took it as their motto.When later generations of chess players discussed the theory of Go, they all took the "Ten Jue" as the basic principle, and continued to develop and improve on the basis of it.Wang Jixin's "Chess Jue" is an immortal work in the ancient books of Go in my country, and his "Ten Jue of Go" is one of the treasures of Chinese classical Go theory.

During the Five Dynasties, Xu Xuan of the Southern Tang Dynasty was trusted and reused by Emperor Yuanzong of the Southern Tang Dynasty Li Jing (916-961 A.D.) because he was good at literature and Go.After Li Yu (937-978), the Empress of the Southern Tang Dynasty, came to the throne, Xu Xuan often played chess with Empress Li.After Li Houzhu returned to the Song Dynasty, Xu Xuan also entered the Song Dynasty as an official.Xu Xuan has profound attainments in Go, and has written Go books such as "Go Yi Li", "Jinguyuan Nine Game Spectrum" and "Chess".His "Go Meaning Cases" has an important position in the history of Go in my country.It is the first theoretical work on Go tactics in the history of Go in my country, and has made great contributions to the establishment and formation of Go tactics theory.

"Go Yi Li" was written by Xu Xuan on the order of Emperor Taizong of Song Dynasty.He selected and summarized the terms of various moves and tactics commonly used in actual Go combat at that time into 32 representative ones, and explained them one by one, such as "robbing" for robbing, "lifting" for capturing pieces, and "lifting" for two sides stalemate. Xu Xuan explained clearly and plainly in "Go Yi Li" and "Zheng" of conquering and killing, etc., which have become common terms used by famous Go masters to comment on chess skills for thousands of years. The 32 terms listed in "Go Meanings" include: Li, Xing, Fei, Jian, Sticky, Dry, Chuo, Yue, Guan, Chong, Wang, Yi, Zha, Ding, Na, Stilt, Gate, Break, hit, 嶭 [nie nie], gather, rob, slam, pounce, strangle, stab, pinch, pan, loose, hold, etc.

The bibliography "Chongwen Zongmu" compiled by Wang Yaochen and others in the Northern Song Dynasty contains a volume of "Go Yili" written by Xu Xuan.But this Song version is no longer available, only the "Numbers Chapter Eleven" in the Song version, which contains 32 terms that are basically the same as it, but no explanation is given.At the end of the Yuan Dynasty and the beginning of the Ming Dynasty, Tao Nancun's "Shuo Yu" appeared for the first time in Xu Xuan's "Go Yi Li".In the middle of the Ming Dynasty, Zhu Keming's "Autumn Immortal Legacy" and Xiang Shifen's "Yuju Gouxuan" were renamed "Interpretation of the Thirty-two Characters of Go", without signature.In the early Qing Dynasty, "The Collection of Ancient and Modern Books" edited by Chen Menglei and others was renamed "Interpretation of Go Meanings and Cases", and the author signed Xu Xuan. However, although the title of the book has been changed several times, its content is basically the same.

"Go Meanings" is of positive significance to the unification of Go terms in ancient my country, and most of them are still in use today. Zhang Jing in the Northern Song Dynasty is a masterpiece of Go theory in ancient my country. According to legend, Go belongs to the "art of war", in which the method of attacking and killing is closely related to the strategy and tactics of ancient military warfare. "Sun Tzu's Art of War" has 13 chapters, so the author Zhang Jing wrote it after "Sun Tzu's Art of War".The content includes: the first chapter of chess game; the second chapter of Desuan; the third chapter of Quan Yu; The ninth chapter of the main body; the tenth chapter of the cave micro; the eleventh chapter of the number of names; the twelfth chapter of the character;This is the author's go theory books and literature for thousands of years, starting from Ban Gu's "Yizhi" in the Eastern Han Dynasty, to various "Chesong", "Chess", "Chess Jue" in the Jin and Southern and Northern Dynasties, Sui and Tang Dynasties, and the Five Dynasties , and summed up the actual combat experience of the national players in the Northern Song Dynasty, and added their own new ideas to compile it.This book can be said to be a collection of the culmination of Go theory before the Northern Song Dynasty, and it is very well written.The last one, originally titled "On the Essentials of Chess Jue", was written particularly wonderfully, and was deeply appreciated by the national player Liu Zhongfu at that time.Liu Zhongfu also made notes for it.

Another famous Go master in the Northern Song Dynasty who made great contributions to the ancient Go theory is Liu Zhongfu.Liu Zhongfu was the number one national player in the Song Dynasty.He dominated the chess world in the Northern Song Dynasty for 20 years and was invincible in the world.The book "Chess Jue" written by him in his later years also occupies an important position in the history of Go in our country.Liu Zhongfu's "Chess Jue" is divided into four chapters: Arrangement, Invasion, Use of War, and Choice, respectively discussing the basic principles of Go in detail.It is a must-read Go classic for chess players from ancient to modern times.If it is said that it comprehensively discusses the philosophy, competition, strategy, tactics, psychology and chess quality of Go from a macro perspective, while "Chess Jue" discusses the layout, entry, confrontation, and trade-offs of each game in detail from a micro perspective. The basic principles and skills of the book, it is more specific and practical than the content of the book.Although Liu Zhongfu's "Chess Jue" and Zhang Jing's both have different emphases, they are actually similar in approach but equally effective.Therefore, they are all respected and welcomed by chess players of all ages. The "Xuanxuan Collection" co-edited by Yan Tianzhang and Yan Defu in the Yuan Dynasty, also known as "Yuanyuan Collection" and "Xuanxuan Chess Classic", is a very influential theoretical work in the history of Go in my country.This Go manual was compiled very successfully, and the editors Yan Tianzhang and Yan Defu were both famous Go players at that time.Yan Defu is the most famous, and Yan Tianzhang is the prime minister of the Northern Song Dynasty after Yan Shu, Yuan Xiangong, and his family has a lot of ancient books. This is the favorable condition for the two of them to cooperate to compile "Xuanxuan Ji". "Xuanxuan Ji" is divided into six episodes: the first episode is "Rites", with the preface of Yuji, Ouyang Xuan and Yan Tianzhang at the beginning of the volume. This episode is included in Liu Zhongfu's "Chess Jue".There are also Ban Gu's "Yi Zhi", Ma Rong's "Go Fu", Liu Zongyuan's "Preface to Chess", Pi Rixiu's "Original Game", etc.The second episode "Music" is the basic knowledge of Go, such as starting hands, life and death, the position of accepting pieces, single split two, oblique flying angle, 32 term diagrams, and Qu three, Qu four, Ju Si, Shenqi six, Yumian six, flowers The life and death of the fifth class.The third episode "Shooting" includes more than 10 hand gestures.The last three episodes "Royal", "Book" and "Shu" are the essence of the whole spectrum, with a total of 378 chess moves, including common life and death, and attacking and killing skills, reflecting the level of Go in my country more than 600 years ago.This spectrum discusses the basic theory of Go, which is detailed and comprehensive. It was once introduced to Japan and translated into Japanese, which is highly valued by the Japanese chess circle. "Yi Li Zhi Gui" written by Shi Xiangxia can be regarded as a model of ancient Chinese Go records.It is the crystallization of Shi Xiangxia's life-long painstaking efforts.However, the original works are all formulas in classical Chinese, with profound words and few pictures, making it difficult for readers to understand.Afterwards, Songjiang Qian Donghui revised it and made a map based on the situation, which became "The Map of Yili Zhigui", which is divided into three volumes, six volumes.Shengyatang was engraved in the thirty-fifth year of Qianlong. "Yi Li Zhi Gui" was originally not widely circulated, and now it is rare in China. "Yi Li Zhi Gui Tu" Qian Donghui Sheng Ya Tang engraved edition has a relatively large circulation, and is collected by major domestic libraries and private individuals. Shi Xiangxia's "Yi Li Zhi Gui" was published in Yangzhou in the 28th year of Qianlong in Qing Dynasty (AD 1763) (Gui Wei).Thirty years (AD 1765) (Yiyou) Shi was hired as a chess master by Songjiang Qian Donghui and Zhang Shida.Shi gave each one of the chess records he had played in Zixing years ago.After Qian and Zhang read it, they felt that it was an unprecedented and high-level chess record, but it was difficult for beginners to comprehend because of its profound sentences and lack of diagrams.So Qian said to Zhang: "It's because the book changes, or the black and white are removed, and then reset according to the verses, it will be laborious, and the ten gates can't be seen at once. There is a slight interruption, and it is especially difficult to continue. It is better to make a real picture for it, so as to facilitate it." Scholars." After hearing this, Zhang found it difficult.In this way, Qian Donghui had to take on this important task alone. Whenever he encountered a change, he would draw a picture, record the song on the top, and tie the picture on the bottom. It took two years to complete it and publish it. Fan Xiping's "Peach Blossom Spring Playing Puzzle" was inspired by "Theory of Chess and Guidance".In the eighteenth year of Qianlong (AD 1753), "Yi Li Zhi Gui" was published.One year later, Fan Xiping's disciple Bian Wenheng showed Fan Xiping "The Guidance of Game Theory" for reference. Fan Xiping chose to change and wrote "Peach Blossom Spring Game Pu". In the 30th year of Qianlong, it was engraved by Gao Heng, a senior official in Yangzhou. Azusa line. Although Fan Xiping's "Peach Blossom Spring Playing Puzzle" was inspired by Shi Pu's "Gui Li Zhigui", there is no trace of imitation.As far as its content is concerned, compared with "Yili Zhigui", it has increased from 10 to 20, with more than 210 games and more than 800 changes.In a sense, "Peach Blossom Spring Game Pu" is more popular with readers.This can be proved by more than 10 reprints of "Peach Blossom Spring Game Pu" repeatedly. "Yi Li Zhi Gui" and "Peach Blossom Spring Game Pu" are two pearls in ancient Chinese Go Pu.Their contents have their own advantages and are highly praised by readers.