GO is the oldest of known games. Its invention is assigned in ancient Chinese source to 3 different persons. But the Japanese commonly only regard one of them as the true inventor, namely, the famous Chinese Emperor Shun, who reigned from 2255 to 2205 B.C. Reckoned from this date, the game is 4100 old! It is said that a distinguished scholar named named Kibi no Makibi or Kibidaiin (695-775) introduced the game to the Emperor Shoumu's court on his return from China In the 6th year of Tenpyo Shoho (Yuan dynasty in China), under the rule of Empress Koken. After a century, by report, the number of players among the nobles, for the game was restricted to the nobility, was small. In Kamakura, which Minamoto no Yoritomo had raised to the rank of a court seat in 1186 A.D., Hojo Yoshitoki had once just began a game with a guest when he received news from Wada Yoshimori's defection. Yoshitoki first finished the game in the utmost serenity. It was only then he turned his attention to the necessary measures for putting down the revolt. This happened in the 1st year of Kenpo (1213 A.D.). A similar story is told about Taira no Nobunaga, also called Oda Nobunaga, which shows that he, like all the great Japanese heroes, was also devoted to GO. He came to Kyoto in the 10th year of Tensho (1582 A.D.), and lodged in Honno-ji temple. Calling the famous GO player Sansha into his presence, he played with him until midnight. Upon leaving, Sansha was hardly out of the house before Akechi Mitsuhide's uprising broke out. POINT THIS, the story of Honno-ji was performed in HikaGO #6 as a bonus. Oda Nobunaga was well-acted by Kaga Tetsuo; Tsutsui as Houninbou Sansha Hoin (Nikkai); Hikaru as Hayashi Rigen; and Mitani as Akechi Mitsuhide. Mind you, it's a very interesting story ^o^. If you hadn't read it you can download it at Toriyama's World. As
time goes by, GO was not only enjoyed by the Japanese, Chinese and
Korean. But even the Western people were interested to play GO. There
now exist a Japan GO Association or Nihon
Ki-In, organized in 1924, with headquarters in Tokyo, and this
is the capital authority on the game. Go clubs are now being promoted
and fostered throughout the world with the active assistance of Nihon
Ki-In, principally through the sponsorship of tours by professional
GO players from Japan. For those desiring to make further inquiries,
the address is Nihon Ki-In, 5t floor, Kokusai-Kanko Building, No.
1, 1-chome, Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo. |
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