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Copyright © by John Fairbairn, London 2012.

The Gateway to All Marvels
玄玄棋經

The Xuanxuan Qijing of 1347

John Fairbairn

Buy the full book at gobooks.com

The 1347 Chinese go (weiqi/baduk) classic Xuanxuan Qijing, or Gengen Gokyo by its Japanese name, is the most significant go book ever produced. It has become the foundation for virtually every problem book since. Gateway to All Marvels brings together every problem and every variant from perhaps every subsequent edition, and discusses how the almost 500 problems and their solutions have evolved and varied, and also how even modern professionals often disagree on the correct solutions.

A characteristic feature of the original collection was the addition of titles which provide clues either to remembering the problems or to solving them. John Fairbairn has explained all these allusive titles in detail, which means that the book is also an entertaining romp through Chinese history and culture. The original Chinese characters have been provided and indexed.

Discussion of the problems is also aided by identification of “key techniques”, some new, some old, so that, for example, “rooster on one leg” now joins newcomers such as the “caterpillar connection” and the “elbow lock”. These techniques are also fully indexed, and also (taking advantage of the SmartGo Books format) presented in a way that means they can be treated as optional further clues to the problems. Hypertext links are provided to many cross-references.

The principal texts in the ancient Chinese edition have also been translated here. They include the complete Go Classic in Thirteen Chapters and Liu Zhongfu’s Go Secrets.

Copyright Page

The Gateway to All Marvels
The Xuanxuan Qijing of 1347
GoGoD Vintage Series

John Fairbairn

Copyright © by John Fairbairn, London 2012.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or retransmitted in any form or by any means without the written authorisation of the author.

Cover design and conversion to SmartGo Books format by John Mifsud.

Contents

The Gateway to All Marvels
The Xuanxuan Qijing of 1347

Copyright Page

Preface by John Fairbairn

Introduction

The Texts

Original Prefaces

Yu Ji’s Preface

Ouyang Xuan’s Preface

Yan Tianzhang’s Preface

Go Classic in Thirteen Chapters

Origin of Go

Essence of Go

Go Rhapsody

Go Secrets

Heaven and Earth Encompass All

The Problems

Key Techniques

List of Problems

Indexes

Theme Index

Character Index

Bibliography

Appendix 1: Pronunciation

Appendix 2: Full text of Kubla Khan

Appendix: Books by John Fairbairn

About SmartGo Books

Preface by John Fairbairn

This is a SmartGo Books electronic edition of the third oldest go book known. It thus represents almost the physical extremes of how go information has been presented!

Modern e-books in general are ideal in allowing information to be offered to readers in a cheap and compact way, with various other benefits such as portability. But it cannot be denied that their layouts still haven’t equaled the high standard of the best printed books.

The present work cannot claim to have completely solved this problem, but I am happy that at least it seems very usable. I say that on the basis of reading the draft in bed even with my tired old eyes, continuing to enjoy and marvel at these age-old problems of unwithering beauty and ingenuity, which yet manage to be extremely practical.

I am so entranced by these marvels that I have collected here every problem and every solution in every edition of the ancient classic I can lay my hands on, with the result that it is by far the biggest edition ever. There are 466 problems here in alphabetical order from “Achieving enlightenment” to “Zifang returns to the mountains”, which sounds like a progression that would have appealed mightily to the original Daoist compilers. Further, whereas their original version usually gave one solution diagram, I give several – sometimes even more than a dozen – which I hope will make this book very accessible even to kyu players, even though some of the problems are very, very hard.

So hard in fact that modern professionals have in quite a few cases given very different (and, dare I say it, sometimes wrong) interpretations – all discussed here. I do not wish to imply that I am crowing about finding these disagreements. Nor can I smugly claim to have always provided answers. Sometimes I just raise more annoying questions! Having slogged through the compilation of this book, I know how hard it is to keep a veritable mountain of often similar data under control, and I certainly cannot claim the same level of go expertise. If I have misrepresented anyone, or introduced further errors or confusion myself, I offer profound apologies in advance. I do hope, though, that I have at least laid out enough evidence for the reader to make his own assessment. And for the reader I also advance apologies for any infelicities. Although they will all be mine, I hope I can seek some indulgence. The economics of the go book world mean that I have had to not just provide the base text but have also had to do all the Chinese character conversions, all the diagrams (over 2,000, I think) and all the formatting and hypertexting. On top of that, I have heaped millstones round my neck by adding complex thematic and character indexes. The reason, though, essentially is that I thought the original work was worth it.

As implied by the note above on adding solution diagrams, what is presented here is not a translation, although most of the texts in the original have been translated here. They form the first section Texts. My intention there was to create as far as possible a mindset in the reader in which he could appreciate the problems in much the same way as the Chinese players of yesteryear, and so I have omitted a few (e.g. on terminology) not relevant to the problems. For the same reason, I have omitted the games and josekis, but, going the other way, I have added a huge amount of explanation of the titles of all the problems. As explained in more detail in the Introduction, these titles are not just labels, but add immensely to both the solving and the enjoyment of the problems.

The Problems form the main part of the book, and they are listed alphabetically, ready to be solved. The entire book is heavily hyperlinked – the colored phrases on this page are typical examples. Hyperlinks are given for problem cross-references where appropriate.

A further addition I have made is to list, where applicable, recurring themes used in solving the problems. Details about this are given in the section Key techniques.

A more comprehensive view of the structure can, of course, be gleaned by referring to the Contents page.

Further information on the history of go in general is available, along with much other information, on the GoGoD Database & Encyclopaedia CD. GoGoD – or Games of Go on Disc – is a long-standing partnership of myself and T Mark Hall. Details of this can be found on our website.

John Fairbairn
London 2013

Introduction

The Xuanxuan Qijing – which I call the Gateway to All Marvels or GTAM – is without any doubt the most important go book ever written. It is ancient, profound, beautiful, comprehensive – and elusive. It has inspired the greatest masters, spawned numerous imitations, and is still as valuable for lovers of go at any level as it ever was.

It is well over 600 years old, although as it is a compilation of older texts much of its content goes back even further than that – some as far back as the Han dynasty of the 2nd century AD. It is profound because it includes the advice and thoughts on go of some of the greatest minds of ancient China.

Its problems are both profound and beautiful. Many are of a level to tax even modern professionals, but are even further refined by exquisitely chosen names that often not only describe the shape made by the stones but also convey hints, satisfying allusions and romance.

A head of the Honinbo family once said how comprehensive it was. He meant it was difficult to compose problems that were not already encapsulated here. It is important too as the main transmitter of the go classics in general. It is much more than a book of problems.

Yet the precise first form of this marvellous work is hard to pin down. There appears to be no definitive original, although it seems possible to get close. Some writers date it to 1347, others to 1349. Some have 376 problems, some have 378, while others reduce the figure substantially because of duplications. Many versions change the problems – not just swapping the colours of the stones or adding enclosing stones but sometimes altering the whole structure so that a new kind of solution is called for. The characters of the names sometimes become corrupted. Sometimes the names are changed completely. Some versions include the games, most don’t. Some versions have one preface, some three. Some have Ma Rong’s famous Rhapsody on Go, others may have an essay on fighting instead, while others omit all but the problems.

It has been cribbed so many times and spawned so many imitations, many also called Xuanxuan Qijing, that modern readers can easily become confused. To paraphrase Lao Zi: “The book that can be named is not the true book!”

We know – because one of the prefaces tells us so – that the original is due to Yan Tianzhang and Yan Defu. We know also that it was an anthology. That too is evident from the major preface, but we could easily infer this from the contents.

Although the GTAM of 1347 may be the most influential go book ever produced, it is far from the oldest. The Dunhuang Go Manual in the British Library is inscribed on a roll that staff there believe dates to the 9th century, but the text itself is clearly much older. The modern Chinese scholar Cheng Enyuan has pointed out that the forms of numerous characters there suggest it is from the late part of the Six Dynasties period (222~589), and dialect forms also suggest the author was a man of the Northern Zhou (557~581). Go had been written about many times and many centuries before, but this is the first known work, apart from poems, devoted solely to the game. It is, however, a short book and is essentially a collection of maxims of the type “Greedy players lose often; timid players succeed rarely.” It has no diagrams.

The first book with diagrams and, indeed, a reasonable coverage of many aspects of go – games, openings, problems and more substantial texts, including an explanation of technical terms – was the Wangyou Qingle Ji (which I call the Carefree & Innocent Pastime Collection or C&IP) of the early thirteenth century by Li Yimin. Apart from its wide-ranging content, this book was supposedly prepared by Imperial command and, as its title (which comes from a poem by the Emperor himself) indicates, was also part of an important debate among Confucianists about whether go was good or evil. There were those who proclaimed go’s benign or innocent nature as a game whose players could simply forget their worries for a time, and who were innocent of the deviousness that the other side claimed the game inevitably taught. “Carefree” prays Confucius himself in aid, as he was quoted in the Analects as saying that he was the sort of person who preferred to see otherwise idle people play go.

Despite all that, this book was effectively lost until the 19th century, until the sole surviving copy of the original, which is now in the Rare Books Section of the National Library in Beijing, surfaced. Important though it is, it has had little direct impact on the go world. Fortunately, most of its content had already been used in the GTAM and its imitations, and so had already reached and improved the minds of countless generations of go players anyway.

In trying to understand the conditions under which the GTAM was compiled, we are hamstrung by a lack of data. In general, the China in which the two Yans lived was rather different from the China of the C&IP, even though not much more than a century had elapsed. The main change was that China was now under a foreign yoke, the Mongols, whose dynasty was called the Yuan.

In Xanadu did Kubla Khan
A stately pleasure-dome decree:
Where Alph, the sacred river, ran
Through caverns measureless to man
Down to a sunless sea.

So twice five miles of fertile ground
With walls and towers were girdled round:
And there were gardens bright with sinuous rills,
Where blossomed many an incense-bearing tree;
And here were forests ancient as the hills,
Enfolding sunny spots of greenery.

Although the Yuan period and its earlier emperor Kubla Khan captured the vivid imagination of writers such as Samuel Coleridge Taylor, it was a burdensome time for most native Chinese of the ruling class. This was not merely a reaction by or to new foreign rulers. Decline of the previous dynasty, and corruption, had also caused lasting disquiet, and the scholar class, which provided the civil servants that really ran the country, often chose, if they could afford it, to retire to their estates. There they became ‘ideal scholars’ who repudiated politics and poured their creative urges into the arts and sciences. Many of this period found solace in Daoism, which could almost be considered as science by then because of its reliance on alchemy. Yan Tianzhang, and also the very influential Yu Ji and other preface writers we will come to later, seem to have belonged to this class. In any event, they were a long way from the Mongols' capital, Shangdu (Xanadu).

We do not know much about these people, so it would be futile to try to guess at what inspired them, but we can infer some useful information. First, a significant but usually overlooked page in the C&IP shows how to record whole-game moves on a diagram. The fact that this was thought necessary even in a book intended exclusively for regular go players indicates it was a novelty, and probably partial diagrams were also something of a novelty, too – the cost of paper and creating woodblocks was always a constraint.

Game records clearly existed several centuries before. For example, at the time of the Liu Song Emperor Wen Di, Yang Xuanbao was Governor of Kuaiji. The Emperor despatched go player Chu Sizhuang to the east to play against Xuanbao and to make records of the games so as to bring them back for replaying in front of the Emperor. This is the period when the 9-dan grading system was created at Court, and is the same period of the text of the Dunhuang Classic. It was clearly a creative time for go, possibly the result of a recent change from 17x17 to 19x19 boards. But we do not know how the games were recorded in the earliest times. It may just be that they were memorised. There are frequent references to players being praised for playing over games from memory, and people in general, as in other countries in those days, were used to relying on their memories.

At any rate, it seems likely that complex go positions as such were not recorded very often in the early days. Given the huge number of poems that were written down and that have survived (many about go), it would seem odd if no go diagrams had likewise survived if they were in fact commonly written down as opposed to memorised.

If we look again at the C&IP, we see that there are several go problems, but they generally look artificial. This is perhaps because they were contrived to be memorable. They include symmetrical shapes and triangular patterns, and have names. Even though some of these problems are spectacular, there are rather few of them. Many diagrams are devoted to openings, so diagramming was not a problem in this case. We would therefore expect a lot of problems, too – unless perhaps they were not yet in common currency?

But when we come to the GTAM we are suddenly given lots of problems. This may just have been thanks to a personal preference by the compilers, but a reasonable hypothesis is surely that the C&IP, or the master players of that period, stimulated the production of problems. There were probably not very many master players, of course, and there is a hint in many of the GTAM problems that the basic core may even have been from the hand of one person. For example, the way the less essential outside stones of a problem are arranged is often like a signature – we see here very many distinctive examples of tiger’s mouth shapes which may have been the personal preference of a single player. He may of course have simply been reworking existing problems rather than inventing them all. Details aside, I do have a strong sense that this was a period of a sudden flowering of the problemist’s art.

We can also infer that the problems were now being jotted down in small books, perhaps simply because they were becoming too numerous to remember. These were probably part of what the prefaces of the GTAM refer to as the book collections of the two Yans. But the habit of adding names to problems was still alive and well in the GTAM, so that we can assume most were still being memorised. After all, it would not have been easy to get a physical copy of a fascinating book seen at a friend’s house.

Nearly all the problems have titles. Many of these titles have Daoist allusions, probably reflecting the interests or tastes of the scholar class of the time. Some of the problems have more than one name (sometimes reflecting a slightly different version of the problem) but by and large there is a single, accepted name. This too suggests that the problems in general had only just begun to circulate and, while some evolution and variation had already occurred, the bulk remained intact. We may therefore suppose they had only recently become known. This sudden explosion would naturally have also attracted collectors and anthologists, a sudden surge perhaps aiding initial standardisation.

If this interpretation is correct, we can go on to imagine that, in the dozen or so decades between C&IP and GTAM, a strong interest in composing and recording go problems had arisen, probably fuelled by an increasing number of scholars devoting themselves to hobbies in early retirement, with many also dabbling in Daoism.

In subsequent centuries, problems probably became too numerous to remember even with titles. The Guanzipu, the next major collection, had close to 1,500 problems and titling had already more or less died out by then, although whenever the traditional problems of the GTAM have been reproduced later, they have still usually been presented with their names intact. In any case, the game itself also seems to have suffered some sort of upheaval in China soon after the GTAM, in Ming times, when the rules were changed from what we now call Japanese rules (territory counting) to modern Chinese rules (area counting), a revolution which may well have its roots in whatever burst of activity seems to have taken place in the 13th and 14th centuries. The available evidence suggests it might have been simply to stop cheating (by fiddling the number of prisoners). We do know that cheating became prevalent as go became more widespread.

The GTAM itself must have boosted the popularity of go. It is important to realise that it was not just a case of a lot of go problems becoming available. It was rather that the book offered over 300 problems of incredible depth and variety. One, for example, depends on knowledge of hanezeki to solve it! There is perhaps a surfeit of under-the-stones problems, no doubt reflecting the Daoist fascination with resurrection and metamorphosis as further reflected in natural changes such as a cicada casting off its shell. We can infer this from the names of the problems, though this feature in turn is not quite as simple as it looks.

I have suggested already that names were probably used as a way to help memorise problems. If a problem is called “Four Greybeards Emerging from a Cave” you have a head start in recalling that the problem involves four surrounded white stones (the greybeards) and the task is to enable them to escape. The compilers of the GTAM clearly did not invent the names themselves – as mentioned, the concept was known previously and they would surely not otherwise have presented duplicate problems with different names. But whoever did devise new names in the century after the C&IP moved the concept on somewhat further.

The result is that, broadly speaking, the problem names fall into two categories. One is to help fix the starting shape in the memory. The other, much more subtle, is to give a hint to the solution. For example, a title that suggests toing and froing of some kind turns out to indicate a ko solution. This intention was never made explicit, and so some readers may reject this idea, but the internal evidence seems overwhelming to me, not to mention the love of complex allusion so popular in the other arts of the time.

In fact, many of the problem titles are clear only if you know the allusions. Imagine an English merels problem labelled ‘Robin Hood outwits the Sheriff of Nottingham’. You would realise at once that this probably implies a theme of robbing the rich to help the poor. This sort of background knowledge is necessary in a vast number of the problems in the GTAM. Clearly, not many of us are brought up on tales from Chinese history. I have therefore added a large amount of commentary on the titles (though one or two continue to baffle me). The problems portion, which will be the main area of interest for most people, is therefore in no way a translation, simply because, apart from the brief title, there was nothing there to translate. The text you will read there is entirely my own.

I have made another significant change with the problems. The original gives only bare-bones solution diagrams. I have expanded on or added to these in the light of the many subsequent editions. This includes comments along the lines of “the original solution is wrong because…” which are so common in modern editions. In fact, I am not convinced that the original was always necessarily wrong. Of course, it would be remarkable if some mistakes had not occurred and if there had been no corruption over time, but if we take into account the conditions and tastes of the time, I believe we could argue that many of the so-called flaws were virtues.

First of all, I do not believe that the problems were devised exclusively as a means of study. I suspect that they were mainly conversation pieces (much better than sitting round a television set!), many of them culled from actual games. Given the combination of poetic title and wondrous combination, perhaps brought hotfoot from town to a country villa by a guest as a sort of present to his host, which could be marvelled at together over liberal measures of wine, it seems irrelevant to point out that, well, Black didn’t have to die like that – he could make a ko, or give part of his group up. I believe the Chinese scholars much preferred to take the scenic route and enjoy White’s brilliant play for its own sake. But since the modern trend is to take the commuter route, I have included information on more prosaic solutions and the disputed solutions. Nevertheless, just as a proper translation would try to convey not just the words but their effect on the native reader, I hope that by offering explanations of the problem titles and alerting the modern reader not to judge solutions always by modern standards, I can in part still make this same reader see the GTAM through the eyes of a scholar relaxing on his estate in 14th century China.

That hope partly explains my choice of title: Gateway to All Marvels. It could be easily justified anyway since the xuanxuan of the Chinese (variously rendered elsewhere as Mystery upon Mystery, or Dark and Mysterious, etc.) is merely the beginning of a quotation from the Daoist master Lao Zi which ends up with the same gateway phrase. Whoever (maybe Yan Tianzhang) chose the original title would clearly expect any reader to complete the quotation mentally and so come to a resoundingly positive perception: this book is the Gateway to All Marvels.

But I have another reason for stressing this title. The Xuanxuan Qijing exists in many different versions. What I have done here is not to limit myself, or you, to one version, but to combine all the marvellous versions. I have therefore tried to include every version of every problem. “GTAM” is therefore mainly meant to refer to my all-inclusive edition. When referring to the original or one of its versions, I may instead refer specifically to Xuanxuan Qijing.

Like others before me, I did also try, countless times, to add some organisation to the problems. I gave up. The authors' preface also mentions that they tried to categorise them too. They did not mention giving up, but there is no discernible order in the original. My own reason for trying various orderings was basically to keep track of all the problems. I tried shapes, themes, names (e.g. all problems with animals, or meteorological phenomena, or precious stones in the title). None was entirely satisfactory. In the end, for presentation purposes, I decided simply on a combination of alphabetic order of title and a number. These are sufficient to identify the problems for cross references, but also it means the way the reader will experience this book – whether going from A to Z or dipping in at random – will be like being told to close your eyes and then to select chocolates from a proffered box. Rather than bagging your favourite nut centres, you may therefore pick up a dud or even a nice new flavour you wouldn’t normally have tried. In the GTAM you will find very, very few Turkish delights or pineapple creams (or whatever your duds are). Mostly, I honestly believe, you will savour the novelties you find.

As already described, this book can reasonably be called a rendering of the original, but if so – mystery upon mystery! – it is a rendering of a non-existent book. Unlike the two earlier books, the C&IP and the Dunhuang scroll, no original of the original Xuanxuan Qijing is known to survive. Because that unknown magical work has been copied, ransacked and rewritten more than any other go book, it is hard even to imagine exactly what the original looked like. Or even to know exactly when it was compiled.

There are two dates associated with it: 1347 and 1349. Both dates come from the prefaces. There are three prefaces. Looking at them, it seems unlikely that all three were meant to be included together. The earliest, by the retired official Yu Ji in 1347, could plausibly have been meant to be included with one of 1349 by one of the compilers, Yan Tianzhang. But Yu Ji’s text makes it plain that a copy of the book already existed when he either saw it or heard of it. It is, of course, likely that he saw a manuscript version. Maybe Yan Tianzhang’s preface was added only after the long period needed to prepare the woodblocks. Or maybe his was a preface added to a second or later edition. Either way, later editors have added to the confusion by often omitting one preface or another and so obscuring the date information. Still, even given the riveting nature of the work, the date 1349 seems unlikely to mark an unremarked upon second edition so soon, and in my view is more likely to represent actual wood-block publication of a handwritten work completed in 1347.

Another reason for favouring the 1347 date is that Yu Ji’s 1347 preface is considered to be of much superior quality, which is why it is often the only one given.

Ouyang Xuan’s 1349 preface is very short. He gives every appearance that he thought of it as rather a chore. However, he does mention that the request for it came from a gentleman called Yang who wished to publish it.

Reading all these prefaces, given later, will give you your own sense of what was going on, but it is still far from clear how actual publication took place. The simplest explanation may be that Yang, although he had an official title in the civil service, was rich because he, or a close relative, was also a successful merchant publisher (you may be surprised to know that print runs then were sometimes enormous – the Song was a boom era for publishing). In this scenario, we could assume Yan Tianzhang had him publish his book. I think this is the likeliest scenario, but at another extreme, we could surmise that as soon as the original print-run ran out, other wealthy men possibly commissioned their own wood blocks and issued new editions, presumably making changes reflecting their own preferences. Copyright was not an issue then, and in fact Yan Tianzhang did say in his own preface that he hoped others would improve and carry on his work (that may have been formulaic, of course).

Certainly, different versions sprang up very soon. The modern Chinese go historian Chen Zuyuan pointed out the almost terrifying speed at which gross changes and blunders can be made in re-printed books when he described the mistakes in the various modern Chinese editions of the C&IP that were perpetrated in just the last part of the 20th century, even when editors had access to the original in Beijing Library. And he seemed unaware that there were even more corruptions in modern Japanese and Korean editions!

That experience tells us that we should expect rather significant differences in later copies of the Xuanxuan Qijing. That is what we find, but fortunately – perhaps because of the sheer quality of the original – the changes are limited and generally do not matter or can be covered by a footnote.

Broadly speaking, two or three prominent groupings can be identified in the early copies. All share a large common core. That core can be summarised as the Yu Ji preface, the Go Classic in Thirteen Chapters, and several hundred named problems. The groupings vary according to what else is added.

Apart from the other two prefaces, there is a selection of close to a dozen other texts that can be included, in various eclectic combinations. The problems also occasionally have variant names, sometimes in place of another, at other times in addition – some 50 problems are duplicated in most full editions (they are not always identical, but often sufficiently so that they may be omitted by other editors). Of course, there are also the usual differences in the number and precise location of stones in the problems. Since the original Xuanxuan Qijing was itself a compilation from other books, we should not always assume that its versions are definitive. Even today, somewhere between 100 and 200 ancient Chinese go books survive, and it would be no surprise if many, many more have been lost but were known to earlier compilers.

The main grouping is characterised by the choice and wording of texts copied into the great Imperial encyclopaedias. It is convenient, though a little dangerous even with technical works, to assume that versions of old books compiled for the Emperor’s libraries by his supreme scholars are definitive versions. Still, we do know that the Xuanxuan Qijing was copied into the Yongle Dadian encyclopaedia of 1408 (and re-copied in 1567), and that copy surely must have been close to the original. However, the encyclopaedia volumes that would have contained it have been lost (they may turn up if portions pillaged by Anglo-French troops as souvenirs ever resurface). It was also copied into the 18th century (Qing) Siku Quanshu. That version survives and is the basis of most texts nowadays. That, too, is likely to have been close to the original, if for no other reason than that the encyclopaedia scholars generally tried to get to the oldest sources almost as an article of Confucian faith.

A second grouping would be the mass-produced populist versions – the woodblock-printed books – which probably introduced corruptions and other changes. Lin Tianduo, the editor of a modern Chinese edition, suggests that this category should include the Xuanxuan Ji – note the slightly different name – printed by the Qingjiang Shutang publishing house of the Yang family of Qingcheng in the Yuan era. Given the speculation about publishing history above, we could also assume that the Yang family had a foundation copy, but blocks would have been worn, damaged or lost rather quickly and, with every replacement by later generations of the Yang publishing house, changes would have crept in. In any case, Lin adds, “I have not seen this book and it may already be lost.” It seems that no-one else has seen it either in a form that can be identified as a Yang copy, though wherever the Ouyang Xuan preface crops up, that is a tantalising hint pointing to a Yang source.

Another strand in this group would be typified by a version by Wang Changchao in the Ming Wanli era (1573~1620), apparently based on a 1349 original. It is in a book called Zuoyinzhai Xiansheng Ziding Qipu Quanji (Complete Collection of Go Manuals as Arranged by the Master of the Go Study). There is also a Qing edition which is the same as the Ming book, except that it is in a different font. Its slightly different name simply reflects the fact that the character for xuan had become taboo then because it formed part of the name Xuanye, of the Kangxi Emperor. It was replaced by a character read yuan, the same as the one for the Yuan dynasty. That is very unlikely to have anything to do with this go book. The change applied in every other field.

A third grouping (though it is arguably just an extension of the second Chinese grouping) would be represented by versions in Japan and Korea where there were many handwritten copies and partial editions. These in the main seem ultimately to rely on woodblock prints of Wang Changchao’s Ming edition, but with revisions. In Japan, it was printed for the first time in 1630 and in the 300-odd years since then it has been reprinted around a dozen times. These editions all have discrepancies compared with the original Chinese book. The modern versions of these include Hashimoto Utaro’s Gengen Gokyo Shin-teihon (Xuanxuan Qijing, New Authentic Edition), Go Seigen’s Gengen Gokyo and Kwon Gyeong-eon’s Iyagi Hyeonhyeon Gigyeong (Xuanxuan Qijing in Narrative Form). These all take rather broad liberties with formatting and ordering of the problems and omit some, to varying degrees. They sometimes add some explanation of the more obscure problem names or characters, but by and large they assume their readers are familiar with Chinese history (actually, a fair assumption).

However, in the case of modern Korean versions such as the one edited by Kim In 9-dan, they are so startlingly different from other versions that they may represent an otherwise lost tradition based on, say, a Yang family version that reached Korea before a rival edition. I occasionally highlight this oddity with remarks such as “Kim In edition only”. I may also refer to the “Korean tradition” for problems (or variants) I have seen only in Korean books. I am assuming there is a Chinese source behind them somewhere.

Because these modern books, including also the Lin Tianduo and Wang Runan editions in China, may be owned by present readers, I will often mention them in this GTAM to explain why more than one version of a problem appears to exist with the same name (or a different solution).

We might add a fourth grouping if we include the books that were profoundly influenced by the Xuanxuan Qijing and copied it in part. Among these are the famous Chinese go books such as Shishi Xianji or Xianji Wuku of the Ming period, or the Guanzipu of the Qing period (see GoGoD’s Go Companion for further descriptions of many old Chinese books). Indeed, as Lin Tianduo has said, in that endearingly familiar locution from classical Chinese: “There are none that were not influenced by it.”

It was only in the Ming that the Xuanxuan Qijing acquired that, its modern, name. As already mentioned, before that it seems to have been known as either the ‘collection’ (ji) Xuanxuan Ji) or the ‘manual’ (pu) Xuanxuan Pu. From Ming times, however, having acquired enough of a reputation to be copied into the Imperial encyclopaedia, it has generally been known as the ‘classic’ (jing). Jing is used for classics and sacred works such as sutras because, as the character shows (it begins with the ‘thread’ radical), it represents the warp of a loom, while all the commentaries, copies, revisions and so on of the original work form the weft from which a complete fabric is eventually made. Even if only in a minor way, this book clearly qualifies as such a comprehensive classic.

The earliest mention of the book is in the compilation, of about 1366, Chuogenglu (Records after Having Ceased to Plough) edited by Tao Zongyi (?~1396) in the Qipu Tiao (Entries for Go Manuals). This type of book is private historiography, classed as biji in Chinese and supremely valuable for social history. Tao, from modern Zhejiang, together with another scholar who repeatedly refused to take official posts, was also responsible for the valuable compendium Shuofu (The Outskirts of What Men Talk About) which also contains old go texts. In the Qing era, Zhang Jinyun transferred the text from the Chuogenglu and put it in the Yuan Shi Yiwen Zhibu (Notes on Records of Arts and Literature in the History of the Yuan), which he edited.

We therefore clearly have a text that inspired many scholars. It is odd that the Mongols conjured up terrifying images in Europe and Arabia and even now seem associated mostly with savagery, yet their Yuan dynasty in China was associated with much culture and refinement. Conceivably it was that dichotomy that fascinated Samuel Taylor. At any rate, his poem Xanadu contains other images that can well describe the intellectual and artistic vigour of the period. In particular, the phrase, “It was a miracle of rare device” superbly fits many of the problems here. I hope that, having examined them, the reader will also come to share the feeling described in Coleridge’s final couplet:

For he on honey-dew hath fed,
And drunk the milk of Paradise.

GATEWAY TO ALL MARVELS
The Texts

Yu Ji’s preface

Go is structured so that what is square represents heaven and what is round represents earth. It reflects the yin and yang principles of dynamic and static forces. It reflects the orderliness of the distribution of the heavenly bodies. It reflects the inner workings and the vicissitudes of winds and clouds. It reflects the rhythm of the life and death of spring and autumn. Its configurations reflect the shapes made by mountains and rivers. There is nothing it does not encompass in the rise and fall of the Way of the World, and in the waxing and waning of Man’s affairs. That those who have become proficient in go can protect others through benevolence, can act with righteousness, can order affairs with propriety and can understand through wisdom must be obvious once considered. Otherwise we must, as well, despise the other common accomplishments!

In the Tianli period (1329~30), I once served as an Attendant in Ordinary of Emperor Wen Zong [1], being a Reader in Waiting of the Hanlin Academy’s Hall of Literature [2]. This former emperor, in the intervals between his myriad affairs of government, enjoyed indulging in all sorts of accomplishments, and he ordered the Grand Preceptor to have noted go players serve at his side. He even graced me with his presence. He turned to me and said: "Long ago your relative Yu Yuan [3] once said to the Brilliant Emperor of the Song [4] that go is not a thing to be loved by those who rule men. Do you believe that?"

I respectfully said: "From ancient times, whenever the Sages have undertaken anything, they have ‘minutely investigated its significance until they have entered into its spirit, and thereby achieved the widest practical application in each case’ [5]. And there is no study without profit. Confucius accordingly said of go: ‘Even playing these games is better than being idle’ [6]. Mencius regarded go as an art and said that if one does not focus one’s mind on it and exert one’s will, one cannot master it [7]. Moreover, its methods of implementing procedures and its ways of assessing attack and defence are like the workings of the official orders and of the appointments and dismissals of the state, and like the rules for marshalling the ranks [8]. Playing and studying go is also an admonishment not to forget danger in times of peace."

The Emperor listened to these words earnestly. Eventually he instructed me to write an inscription on his go board. I therefore used the maxim: “Encompass the heavens and delineate the earth” [9]. It is now more than ten years since I requested leave from my appointment and exiled myself to Jiangnan [10] to grow old in the environs of Linchuan. When master go players briefly visit my house, I always reminisce with them as we touch on the old days.

Among this autumn’s guests, there was one who came from Luling [11], and he reported that a descendant of Chancellor Yuanxiangong [12] of the previous Song Dynasty, one Yan Tianzhang, and his townsman Yan Defu were both known for being excellent go players. In the intervals between playing go, each of them brought the go books his family had stored, the exemplary things which they had noticed with their own eyes and ears, whatever they had devised with their own minds and hands, the novelties heard, the unusual things seen, extraordinary stratagems and superior plans and those ingenuities that had been able to resolve danger and secure victory. They then compiled diagrams to record them. They classified them according to the types of position, and described them using various names. They also pointed out the brilliant moves and important points of the patterns. The precepts they produced were explained in great clarity, and it truly was a major and comprehensive accomplishment [13] of a go manual. They had catalpa blocks made in order to publish it, and called it the Xuanxuan Ji (Mystery upon Mystery Collection) [14].

Now, being proficient in the mysteries of the study of go can be likened to Lao Zi’s “Gateway to all Marvels” [15] or Yang Xiong’s “Measure of the Great Changes” [16]. Moreover, as to go’s being an art, the depth of its fluctuating variations cannot be fathomed. Thus it is a skill of both divine celestials such as Lao Zi and great men such as Mencius, of those magically skilled and those rich in experience. Because it requires deep understanding, those who have been able to write about it are rare.

Only Ban Gu and Ma Rong of the Han dynasty have successfully given eloquence to its affairs. Zhang Yue and Li Mi of the Tang Dynasty were good at discussing the theory of go. Their level is now unattainable by others. In modern times, although there have been many discussions of go theory, few have achieved the wonders of go classics. But now the two gentlemen Yan Tianzhang and Yan Defu have been able to understand the secrets of all the masters and have produced the book of a lifetime. As to the initial intention for which in olden times the sages invented go, surely their intention was thereby to probe deeply into causes. They would not be addicted to the details of trifling skills. Long ago, did not Lu Jiuyuan, the master of Xiangshan, while watching a game of go, say: “The Yellow River Diagram and Luo Record truly lie therein.” [17]. Yao and Shun’s invention surely did not happen by chance! Some people regard go as a “perverse and unreasonable skill” [18] but this misunderstands the Way of Go.

Discerning this, I wish therefore to clarify that the wonderfulness of the dynamic and static forces of yin and yang and of the square and round natures of Earth and Heaven can be understood by means of the principles of go. The key to “minutely investigating the significance of a thing and entering into its spirit” also lies in viewing the game of go. Publication of this book will surely be beneficial. [19]

7th year of the Zhizheng period {1347}, Year of the Boar, Autumn, 9th month, first day of the lunar month [20]

Preface by Yu Ji, the old man of Shao Hut

[Notes on Yu Ji’s preface]

This preface, by the eminent scholar Yu Ji, is esteemed highly enough for at least one scholar to have claimed that it is what made the Xuanxuan Qijing famous. Yu Ji had the courtesy name Bosheng, and pen-name Daoyuan. He signs himself here as the Old Man of Shao Hut, his retirement name. The son of Yu Ji (different characters), he was from Renshou District, which is nowadays the southern part of Chengdu District in Sichuan Province. They both lived in Chongren, a district south-west of Linchuan. This was a district in Jiangxi Province, on the outskirts of Fuzhou City. The father was a Hanlin Academician, and his son was gifted too, being able to read and write at the age of three. Yu Ji the son was said to have had two study rooms. On the wall of one was written a poem by Tao Yuanming (365~427) of Jiangxi, and on the wall of the other was a poem by Shao Yaofu (1011~1077). From this comes the name Shao Hut. He also used the penname Woodcutter of Qingcheng Mountain. Qingcheng was a small town north-west of Chengdu, and Qingcheng mountain was a cradle of Daoism.

The Yuan (Mongol) dynasty spanned 1271~1368. Tugh Temur, who reigned twice from 1328 to his death in 1332, was probably the most erudite of all Yuan emperors and so was given the epithet of Wen Zong (Literary Ancestor) when he died.

The Hall of Literature was created in 1329 as a group of Academicians attending the Emperor. The rank of Attendant Academicians is unclear but they were charged with tutoring the ruler in the Confucian classics and Chinese history.

Yu Yuan was also known by the courtesy name Shigong and he was Prefect of Jin’an.

Kurumi Masami says this is the Northern Song Emperor Hui Zong (1082~1135), who is associated with the Carefree & Innocent Pastime Collection, though this appellation usually refers to the Liu Song emperor Mingdi (r. 465~472). Kurumi (1869~1940), writing as Hoen Koji (Private scholar of the square and round) in Kido from 1924, was the earliest Japanese writer on the Xuanxuan Qijing. He had, after years of fruitless waiting, acquired a handwritten copy. He said he thought it was on Korean paper but was sure it had been written by a Chinese, and he thought it might have been used by someone practising calligraphy. He mentions also the Kawakita Meihei version, apparently the first one known to him in Japan. It was published in 1753, though was a reworking of the Kan’ei (1622~44) edition. Kawakita’s version was called Gengen Gokyo Rigensho (The Xuanxuan Qijing through Maxims) which became notorious for its difficulty and for misreading the character ‘head’ for ‘neck’ in the position known as ‘Pressing the Divine Head’, a much perpetuated error (though easily done when working with handwritten forms). Kurumi says that, according to Kawakita, the Xuanxuan Qijing he used started with this preface by Yu Ji and had the Go Classic in Thirteen Chapters and Go Secrets in 11 chapters, with 71 josekis, 9 games, 16 nakade positions and 162 problems. Kurumi’s Chinese edition had, instead, the Go Manual in Thirteen Chapters and the Go Secrets in 4 chapters, but there was some odd repetition.

Book of Changes, Great Appendix, Section II, Chapter 5. This phrase is the origin of the reference to 9-dan as achieving divinity.

Analects, Book 17, Yang Huo, Chapter 22.

Book of Mencius, Gao Zi, Book VI, Part A, Chapter 9. Mencius actually said go was a “small art”, and there have been plenty of people who deny that he and Confucius were praising go (or, indeed, that they were referring to go at all).

This is a reference to the basic dichotomy in Chinese government: the civil and the military. There have, however, been surprisingly few references to go in military terms.

This phrase is obviously meant to sum up what he has just said, but there are different version of it. A variant is ‘heaven, earth, moving, static’; but as moving symbolises controlling victory and static symbolises maintaining virtue, it amounts to the same thing.

Jiangnan is now part of Jiangxi. The reference to exile was formulaic and was used by people of long service who hoped by retiring early to avoid blame that would inevitably accrue if they served too long.

Luling is now in Ji’an District, south west of Nanchang in Jiangxi province.

Yuanxiangong is a posthumous title. Here it refers to the Northern Song Chancellor (or Grand Councillor) Yan Shu (991~1055). He was a famous scholar and served under the Emperor Ren Zong. His courtesy name was Shuzu. The character for ‘descendant’ here is normally used for ‘grandson’ which has misled some writers who have gone on to concoct claims that the work is spurious in some way. But the usage as ‘descendant’ is also well attested. In this case Yan Tianzhang is the 5th generation descendant. The two concurrent Yans here, Tianzhang and Defu, actually have different characters for their surnames in Chinese, and so are obviously not related.

‘Great accomplishment’ refers to a phrase in Mencius, Wanzhang chapter, Part 2, Para 6, relating to a “great” compilation, that is with nothing missing, by Confucius, compared with minor ones by others.

We see here that the original title was not quite the same as the one we now use. The addition of jing is clearly respectful and can safely be rendered as ‘classic’. The original sense was ‘warp’, or vertical threads on a loom, which denoted something of fundamental importance. Later, minor books which merely leant on or commented on this were seen as comprising the weft. The GTAM much later, but for quite a long time, also had different characters in the title because of a taboo on using the duplicated initial character as it was part of the name of the Qing Emperor Kangxi.

Lao Zi’s Daode Jing, Chapter 1: “The mystery of the mysterious is the gateway to all marvels”.

From the Tai Xuan Jing. Yang believed the “mysterious” (xuan) was the source of all things.

Lu Jiuyuan (1139~92) was a noted philosopher of the Southern Song. He once said: “The universe lies in my mind” and “All things are complete within me.” He advocated subjective idealism. When young, he went to the town of Lin’an where there was some sort of go club. He watched the play intently. It went on day after day and he watched day after day, which prompted the proprietor to approach him and say that, as he gave the air of being able to play well, could the young sir give him a lesson. Xiangshan said he did not know how to play yet, but he came back after three days and bought a go board (it would have probably been of cloth; or maybe it was a go diagram on paper) and hung it up in his room, gazing at it as he reclined. After two days he was suddenly enlightened: he saw in it the numbers of the Luo River diagram. So he called on the go-club owner again and played him twice, alternating first move. Liu, the Master of Xiangshan, won both times. The owner became worried. He said he was the best player in Lin’an and gave first move to everyone, but Xiangshan had come along and given him first move. There must be no-one to match Xiangshan, he said. Xiangshan said nothing but just laughed and went away. A fanciful tale, but the Luo and Yellow River diagrams, famous from ancient times, were magic squares which were usually drawn not with numbers but with groups of black and white circles (i.e. like go stones). Incidentally, star diagrams used similar symbols and that no doubt explains many cosmic references in go, such as in the problems here.

The Vertical and Horizontal originally contrasted the diplomatic approaches of those who advocated a federation of six states in an alliance against Qin against those who believed in a unison of all the states under Qin in the Warring Kingdoms period. But the phrase acquired a connotation of political skulduggery and thus of deceit and gambling (there was a form of Chinese chess, ‘Chess of the Six Kingdoms’, based on it).

There are variant texts here, but they all amount to signifying that either: Yu Ji would like to encourage transmission of this book, however little he can help; or, the above is why this book should be transmitted to later generations – nothing more needs be said.

Publication of the book is sometimes given as 1349. That seems to be based on the two prefaces given next.

The full book also includes Ouyang Xuan’s Preface, Yan Tianzhang’s Preface, Go Classic in Thirteen Chapters, Origin of Go, Essence of Go, Go Rhapsody, Go Secrets, and Heaven and Earth Encompass All.

GATEWAY TO ALL MARVELS
The Problems

Key techniques

There are several recurring techniques in the GTAM problems – indeed in all problems – that have well-known names. Famous examples are ‘under-the-stones’ and the ‘tombstone tesuji’. But there are very many that have no name. That is a big handicap for us. I have therefore – usually inspired by the titling in the GTAM – invented a few names of my own for those that occur here. Such names help us fix the sequences in our heads, and also enable me to devise a thematic index. To help with the fixing and to identify which techniques are indexed, in the text of the Solutions part these words are shown in bold. Words that are already standard are assumed to be known, though I may give an English/Japanese reference, e.g. ‘connect-and-die’ (oi otoshi)' on first encounter.

I have prefaced the solutions to each of the problems with a list of the ‘key techniques’ used successfully in at least one of the diagrams for that solution. When you turn to a solution, I suggest you run your eye through the techniques listed (if any). If you see any that did not turn up in your proposed solution, you may take that as a broad hint to think again! One of the major faults we amateurs have in doing go problems is to find one main line but to ignore all the wrinkles. Yet it is often the wrinkles that matter most, as these are the ways we can best adapt a known problem to a new environment. This is, after all, the gateway to ALL marvels.

Alternatively, if you gave up on finding a solution, you can treat this list of key techniques as a further clue and go back and try again.

What is meant by a key technique here is usually a recognisable combination or dual-purpose move that recurs frequently. Here, therefore, an atari is not a technique, but a ladder is, because it involves many ataris. A snapback is not, but a double snapback is.

More controversially, I have decided that a nakade move is not and a hane is not, but a hane + nakade is. I regard both as just too common-place to be used as a category, but a combination of them seems worth noting.

An example of a dual-purpose move is the (to my amazement) previously unidentified elbow lock, which is extremely common here and well worth pointing up.

As you will infer, I regard usefulness – mainly to myself, I must admit – as much more important than cleaving to a rigid definition, I have therefore also extended the listed techniques to include recognisable, recurring situations such as ‘L-group’ or ‘symmetry’ or ‘seki’, and I thought it prudent to add ‘puzzle’, as a few problems may puzzle you until you realise they are really puzzles!

There is another change to normal practice I have made, which was originally made in consideration of the special nature of the Kindle, but I then realised it was probably useful in its own right. It is normal practice, when giving variation diagrams, to show plain stones for the position reached thus far and to resume numbering of further moves at 1. I have instead usually chosen to show all variations from the very first move. My thinking (as yet untested) is that key techniques in go-problem solving are best learned as continuosly flowing combinations rather than as a jerky series of apparently unconnected moves.

On the whole the problems in this collection are on the hard side. As you will see, even pros will sometimes differ hugely as to the best lines, and quite a few more can be classed as ‘amateur superdan’ level. However, I have made a big effort to present as many lines as possible in the solutions, often even trivial ones, so that even kyu players can enjoy seeing how such problems work. This is also another reminder that you have never truly solved a problem unless you have ironed out ALL those wrinkles.

In several cases there are variants of problems that use the same name, yet they are different enough, in starting shape or solution, to be worth presenting separately. The way I have handled these rather frequent occurrences is to give each problem as a separate one and to list them as Name (1), Name (2) etc. In these cases, one version is often much easier than another, and so I have pointed that out, should you prefer to try the easier one first. In cases where variants exist but they are essentially the same – this is often a case of the first couple of moves of a solution being incorporated as part of the problem being set – I just select one version and remark on the existence of a variant in the solution. Generally I choose the hardest or longest version for solving in these cases.

List of problems

1. Achieving enlightenment

2. Ambush on all sides

3. Army with its back to the river

4. Attracting the dragon out of the water

5. Auspicious

6. Auspicious cloud betokens a lucky omen

7. Autumn cicada drinks the dew

8. Barbarians from the four corners of the earth will come to the King

9. Bat

10. Battered rain hat

11. Battle of strength

12. Battle of wits

13. Be flexible

14. Beautiful maiden climbs the tower

15. Beautifully managed

16. Bequeathing gold

17. Beyond doubt

18. Beyond price

19. Big screen

20. Black dragon clasping its pearl

21. Black dragon’s chin

22. Black to play, White dies

23. Boar’s snout

24. Boar’s tusks

25. Boarding a boat and reciting poetry

26. Bright moon upon moon

27. Bright pearl emerging from the sea

28. Brilliant Emperor wandering in the Palace of the Moon

29. Broken screen

30. Bronze-bird Pavilion awaited the full glory of their Spring

31. Building an altar of earth

32. Bull fight

33. By instinct (1)

34. By instinct (2)

35. Caged silver pheasant

36. Calling a boat from the other bank

37. Cao Cao defends Guandu

38. Capture and release at Lu River

39. Capturing a kylin

40. Carpenter’s square

41. Carrying thorns

42. Catch the snake by flipping it over

43. Chasing the deer

44. Chu and Han fight for supremacy

45. Cinnabar well

46. Clear and yonder

47. Clear though far, two jade discs

48. Clouds of ingenuity

49. Clouds rise and the sky becomes red (1)

50. Clouds rise and the sky becomes red (2)

51. Cluster of pearls (1)

52. Cluster of pearls (2)

53. Coiled-up snake

54. Cold ashes warmed up

55. Commander of the Right admires the geese

56. Complete either way

57. Consecration hill

58. Conspiracy by the eight men of talent

59. Cooked goose

60. Corvus

61. Crane’s cries rout the army

62. Crossing the bridge

63. Crows striking at a phoenix

64. Daoist adept on Mount Taiyi (1)

65. Daoist adept on Mount Taiyi (12)

66. Dead ox restored to life

67. Death of an old Buddhist monk (1)

68. Death of an old Buddhist monk (2)

69. Deep lie the workings (1)

70. Deep lie the workings (2)

71. Deep plan

72. Deep pool

73. Defeating the enemy

74. Depths within depths

75. Depths within further depths

76. Determining victory one thousand miles away

77. Devising strategy determines victory (1)

78. Devising strategy determines victory (2)

79. Discoursing on the military arts

80. Divine workings

81. Dog’s fang

82. Dongfang Shuo steals the peaches

83. Double metamorphosis

84. Dragon at bay

85. Dragon returns to Grotto Land

86. Dragon ridge

87. Dragon’s tooth

88. Each finds its proper place

89. Eagle grasping at a flock of herons

90. Eating without swallowing

91. Eight dragons ascending to heaven

92. Eight dragons oozing perspiration

93. Eight fine horses

94. Eight generals leave the camp

95. Eight Immortals

96. Eight Immortals cross the sea (1)

97. Eight Immortals cross the sea (2)

98. Eight immortals exhale at length

99. Eight martyrs

100. Eight philosophers get drunk in the Land of Peach Blossoms

101. Eight princes galloping along on horseback

102. Eight sages capture the evil goblins

103. Elephant’s tusk

104. Eleven Planetary Bodies

105. Encouraging the worthy

106. Enough to confuse an immortal

107. Entering into the spirit-like

108. Entering into the spirit-like with marvellous thoughts

109. Entering the lair to beard the tiger

110. Entering the realms of the sublime

111. Eternal life without growing old

112. Even at its source the current causes the rolling of the waves

113. Expounding to one’s lord

114. Exquisite skill (1)

115. Exquisite skill (2)

116. Face to face though a thousand miles apart

117. Fan Kuai enters Hongmen

118. Fancy phoenix pirouettes (1)

119. Fancy phoenix pirouettes (2)

120. Fathomless divine workings (1)

121. Fathomless divine workings (2)

122. Feigned surrender

123. Fierce tiger enters the forest

124. Fierce tiger heads for the forest

125. Fierce tiger scatters the goats

126. Finding a brilliancy (1)

127. Finding a brilliancy (2)

128. Finest subtlety (1)

129. Finest subtlety (2)

130. Fish returns to the cave

131. Five barbarian tribes submit

132. Five dragons at leisure

133. Five dragons emerge from the river

134. Five dragons shake their tails

135. Five generals battle with spears

136. Five generals lose their way

137. Five generals suffer capture

138. Five horses

139. Five immortals

140. Five Luminous Bodies

141. Five Mountains

142. Five spirits serving at the court of the Primeval One

143. Five strong men of Shu

144. Five tigers enter the mountain

145. Five tigers in a stockade (1)

146. Five tigers in a stockade (2)

147. Five willows greet Spring

148. Flood dragon playing with pearls

149. Flood dragon produces rain

150. Flying fish

151. Four drops falling

152. Four generals returning to camp

153. Four grey-headed old men (1)

154. Four grey-headed old men (2)

155. Four grey-headed old men (3)

156. Four greyheads come down from the mountain

157. Four Martial Leaders

158. Four monks in deep meditation

159. Four old men leave the mountain

160. Four old men return to the mountain

161. Four old men who retired to Mount Shang

162. Four sages worshipping Lao Zi (1)

163. Four sages worshipping Lao Zi (2)

164. Four spirits and eight luckies

165. Gall-bladder vase (1)

166. Gall-bladder vase (2)

167. Gao Zu at Yingyang (1)

168. Gao Zu at Yingyang (2)

169. Gao Zu at Yingyang (3)

170. Gao Zu at Yingyang (4)

171. Gao Zu breaks the siege of Yingyang

172. Gao Zu hemmed in at Yingyang

173. Gao Zu kills a snake

174. Gathering firewood

175. General and his army emerging from their stronghold (1)

176. General and his army emerging from their stronghold (2)

177. Getting better and better

178. Give that, take this

179. Giving forth an unorthodox plan

180. Gold and cinnabar

181. Gold hook

182. Golden carriage

183. Golden cicada casting off its shell

184. Golden fish pawned for wine

185. Goshawk

186. Goshawk seizes a rabbit

187. Great ingenuity

188. Great Monad’s lotus boat

189. Great net of iron

190. Great whirlwind

191. Green knoll

192. Green Pearl falls from the tower

193. Half-opened plum blossom

194. Han Xin taking the three fiefdoms of Qin (1)

195. Han Xin taking the three fiefdoms of Qin (2)

196. Harvest moon reflected in Lake Dongting

197. Heading straight for the capital of Wei

198. Hibiscus

199. Hidden dragon

200. Hidden in a mountain valley (1)

201. Hidden in a mountain valley (2)

202. Hooked dagger is released

203. Imperial parasol

204. Impressive

205. Ingenious and far seeing (1)

206. Ingenious and far seeing (2)

207. Ingenious victory

208. Interlocking rings

209. Investigating the finer points

210. Iron casket

211. Iron ingot

212. Jade casket concealing pearls

213. Jade dragon tosses and turns

214. Jade hare

215. Jade hook (1)

216. Jade hook (2)

217. Jade polishing a sword

218. Jade well

219. Jia Xuan’s seven moves

220. Jing Shan Jade

221. Juniper tree

222. Keyong returns to the Tang

223. Killing a snake

224. King Mu travelling everywhere

225. King of Qin struggles with his sword

226. Kingfisher

227. Lament of the Five Sons

228. Lao Zi returns to life

229. Large boar’s snout

230. Large eternal life

231. Large hook (1)

232. Large hook (2)

233. Large lyre

234. Layer upon layer

235. Leave behind the three and embrace the one

236. Left and right meet at the source

237. Li Bai embracing the moon

238. Li Zhu

239. Liu and Ruan enter the Land of Peach Blossoms

240. Liu Zhongfu’s position

241. Long rainbow

242. Long rainbow sups the water

243. Long snake

244. Lotus flower blooming in a fire (1)

245. Lotus flower blooming in a fire (2)

246. Magical (1)

247. Magical (2)

248. Magical and profound

249. Magpie twittering on a branch

250. Making a surprise raid on the enemy’s stockade

251. Manifold southern barbarians submit and are civilised

252. Map unrolled, the dagger appears

253. Martial Lord captures Meng Hou

254. Marvellous stratagems without limit

255. Matching each other in strength

256. Matching jades

257. Meeting the Eight Immortals (1)

258. Meeting the Eight Immortals (2)

259. Meritorious service on the frontier no more

260. Milky Way

261. Mingled threads on an embroiderer’s loom

262. Miraculous escape

263. Miraculous transformation into the natural state

264. Mirror stand (1)

265. Mirror stand (2)

266. Moon falls on the isolated city

267. Moon’s shining halo

268. Morning rainbow turns to rain

269. Most auspicious

270. Moth darting into a flame

271. Mother of seven sons

272. Mysterious and wonderful

273. Mysterious are the workings (1)

274. Mysterious are the workings (2)

275. Nameless

276. New cicada comes out of its shell

277. Nine bends of the Yellow River

278. Nine Old Men

279. Nine old men, leisurely and carefree (1)

280. Nine old men, leisurely and carefree (2)

281. Nine old men sitting in a hut

282. Nine out of ten moves will not be correct

283. Nine sons destroying evil

284. No success despite two armies

285. Old hermit refining pills of immortality

286. Old man at the frontier who lost his mare

287. One general renders meritorious service

288. One man at the pass

289. Palm up gathering the clouds, palm down producing rain

290. Passing an examination

291. Pawning the zither to buy wine

292. Pearl neck-tassels

293. Pearl screen

294. Phoenix wing

295. Phoenix’s single wing

296. Piercing a rock

297. Pines and chrysanthemums keep their scent

298. Playful fish caught upon a hook (1)

299. Playful fish caught upon a hook (2)

300. Playful fish flirts with the net

301. Playful fish in a cooking pot

302. Playful fish inside the net

303. Playing with a peach

304. Plotting evil to overthrow Qin

305. Precious gem cut like a dragon

306. Precious pearl

307. Precious phoenix

308. Profound workings

309. Profound workings and far-reaching variations

310. Raising an alms bowl

311. Rallying at Jade Pass

312. Reaching the depths

313. Reaching the highway via the pass

314. Rearing a tiger

315. Red dice

316. Red-crested crane

317. Releasing the interlocked rings

318. Repetitively recherché

319. Resolute plan

320. Rotted axe-handle

321. Royal tomb

322. Scholar’s ornament

323. Screen cut in half

324. Sealed in a chest with metal chains

325. Secret military teachings

326. Seeking the tiger’s lair

327. Seizing a lance

328. Seizing the chariot pole-shaft

329. Seven Sages

330. Seven stars

331. Shen Kuai cut off his arm

332. Shi Qiu admonishes with his corpse

333. Shooting geese across the vast sky

334. Shooting sparrows with gold pellets

335. Side screen (1)

336. Side screen (2)

337. Singing cricket sheds its shell

338. Single sword straight to the heart

339. Single well

340. Six chiefs

341. Six Daoist priests meet with disaster

342. Six Dings

343. Six dragons driving through the sky

344. Six dynasties merge into one

345. Six fishhawks flying backwards

346. Six horsemen break through the encirclement

347. Six Jias

348. Six men in ambush

349. Six noble men serving at the same court

350. Six states return to Qin

351. Six states submit and restore allegiance to Zhou

352. Six times going out to Mount Qi

353. Six wonderful stratagems

354. Skilful connection on the edge

355. Small boar’s snout

356. Small eternal life

357. Small lyre

358. Small net of iron

359. Small subtleties

360. Small workings but deep

361. Snake turning into dragon

362. Sneaking past the customs barrier

363. Soaring through the air

364. Solve right to the end

365. Spider’s web spinning round the corner

366. Splitting bamboo

367. Splitting open as it meets the knife

368. Spontaneity

369. Spring billows

370. Spring comes to the withered tree

371. Standing alone at court

372. Su Wu returns to court

373. Sun and moon wax and wane

374. Sun Bin feigns death

375. Sun Bin seizes Pang Juan

376. Sun Bin traps Pang Juan

377. Sun’s corona

378. Surprise attack on the enemy camp

379. Surrounded at all four gates

380. Taking first prize

381. Ten generals leave the camp

382. Ten princes gallop as if flying

383. Ten princes galloping along on horseback

384. The waters subsided and the cliffs emerged

385. Thinking of the mysteries

386. Thoughts can fly a thousand miles

387. Thousand pieces of gold for the taking

388. Thousand-storeyed precious pagoda

389. Three generals fall down drunk

390. Three immortals emerging from a cave

391. Three immortals exhaling at length

392. Three in the morning, four in the evening

393. Three joys

394. Three lives

395. Three ministers and two peaches

396. Three old men inside a mountain

397. Three stars presaging lucky omens

398. Three Terraces support the Dipper

399. Three tigers emerging from a gorge (1)

400. Three tigers emerging from a gorge (2)

401. Tian Heng cuts his own throat

402. Tian Wen crosses the pass (1)

403. Tian Wen crosses the pass (2)

404. Tiger’s teeth

405. Tinted clouds

406. Title missing

407. Trapped tiger

408. Trapped tiger escaping from a pitfall

409. True or false vessel

410. Turtle

411. Turtle’s tail

412. Two ataris leave White helpless

413. Two boys entering a cave

414. Two eagles

415. Two generals break out of their encirclement

416. Two hermits leave the cave

417. Two peaches and three ministers

418. Two rivals fight each other

419. Two scholars in the Land of Peach Blossoms

420. Two sons sharing sorrows

421. Two sons striving for merit (1)

422. Two sons striving for merit (2)

423. Two throw-ins

424. Two virtues, and three

425. Two wings of a phoenix (1)

426. Two wings of a phoenix (2)

427. Unorthodox tactics

428. Using spies

429. Wang Ling scouts the enemy camp

430. Wang Qiao seeks the immortals

431. Wang Zhaojun is taken by the Xiongnu

432. Wang Zhi encounters the immortals

433. Water-chestnut leaves poking through the duckweed

434. Weakness within

435. Well versed in subtleties

436. Well versed in the abstruse (1)

437. Well versed in the abstruse (2)

438. Well versed in the occult (1)

439. Well versed in the occult (2)

440. Wen Chang constellation (1)

441. Wen Chang constellation (2)

442. When facing danger, look for opportunities

443. Whirlwind

444. White hen embracing her eggs

445. White to play and seek life

446. Wide-ranging workings

447. Wild apes cross the river

448. Wild fox hit by an arrow

449. Wild geese resting on a sandbank

450. Willow trees by the roadside are garlanded with Spring

451. Winding stream

452. Winning without bloodied blades

453. Withered tree flourishes again

454. Withered tree puts forth blooms

455. Wonderful calculation

456. Wondrous dragon sheds its bones

457. Workings of the immortals

458. Wrestling throw (1)

459. Wrestling throw (2)

460. Xiang Yu lifts the cauldron

461. Xiangru returns the jade

462. Xiliu encampment

463. Xuan Nü polishes her mirror

464. Yellow crane

465. Yurt

466. Zifang returns to the mountains

Problem 1
登眞
Achieving enlightenment

White to play

Achieving enlightenment, or accessing the truth, in this case refers to becoming a Daoist immortal, not to Zen. References to immortals tend to imply a rather hard problem.

Solution to Problem 1

Key techniques: Corner eye; under-the-stones

Diagram 1a

Ko is correct. This particular technique, exploiting the two 2–1 points, is one to remember.

Diagram 1b-1

This Black 4 lets White live through an under-the-stones play – unless of course he shifts Black 8 to 12 and lets White live with a corner eye by playing at 8. The often overlooked corner eye, that is using the 1–1 point for an eye, appears several times in this collection.

The following Diagram, 1b-2, will show the final decisive cut. This particular type of under-the-stones (ishi-no-shita) play, where you create an outside cutting point, is by far the commonest, but do note that there is actually another type where you make a placement inside. You should learn to spot the two white stones at the top as a common trigger for making the zigzag shape that defines this tesuji.

Diagram 1b-2

The sequel. Cut!

Problem 2
十面埋伏
Ambush on all sides

White to play

The title refers to an incident in which General Han Xin surrounded the opposing general Xiang Yu (both of whom we shall meet later – they had a famous rivalry around 200 BC) at Nine Mile Mountain in Shandong Province, using a plan to ambush him on all sides. It was also the name of a popular melody in Yuan times. So it was a pop song when GTAM was being put together! Who said go doesn’t rock?

This problem is rated as suitable for high dans.

Solution to Problem 2

Key techniques: Hane + nakade; three-is-one

Diagram 2a

White kills Black with the rather standard hane + nakade technique. Here the hane is admittedly not a pure hane, but the effect is the same – reducing the opponent’s potential eye space on the crucial edge before playing the nakade, the ‘move inside’ into one of the standard bulky eye shapes.

But, as the variations will show, White has to choose the right hane.

Diagram 2b

Another unsuccessful variation for Black 4. White 9 can also just be at 11, Black connects, White A.

Diagram 2c

Solutions 2c to 2f show failures by White.

In this case, note how important it is to reduce eye space on the edge first. The wrong approach allows Black the characteristic three-is-one manoeuvre 10, which is most associated with the door group. Ths shape might perhaps be seen as a stable door.

The three-is-one tesuji refers to the shape as here where capturing three stones on the edge is worth one eye, notwithstanding any throw-in by the opponent.

Diagram 2d

Failure by White. He has to play the right hane.

Diagram 2e

Again failure by White. Two wrongs don’t make a right.

Diagram 2f

Failure by White even when he starts the right way.

Diagram 2g

A variation of the correct line in which White kills.

Problem 3
背水陣
Army with its back to the river

White to play

The title reference is to the Battle of Jingxing in 205 BC in which Han Xin (again), then a still underestimated commander, was fighting the state of Zhao with a much smaller force. He had some of his men cross a river and dig defensive trenches so that their backs were to the river. With nowhere to run, he knew they would fight desperately, despite their inferior numbers. He was right, and along with other astute manoeuvres, this proved decisive in the battle.

Solution to Problem 3

Key techniques: None

Diagram 3a
10: connects

Desperate action by the surrounded White army leads to a ko. The throw-in at 7 is a distinctive part of the solution. The initial empty triangle move 1 could be viewed as digging a trench. Note that Black is forced into the ko at the end because of shortage of liberties.

Diagram 3b

A ko of a different stamp when Black varies with 12. The throw-in 15 is a special move.

Diagram 3c

A variation for the Black 20 of Diagram 3a: there is no ko but White gets to run away.

Problem 4
引龍出水
Attracting the dragon out of the water

Also known as ‘Butterfly flitting round the garden’ or 蝴蝶遶園

White to play

The dragon is associated with rain in China, rather than with St George and maidens in distress. The image conveyed here is the mists rising then the rains falling.

Go Seigen, however, calls this ‘Butterfly flitting round the garden’ and the allusion then is to Zhuang Zi’s famous dream that he was a butterfly flitting about. It did not know it was Zhuang Zi, who then suddenly awoke, unsure whether he was himself and really awake, or whether he was the butterfly who was now dreaming it was Zhuang Zi.

In this kind of problem, which is an artificial ladder puzzle, you likewise need to suspend rationality a little. Assume White’s task is to try his utmost to kill the black stones in the lower left. You will also meet the butterfly dilemma when you come to the solution. Does White really kill Black?

Solution to Problem 4

Key techniques: Puzzle; ladder; under-the-stones; elbow lock

Diagram 4a-1
5 at 3; 7 at 1; 9 at

Diagram 4a-1, and next Diagram 4a-2, where Black lives through the threat of an under-the-stones life and a ladder, show the traditional solution, and a quite brilliant conception. However, it is flawed. It is a pleasant dream but Black is not really alive. I’m not sure who first pointed this out – it seems it may have been Go Seigen. For this see Diagram 4b.

White’s throw-in at 5 can be considered a variation of a very common technique called an elbow lock, to be explained more later on.

Diagram 4a-2

Black lives (traditionally). Black 42 is the critical move. You just have to take White’s reply on faith as it’s a puzzle.

Diagram 4b

Time to wake up. This new White 31 is the key. White ends up trapping Black with one eye but to finish off the job he needs to ensure his own corner group is alive, which it is because he has miai alternatives – a choice of connecting at A or making two eyes at B. Black’s ladder thus becomes irrelevant.

Problem 5
吉祥
Auspicious

The Zhaixingpu (a Qing-dynasty manual) calls this ‘Pincer attack in two directions’ or 橫衝夾擊

White to play

Dan level.

Cross-referenced by Problem 269.

Solution to Problem 5

Key techniques: Connect-and-die

Diagram 5a

White kills with what you can either regard as a snapback or the simplest version of the connect-and-die procedure. That is, if you connect, all your stones die. In more spectacular cases it is rather like dominoes falling. In practical play, you can often abandon the tail of a string of susceptible stones to save the main body. Here it is all or nothing. Black can delay the end a little by capturing at A instead of Black 8, but White throws in at 7 and it comes to the same thing.

Some editions include White 1 and Black 2 as part of the initial problem. It makes it easier, but perhaps the reason was simply to make it look even more like the little brother of the related problem ‘Most auspicious’ (Problem 269).

Diagram 5b

Diagrams 5b, 5c and 5d are various kinds of failures by White. Here Black lives unconditionally.

Diagram 5c
11 at 1

Failure by White – ko in this case.

Diagram 5d

Failure by White. Black lives with two eyes.

Problem 6
慶雲呈瑞
Auspicious cloud betokens a lucky omen

Black to play

Solution to Problem 6

Key techniques: Eye in the stomach; seki

Diagram 6a

White dies against Black 1. Black creates a nakade shape but what is special about this one is that if White tries to live in seki by creating as much inside space as possible, Black can eventually (when the outside liberties have been filled in) morph his shape into an eye in the stomach.

Diagram 6b

The order of moves is important. Black fails here. He can replace Black 5 of this diagram with 6, but White plays 5 and gets a seki, so he is alive.

Problem 7
秋蟬飲露
Autumn cicada drinks the dew

Black to play

There was an old belief that by drinking dew the cicada became an immortal. As already mentioned, the word ‘immortal’ implies difficulty, and this problem is indeed rated at dan level.

Solution to Problem 7

Key techniques: Double snapback

Diagram 7a

The mutant double snapback technique of this diagram is the basic solution. The order of White 2 and 4 can be transposed. Obviously in a real game White would omit 6 and capture the four consolation stones on the left.

Diagram 7b

Failure by Black. The technique he tries, an edge wrap-around, often does work in this collection, but not here.

Diagram 7c

Black 1 here also fails, because White answers at 2, but this little extra is not available in some versions of the problem which tidily put an extra white stone at A.

Problem 8
四夷來王
Barbarians from the four corners of the earth will come to the King

The Zhaixingpu has the slightly different title: 四夷賓服 (Barbarians from the four corners of the earth will come and submit).

White to play

The title is a reference to the ancient Chinese Book of History, under ‘The Counsels of the Great Yu’, in which Yu is advised: “Attend to things without idleness or neglect and from the four quarters the barbarians will come bearing tribute.”

The Chinese denotes all these tribes with the shorthand phrase ‘four barbarians’, which makes it slightly more obvious that the four black stones are meant.

For several highly debatable solutions – those barbarians took some taming – see the following pages.

Solution to Problem 8

Key techniques: Eye in the stomach; flower six

Diagram 8a

This is one of several problems where we have what might be called a professional dispute. But in this case, as the problem is labelled at around amateur 7-dan by Takagi Shoichi, it’s hard even to follow the dispute.

Diagram 8a is the traditional solution – Black dies – as exemplified by the Lin Tianduo edition. This ends in either a simple nakade or, if White is eventually obliged to cut off 8, a common corner version of the eye in the stomach nakade we saw in Problem 6. But there are a couple of variations on this…

Diagram 8b

Diagram 8b (where one assumes 6 and 8 are printed in the right order) is the move order favoured by Go Seigen for this aspect of the solution.

Diagram 8c
15 at 10

This is the version given in the Zhaixingpu. The text there says the hane (綽) 7 and the wedge (斡) 9 are correct whilst 15 (行, an interesting interpretation of nobi) rates a !! brilliancy marking. The significance of that move is that it creates either an eye in the stomach or, if Black tries to capture, the dead nakade shape that James Davies called ‘rabbity six’ (but I prefer the Japanese name, flower six, which may derive from one Chinese name, ‘flowery-pennant six’).

Diagram 8d

Kim In’s variation on this enigma.

Diagram 8e
10: connects

According to both Go Seigen and Takagi Shoichi, however, ko is the right answer. Even so, they differ on how. Diagram 8e is the right one according to Go.

Diagram 8f

Takagi gives this diagram as his first choice but only he points out there is more than one ko, and his second line is in the next diagram, Diagram 8g.

Diagram 8g

Takagi’s second ko line. There is an important variation of this, shown in the next diagram, which resolves by transposition more or less into Go Seigen’s ko.

Diagram 8h

Here, note that White 5 here must not be at A: Black can then live with 6, White B, Black 7.

Diagram 8i

This Diagram 8i refers back to Diagram 8f. Observe the rather difficult way of killing Black if he resists as shown here. White wins the capturing race.

Diagram 8j

Finally, for completeness, this diagram shows another unsuccessful initial response by Black which resolves into Kim In’s variation.

Problem 9
仙鼠
Bat

White to play

A graphic title? This could be seen as a single bat with wings outstretched, though some people see this image as white bats emerging from a cave. There was an old belief in China that white bats were those that had lived 1,000 years and if you could catch and eat one, you could also live to a great age.

Bats were also generally seen as lucky and are often shown in groups of five (like the black stones here) to represent the Five Blessings. The bat is also a symbol of cunning. This is from a folk tale in which a bat excused itself from a phoenix’s birthday party on the grounds it was not a bird, and later excused itself from a unicorn’s party on the grounds it was not a four-legged animal.

This is one of the problems that is not part of the main tradition, and crops up only in a few editions, because a more common variant ‘Sneaking past the customs barrier’ (Problem 362) exists.

Solution to Problem 9

Key techniques: Symmetry; corner eye; one eye beats no eye; caterpillar connection

Diagram 9a

Black dies because of suffocation, that is acute shortage of liberties. Interestingly, in terms of technique, this can be considered use of a corner eye based on the two 2–1 points or a case of the standard one eye beats no eye capturing race technique.

Obviously, here, if Black plays 6 at 7, White plays 6. Prior to that, if Black plays 2 at 7, White just connects at A since Black 2 then does not gain an eye (White hanes at 4 to set up a caterpillar connection, fairly common in this collection and so named because the eventual string of stones along the first line, sometimes quite long, resembles said insect).

Diagram 9b

White fails through being in too much of a hurry to exploit Black’s shortage of liberties – not yet critical – and has to make do with ko.

Problem 10
破笠
Battered rain hat

White to play

The title is taken to refer to part of the outfit of Ning Qi, in the time of Duke Xuan of Qi, in the seventh century BC. He wore a battered hat and a plain smock as an oxcart driver, but despite this unprepossessing appearance he came to the attention of the duke on an inspection tour when the duke heard him sing. Ning Qi would sing of an evening as he fed his ox, tapping out a rhythm with a stick on the ox’s horns. The duke was so impressed (presumably with the words of the song rather than the beat) he eventually made Ning Qi a minister.

Once you see the solution you may accept that there is indeed a graphical reference to a hat here. This is one of several problems that appear only in Korean editions.

Solution to Problem 10

Key techniques: Under-the-stones; seki

Diagram 10a
7 at 2; 9 at 2

Black dies because of an under-the-stones play. In this case the under-the-stones capture is followed by a play inside: a placement, rather than a cut. Presumably the empty shape after Black captures with 8 represents the hat, and White 9 puts a hole in it.

Diagram 10b

Failure by White; this is only seki.