Guiyang to Host 1st China Int'l Go Culture Gala

The first China International Go Culture Gala in 2001 will be held coming August in Guiyang, capital of Guizhou Province in southwest China.

Three events will come off at the same time, including Go Classic among players from China, Japan and ROK and contest by youth teams out of Int'l Women's Professional Go Competition and Qualification Trials.

Meanwhile, to spread Go games among common people, invitational tournament and Goodwill Match will be respectively held among Go funs and master Go players known to news media in China and abroad.

As is reported, the great occasion will be opened on the People's Square in Guiyang. Some thousand Go fans will turn up in time at this splendid gala.

The History and Design of Go Games:

It became known as a game in vogue over 3000 years ago in China where it was given the name, "Weiqi". Go then quickly spread as a popular game in other countries like Japan and on the Korean Peninsular.

Buddhist priests had visited China and took the game to Japan around 1,200 to 1,400 years ago. There, the game of Go reached its maximum potential.

A Go set has 180 white and 181 black stone pieces. Depending on the kind of set you purchase the thickness of the stones may vary. The thicker the stone is, the better it is. Stone is held between the tips of the index finger and middle finger throughout the game.

By PD Online Staff Yin Zhili

People's Daily Online --- http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/