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Qijing Shisanpian
    Keywords: Book

Ancient Chinese work, The Classic of Weiqi in Thirteen Chapters.

The website of the FIGG hosts a [ext] translation in English (PDF format).


This is really informative and elegant translation, though with few exception that I can't totally agree. So let me express some remark here in my broken English, and please correct me if I am wrong.

Chapter 12 was translated as

"There are nine mental levels into which players are distinguished. The first is called 'being in the spirit', the second 'seated in enlightenment', the third 'concreteness', the fourth 'understanding changes', the fifth 'applying wisdom', the sixth 'ability', the seventh 'strength', the eighth 'being quite inept', and the ninth and last 'being truly stupid'."

I don't think the eighth (zuo4 yu2 in Mandarin Chinese) and the ninth (sho3 juo2) should be translated into negative terms. These 9 levels are for good players, so it can't be inept nor stupid.

zuo4 yu2 means 'seemingly stupid' literally. sho3 juo2 means 'protect one's weakness' literally. These are not bad terms. I guess these 9 terms are all from some Taoism classics or other classics, but I am not sure their origin and implied meanings. Today zu4 shen2 juo4 jao4 (the first and second level) are still used to describe a person with great skill(not necessary skill of Go).

As far as I know originally the rank of Taiwanese go professional were actually these 9 levels instead of dan. And the Association of Korean Baduk use these 9 levels to describe dan players ([ext] http://www.baduk.or.kr/information/info_player_ko.asp). See the kanji in the parentheses (two characters for each level). I think the eighth level and ninth level which are used to describe Korean 2 dan and shodan respectively should not be translated as inept/stupid.



This is a copy of the living page "Qijing Shisanpian" at Sensei's Library.
(OC) 2003 the Authors, published under the OpenContent License V1.0.