Weiqi
Weiqi, called “yi” in ancient China, is a strategic board game between two players respectively using black and white game pieces. With a history of over 3,000 years, the game can be regarded as the originator of all ancient chess games.
History
According to ancient books, Weiqi was invented by the legendary Chinese emperor Yao and his counselor Shun. This attribution indicates the incredibly early time the game originated.
Numerous talented Weiqi players emerged in all dynasties and many emperors in ancient China were weiqi lovers, such as Emperor Taizu of Song Dynasty and Zhu Yuanzhang.
The Spreading
Weiqi was introduced to Korea between the 5th and 7th centuries BC, and was popular among the higher classes. The game reached Japan in the 7th century BC.