Weiqi Warriors

As Ying sat in history class, he thought about the games of Go he had played with Grandpa Jong on Sunday afternoon. His teacher, Mr. Soo, talked about Chinese Warlords and ancient land battles. He drew several maps on the chalkboard, showing the movement of foot soldiers marching across China.
“During the Age of the Three Kingdoms, three emperors ruled different parts of China. They were called the Shu, the Wei and the Wu Kingdoms. Their empires lasted over sixty years. Eventually, these great leaders were taken over. Does anyone know why?”
Several children raised their hands.
“They underestimated the enemy?” answered one student.
“That’s close,” said Mr. Soo.
“Then what happened to them?” asked Ying.
“The Wu and the Shu joined kingdoms and battled against the Wei. They fought with spears and swords. These battles were bloody and many men died in these battles. Many peasants who weren’t even fighting were forced from their homes.”
“Why were they forced from their homes?” asked Ying.
“Battles fought in one part of China greatly influenced the rest of the kingdom.”
That afternoon Ying went to Yum Cha. As he walked through the streets of Beijing, he thought about the Three Kingdoms. He also thought about playing Go.
“Hello Mr. Li. Can I have some tea with milk?”
“Coming right up, Master Ying.”
Ying retrieved the bowls holding the black and white stones from the shelf and set one on each side. He took turns placing one black stone and then a white stone, playing Go by himself.
“You don’t want to put that there,” said Bo, who had been watching Ying make each move, then study the board afterwards.
“Why not?”
“Because you’re concentrating on one part of the board and ignoring the rest.”
“Each battle fought on the board greatly influences the rest of the board,” said Ying.
“Where did you learn that?” asked Bo.
“Our teacher was talking about the Three Kingdoms.”
“That’s true, but no battle is so important that you ignore the rest of the battlefield,” said Mr. Li and he placed Ying’s tea with milk on the table.
Bo sat down in one of the chairs and played against Ying. Mr. Li watched Ying and acted as his coach. Even with Mr. Li’s help, Ying lost.
“It’s okay. The game of Go is not learned in one day, one week, or one year. It takes a lifetime to master.”
“Would you like to play again?” asked Ying.
“Of course,” said Bo. They collected their stones and began another game
“Not there,” said Mr. Li. “Remember the battle is not always important as the war.”
Ying sighed as he investigated the board. “If I put this black stone here, would that be better?”
“Now you’re getting it,” said Bo.
“Go takes great patience,” said Mr. Li as he carefully moved Ying’s stone into a new position. “If you put the black stone here, you have control over these four spaces over here.”
“And a lot of thinking,” said Ying.
“Did your history teacher talk about Guan Yu?”
“I think I remember the name, but I’m not sure.”
“Guan Yu was a great warrior during the Three Kingdoms. He understood that every troop movement was important.”
Ying and Bo continued playing as Mr. Li showed Ying how to place his stones to win the battles and the war. Ying studied each move Mr. Li made to the black stones. Ying placed the last stone and then counted his points. He had beaten Bo, but only with Mr. Li’s help.
“Let me try again,” said Ying.
“Let me get your mind off Go for awhile,” said Mr. Li. He led Ying to the back of the tea house. Just outside the back door there sat a bicycle with two seats.
“Where did you find it?”
“I took two separate bicycles and welded them together. Then I assembled the cranks and pedals with help from a friend who works at the bicycle store.”
“It’s beautiful.”
“It’s a surprise for your Grandfather’s birthday tomorrow,” said Mr. Li.
“Really?”
Mr. Li nodded. “It’s not quite ready. I need to adjust the steering. Would you like to help me take it for a test drive?”
Ying nodded. Everyone watched Ying and Mr. Li as they pedaled through the streets of Beijing. Mr. Li turned the handle bars and the front wheel wobbled slightly. He slowed the bike and got off.
“I think we’d better walk it back to the tea house,” said Mr. Li.
When they arrived at the tea house, Ying held the front tired between his legs and held the handle bars as Mr. Li used a monkey wrench to tighten them.
“That’s better,” said Mr. Li.
“Can we test drive it again?”
“Of course,” said Mr. Li.
They rode down the streets on the bicycle again. Mr. Li piloted the bicycle through the evening traffic as Ying rode behind him. Mr. Li made sure the handle bars were fastened tightly as he made each turn. They rode up a tall hill then raced down the other side, coasting the rest of the way to Yum Cha Tea House.
They put the bike away and entered the rear door of the tea house. Ying returned to the Go table, where Bo was playing Go with Grandpa Jong.
“What have you two been up to?” asked Grandpa Jong.
“Nothing,” answered Ying. Both Ying and Mr. Li’s face were flushed and red from the exercise.
“Can I play next?” asked Ying.
“Actually you can play for me right now. I have some work to finish up behind the counter,” said Bo.
Ying took Bo’s place and investigated the board. He was eager to play his grandfather now that he knew the secret of Go.
“Who’s turn?”
“It’s yours,” said Grandpa Jong. Mr. Li stood behind Grandpa Jong, watching Ying. Ying reached into his wooden bowl and pulled out a black stone. He carefully put it between two patches of stones on the board. As he looked up, Mr. Li shook his head.
Grandpa leaned his head in one hand, tapping his fingers against the side of his face. He was deep in thought. He picked up a white stone and placed it next to the black stone.
Ying frowned, then tucked his feet under his body as he adjusted his position in the chair. He tilted his head to one side and looked at the white stone next to his black stone. He immediately placed another black stone on the table, on the other side of the white stone. With each successive move, Mr. Li shook his head.
After the game was over, they counted their stones. Grandpa Jong won again. This time, Ying scored less than he had in every game on Sunday afternoon.
“What did I do wrong?”
“When you placed the black stone in the middle of the board, you left him alone. You paid too much attention to the war and not enough attention to the battles.”
“But you said...”
“I said no battle is so important that you ignore the rest of the battlefield. But the entire battlefield is not so important that you ignore each battle,” said Bo.
“Before it was called Go, it was called “Weiqi,” said Mr. Li.
“What does Weiqi mean?”
“Game of Surroundment. When you placed your black stone in the center, you ignored two larger islands of stones. You surrounded one stone, but you left many others open to attack.”
Weiqi is such a hard game,” sighed Ying.
“Like a general, you must concentrate on many things at once. They say Weiqi was invented by soldiers who used stones to represent warriors in battle,” said Mr. Li.
“I tried my best to concentrate,” said Ying.
“Would you send a soldier out to battle alone?” asked Mr. Li.
“No.”
“When you put that black stone in the center of the board, you sent him to battle alone. Your grandfather allowed you to surround one of his pieces. Most players would have secured one of the islands of stones while you were worried about the empty center.”
“I see what you are saying now.”
“Balance, Master Ying. Everything is balance,” said Bo.
“Grandpa, do you want to play again?” asked Ying.
“Not tonight, Ying. Your mother and father are probably wondering where you and I are. Grandma Mei is cooking dinner tonight.”
“Why is Grandma Mei cooking?”
“Did you forget that tomorrow is my birthday?”
“Of course not.”
Then let’s hurry home so we don’t miss dinner.”
“Grandpa, they won’t start dinner without us,” said Ying.
“Probably not, but you never know,” said Grandpa Jong.
They said goodbye to Mr. Li and his son and went home. The smell of boiled eels and long noodles filled the air. Ying and Grandpa Jong ate eels and long noodles, both symbols of luck and a long life.
Grandma Mei and Ying’s mother shared childhood stories about Grandpa Jong. Grandma Mei shared the story about when she first met Grandpa Jong. Grandpa Jong worked for the water department with Grandma Mei’s brother, Loo. Loo brought Grandpa Jong home and Grandma Mei could not wait to see him again. She begged her brother to bring Jong home again.
Finally, Grandma Mei went to a New Year’s celebration with her older brother. Grandpa Jong was there, too. As they ate and celebrated Grandpa Jong’s birthday one day early, Ying thought about the two-seat bicycle. He hoped Grandpa Jong liked the present his old friend Mr. Li made for him.