围棋 Weiqi (the game of go)

Weiqi is a mind sport that originated from China. It has been popularizing from 2,500 years ago. Weiqi has been spread to the Korean Peninsula and Japan in Han Dynasty and Tang Dynasty individually, and gradually spread to across the world. It fully embodies the oriental way of thinking and ideological system, and is one of the major contributions China has made to the world civilisation. Weiqi is making its Asian Games debut in 16th Asian Games, Guangzhou, in 2010.

The black and white stones are displayed on a Weiqi board with 361 crosses made of 19 vertical lines and 19 horizontal lines. It is played as the follow rules:

1. Weiqi is played by taking turns to put black and white stones on the cross of the board. One can only go one stone each time.

2. The cross made by the vertical and horizontal stone line is the "Qi" of the stone. If the "Qi" of one stone or connected stones is completely occupied by the other player, it is called "dead stone", and has to be lift up from the board.

3. Finally who wins more area on the board wins the game.

4. The act of lifting a stone for each other is called "Jie" (rob). In order to avoid non-stop game with repeated lifting, one must not lift immediately in return after being lifted.

围棋是中华文明的重要组成部分，早在春秋时期就广为流传。大约距今2000年的汉代，围棋可能已传播到朝鲜半岛；唐代围棋流传到日本，并逐步发展为现今中日韩三足鼎立的局面。目前围棋除了在中、日、韩、朝鲜等东亚地区发展外，在东南亚、西亚等地区也迅速发展，围棋以其自身的魅力赢得了人们的喜爱。2010年广州亚运会围棋将首次成为正式比赛项目。

围棋棋盘长宽各有19条线，共有361个点，在棋盘上标有九个小圆点，称作“星”。中央的星又称“天元”。正式比赛黑白棋子各180子。对局双方各执一色棋子，黑先白后，轮流下子。终局后，一方棋子所占之点及所围之空点为该方所得之点，黑白子之间的空点双方各得其半。得点多的一方为胜。