Idioms and stories about Weiqi

Ju Qi Bu Ding

Hesitating About What Move to Make

Holding a piece and not sure what move to make. It refers to being shilly-shally and unable to make up one's mind.

During the Spring and Autumn Period (770 BC-476BC), there was an official in the Wei State called Ning Zhi. He dispelled Lord Xian of Wei and put Gongsun Piao on the throne. Later Ning Zhi's son Ning Xi became the Prime Minister of the Wei State. Meanwhile, Lord Xian was conspiring to overthrow the regime with the help of the Qi State; he sent his men to negotiate with Ning Xi, promising Ning Xi could hold the state power alone if the latter could assist him in resuming the throne. Ning Xi agreed after much hesitation. When an official named Taishu Wenzi heard about this, he said, "A weiqi player would not win over the opponent if he hesitates to make a move, let alone such an important event like choosing a king! Ning Xi will hit the skids in the future." Just as expected, Lord Xian killed Ning Xi after he resumed the throne.

Qi Feng Dui Shou

To Meet One’s Match in a Weiqi Game

One encounters an equal match when plays a chess game; it also refers to two contestants who are as strong or good as each other.

It is said during the late Tang Dynasty (618-907), a monk named Shi Shangyan was obsessed with playing weiqi, as did poet Lu Guimeng. They often stayed together to play weiqi. Later, Lu Guimeng went to another place to live when he detested political affairs. Missing his weiqi opponent from time to time, Shi Shangyan wrote a poem and mailed it to Lu Guimeng in which he said: "Can you still find an equal match when playing weiqi?" From the story we know the idiom not only refers to two opponents of equal skills, but also contains their mutual appreciation.