217. The art of Weiqi (Go/Baduk) war (碁#27) - Cultivating Qi(gong)

Thanks to the success of my little book '圍棋戰聖: The Weiqi Art of War', it has inspired people to pick up the game, and use playing the game as a way to develop their strategic thinking in business, life, war and in areas of life I would not of thought of being related. Well actually... When I think about it, it should not surprise me at all. The game of weiqi (go/baduk), after all, is a form of intense qigong cultivation summed up in the whole act of committing to a move upon the board. And you can see this happening by way of how a player's breathing is altered with the intensity of their focus as the sucks them into its battlefield vortex. But that is only the base level of qigong cultivation. What the real aim of using weiqi to cultivate one's qi is about, is to find one's sense of detachment from the game while playing the game. This does not mean having a flippant, non-chalant whatever goes attitude. Because that path usually leads to defeat. Nor does it mean relying on mechanical devices like clock timers to set the pace, for that is an artificial handicap. And it is a bit like relying on a semi-automatic rifle to compensate for a lack of combat skills. True detachment allows a person to see the game as a whole entity, even of most of the focus is held up by a small battle in one area of the board from time to time, so that the real final victory can be achieved with grace and ease. True detachment also allows a person to see what their opponent needs in order to be able to surrender with honour. Now I know what you are thinking: What? My opponent wants to surrender? Or it could be you thinking: What? I want to surrender? I don't think so. But it is true. Some people have an unrealised death-wish. But not for the reasons one would think. Many people require, like a caterpillar, to go through the act of death so that they can go through the act of rebirth, like the butterfly. And they require their opposite to deliver the deathblow in an honourable setting. And it is through the process of dying and being reborn many times over upon the weiqi board that they discover the true power of their individual qi as it relates uniquely to them. This is the art of qigong cultivation through the game of weiqi (go/baduk) ⚔️圍棋戰聖 Follow on Insta: @baguazhang_