Go Nation is a fascinating book, but that is obvious. It is well written, it has a unique way of using chronology to show how weiqi relates to masculinity. I enjoyed the detail history of both the history of weiqi and how you are to play it. Something I did not understand from last week’s readings. This book, in my opinion, makes weiqi not only understandable but also relatable. I love the little personal stories he put in, and how weiqi is important to all Asian cultures. However, I had issues with the sexual and gender politics put upon weiqi. It is just a game. And the fact that nations compete for some pseudo glory or grudge. I understand the grudges that Japan and China have, and some are absolutely understandable like the Nanking Massacre. However, other grudges are just unbelievable, and the continuation of them because of weiqi. It is just a game. I feel like that is all I keep saying with all the articles and books we have read. The history is fascinating, but it is just a game.

I just disliked how the creation of masculinity or male identity from not only this game, but the majority of games played. Games, rules, and the purpose of the game changes, just like masculinity. What was masculine in four hundred years ago is not now. I thought the author was weiqi as a metaphorical tool for all men. Because weiqi is complex and has some many ways to win and many ways to play, that is what men are. Men come in many forms and differing complexities, and that none of them are either right or wrong. So the fact this game is a masculine game is ridiculous. To put a gender on a game or play is wrong because it just continues prejudices and sexism. Who knows the best weiqi player could be a woman, of any ethnicity, but because she is told she cannot be, or at least not reach a high-ranking, because of this machismo culture, that is just a shame. I do realize that I take a Huzinga view of games, games/play are fun, joy, freedom. Not competition, strategy, anger, and gender/machismo.