The English translation of Yi Cheng by Zhang Yabo and go saint Shi Xiangxia of the Qing dynasty is now available under the title Path to Go.

Yi Cheng can be divided into three parts. The first part contains 36 games ranging from seven-stone handicap games to even games. The most famous ones are 4 three-stone handicap games from the Games of Blood and Tears between Huang Longshi and Xu Xingyou, 2 games from the Ten-Game Match at Danghu between Shi Xiangxia and Fan Xiping, and the game of "nine dragons playing with a pearl" between Shi Xiangxia and Cheng Lanru. There is some commentary by Zhang Yabo.

The second part, titled "Understandings," contains 10 positions, 8 of which are turned into problems that the reader can work on. Solutions are given at the end of the chapter.

The third part is the invaluable work "Eighteen Games Commentated by Shi Xiangxia," in which Shi provides in-depth analysis on 18 top-level games during Shi's time. It even includes one of Shi's own game played in his twenties against master Liang Weijin, which is chosen as the cover image.

The first edition of the original book contained only the first two parts, and Zhang Yabo was listed as the only author. He then decided to include "Eighteen Games Commentated by Shi Xiangxia" as an appendix. It is not clear whether Shi's work was ever published separately, but thanks to Zhang's updated version of Yi Cheng, it has been preserved to this day. To give proper credit, Shi Xiangxia is listed as the second author in this translation.



Please visit the following links for more information. Sample pages can be viewed on Amazon.
http://senseis.xmp.net/?PathToGo
https://www.createspace.com/6165105
http://www.amazon.com/Path-Go-Yabo-Zhang/dp/1530734681

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