Life In 19x19

Greetings,

Can anyone tell me if any of the contemporary professionals still wear traditional ceremonial clothing at their matches?

Thanks,
Desmond

From what I've seens so far, todays professionals wear suits mostly.

Yes. in Japan, Yoda is a big fan, for example. (And, irrationally, I've always suspected he goes commando). But nowadays not only do most players wear western-style clothes, they have the option - which many take - of playing on tables and chairs. In Japan, also, some male players often dress the old way when they go to award ceremonies or appear on tv. For females, a kimono is almost de rigueur in public, even for non-Japanese players, but only a tiny handful of older players such as Mrs Sugiuchi play in a kimono regularly.

Traditional clothing costs a bomb, makes it hard to have a pee and requires constant attention not to let the sleeves sweep pieces off the board. But it does look good.

In Korea, Cho Hun-hyeon sometimes goes native, and Yu Ch'ang-hyeok is fond of the traditional style. There is also the modern fashion in Korea and China of players dressing up in really ancient costumes for quasi-ceremonial games, e.g. on mountain tops, to please sponsors.

For some events. Check this out from the 20th Mingren final.

I especially love how deadly serious everybody is, despite the hats.

Some pictures of Yoda Norimoto playing in traditional dress:

http://www.361points.com/blog/tag/yoda-norimoto/

Greetings,

Thank you for the replies. Traditional dress does not seem popular any longer in the professional Go world. This is, of course, an unfortunate side effect of the destruction of various elements of traditional culture through modernism and westernization. Some of the qualities of Go that have always been particularly appealing to me are its aesthetics and the refined craftsmanship of its playing materials. The Japanese in particular have historically emphasized also the ambiance in which the game is played through the furnishings of a dedicated room and the very clothes that are worn. Such factors, now a rarity, would go a long way toward transforming the casual game amongst acquaintances into an event of great meaning and importance, something more akin to the dignity and sagacity of the tea ceremony as opposed to an idle pastime.

Desmond

In the World Mind Sports Games, Beijing 2008, Yoda Norimoto went to play several times in ceremonial-traditional clothes.

Recently in the last WAGC, Otake Hideo played an exhibition game with a high school student both using traditional japanese clothes. By the way the student was a girl that look like an angel.

John Fairbairn wrote:Yes. in Japan, Yoda is a big fan, for example. (And, irrationally, I've always suspected he goes commando).

GolRammit John!! I've always liked seeing Yoda play in traditional clothes and now I'll never be able to look at him with out thinking about that!!

Desmond wrote:Greetings,

Thank you for the replies. Traditional dress does not seem popular any longer in the professional Go world. This is, of course, an unfortunate side effect of the destruction of various elements of traditional culture through modernism and westernization. Some of the qualities of Go that have always been particularly appealing to me are its aesthetics and the refined craftsmanship of its playing materials. The Japanese in particular have historically emphasized also the ambiance in which the game is played through the furnishings of a dedicated room and the very clothes that are worn. Such factors, now a rarity, would go a long way toward transforming the casual game amongst acquaintances into an event of great meaning and importance, something more akin to the dignity and sagacity of the tea ceremony as opposed to an idle pastime.

Desmond

Or perhaps an emphasis on pomp and circumstance (e.g. traditional clothing) could cause people to see the game as an artifact of times past, rather than a living, approachable game. I have no objection to traditional clothing (though I think it looks nice), but maybe there is something positive about the more relaxed image: some, indeed, may see it as merely an "idle pastime," while others may see the game as more accessible. Just a thought.

Greetings Judicata,

I was admittedly exaggerating quite a bit when I referred to the game as capable of being viewed as idle. In fact, I can hardly conceive of any situation in which Go can be conceived as idle. In contrast to many other pastimes, there is perhaps no situation that can nullify its fundamental dignity, and I have played in cafes, sidewalks, expos, and primarily these days on my iPhone. My point is simply that there are great aesthetic and contemplative potentialities within Go that are accessed through a traditional worldview and lifestyle that are virtually inaccessible to modernized sensibilities. External factors such as traditional clothing and a congenial ambiance may contribute toward making Go something of a sacred activity not unlike the Japanese Tea ceremony which to outward appearances is merely a very formalized way of making and sharing tea but which in reality is a ritual practice that transforms the otherwise casual encounter into a sacred and cosmic act.

I have written a few words on the symbolism of Go that are not out of place here - see The Way of Go: http://sites.google.com/site/shusakugoc ... -way-of-go

For those who may be skeptical of the importance of clothes in particular, I would suggest taking a look at Marco Pallis' Do the clothes Make The Man: http://vlal.bol.ucla.edu/multiversity/R ... PS-Pal.pdf

Sincerely,
Desmond

Desmond, what clothes are you suggesting for a Scottish for exemple? Should he play in a kilt ? Should he dress up as a chinese/japanese/korean? Or only the Japanese/Chinese/Korean could experience the "sacred and cosmic act"?

Tryss wrote:Desmond, what clothes are you suggesting for a Scottish for exemple? Should he play in a kilt ? Should he dress up as a chinese/japanese/korean? Or only the Japanese/Chinese/Korean could experience the "sacred and cosmic act"?

sure, why not. for example at International Amateur Pair Go Championship all participants are encouraged to wear their traditional national dress... i don't know about official photos, but here is a sample gallery

though if i wanted something special for go, i would personally stick with a Japanese kimono, like practitioners of martial arts do

Thanks, Desmond. I certainly appreciate your perspective.

Tryss wrote:Desmond, what clothes are you suggesting for a Scottish for exemple? Should he play in a kilt ? Should he dress up as a chinese/japanese/korean? Or only the Japanese/Chinese/Korean could experience the "sacred and cosmic act"?

Greetings Tryss,

By no means did I wish to imply that only the Japanese, Chinese, and Koreans can experience the sacred or otherwise that the contemplative depths of Go are dependent upon the prevailing ambience. What I did mean to imply, however, is that someone immersed within a traditional civilization and worldview and making adequate use of aesthetic supports is going to have a easier time of it and perhap a greater appreciation of the game.

Japanese style equipment is designed to be harmonious with, or we might also say it emerges from, the very beautiful and natural Japanese cultural ambience and decor. See for example some of these old photographs:

http://www.gobooks.info/mihori.html

Of course, this is not to say that the same equipment is out of place in other environments. They would harmonize beautifully with the traditional Turkish or Morrocan coffee houses, perhaps accompanied by a nargila pipe, as in the following artistic rendering:

http://www.casadimartino.com/summersend/coffeehouse.jpg

It is also important to note that coffee and hence the coffee house emerged from Islamic Civilization. Some attribute the origins of the latter to Shams al-Din Tabizi, the beloved teacher of the popular poet Jalal ad-Din Rumi. In some places, especially in Turkey, the preparation and serving of Coffee is traditionally involved with a meticulous ceremony not unlike the Japanese Tea Ceremony. Of course, games such as chess and backgammon are much more prevalent in the Islamic world, but Go could easily and harmoniously be integrated into such an environment.

Unfortunately, I am not very knowledgable about the intricacies of Scottish culture, although I do find Highland dress to be very dignified, so I will have to concede to someone more informed than myself. I will say however that the kilt may be very appropriate to the fans of Yoda Norimoto as the lack of undergarments among the Highland warriors is likely the origin of the phrase "going commando." Judging by his inspiring performance in the last Honinbo Tournament, he seems to have something going for him here and we might all do well to follow suit.

Sincerely,
Desmond

Desmond wrote:Greetings Judicata,

I was admittedly exaggerating quite a bit when I referred to the game as capable of being viewed as idle. In fact, I can hardly conceive of any situation in which Go can be conceived as idle. In contrast to many other pastimes, there is perhaps no situation that can nullify its fundamental dignity, and I have played in cafes, sidewalks, expos, and primarily these days on my iPhone. My point is simply that there are great aesthetic and contemplative potentialities within Go that are accessed through a traditional worldview and lifestyle that are virtually inaccessible to modernized sensibilities. External factors such as traditional clothing and a congenial ambiance may contribute toward making Go something of a sacred activity not unlike the Japanese Tea ceremony which to outward appearances is merely a very formalized way of making and sharing tea but which in reality is a ritual practice that transforms the otherwise casual encounter into a sacred and cosmic act.

I have written a few words on the symbolism of Go that are not out of place here - see The Way of Go: http://sites.google.com/site/shusakugoc ... -way-of-go

For those who may be skeptical of the importance of clothes in particular, I would suggest taking a look at Marco Pallis' Do the clothes Make The Man: http://vlal.bol.ucla.edu/multiversity/R ... PS-Pal.pdf

Sincerely,
Desmond

I think it's unfair to take away go's "idleness".

The game's aesthetics may be highlighted by stylistic choices (which do not need to be traditional, although some traditional aesthetics work well), but I think go is sometimes best when it is idle and minimalist.

Go is a conversation, and at sometimes the best conversations are idle, Wildian, flights of fancy.

As I see it, there is much to lose from a confucian devotion to ceremony, if it is not occasionally balanced by a taoist devotion to fluidity.