Chapter Thirty-Six: The Celestial Chess Piece 1

Meng Jiao, a poet of the Tang dynasty, once wrote a poem titled “The Rotten Axe Handle Stone,” which reads:

A single day in the world of immortals,
A thousand years have passed for mortals.
Before a full game of chess is played,
All of mankind has turned to nothing.
The woodcutter returns along his way,
His axe handle decayed by the wind.
Only the stone bridge remains,
Alone, spanning the rainbow of elixirs.

This poem recounts a legend recorded in “Notes on the Strange” by Ren Fang, a figure of the Northern and Southern Dynasties. It is said that in the Jin dynasty, a woodcutter named Wang Zhi entered Shishi Mountain to gather firewood. There, he chanced upon two youths playing chess and paused to watch. One of the youths gave Wang Zhi a date-shaped object to eat, which relieved his hunger and thirst. He set aside his axe to observe the game. Yet, before a single game was finished, the handle of his axe had rotted away. When Wang Zhi returned home, everything had changed, and a century had passed. This tale is most evocative, bestowing the art of Go with the elegant name “Rotten Axe Handle.” That a single unfinished game could span a hundred years stirs in one the sense of the ethereal nature of the immortal realms and the brevity of human life. Go is called the “divine skill”—perhaps an art practiced by immortals. When mortals pursue it, they partake in the ancient elegance of imitating the immortals, entering a realm apart from the mundane.

When Xu Jing realized that Fang Guohuan understood Go, he was immediately delighted and said, “Since Master Fang carries a Go set with him, you must be a skilled player. I have been unaware of this for the past ten days—what a pity!” Fang Guohuan, surprised, replied, “Whatever do you mean, Steward Xu?”

Xu Jing explained, “You may not know, Master Fang, but my master is deeply fond of Go. Yet in this remote mountain village, it is not only hard to find a worthy opponent—even finding someone who knows the rules is rare. There are a few local scholars who play for leisure, but my master does not think highly of them. Only the recluse Mr. Chang Lianyi, who lives thirteen miles to the south atop Jade Summit Mountain, comes monthly for three games. Within a hundred miles, it is difficult to find anyone of skill. Since you are stranded here by the rain, why not play a few games with my master?”

On hearing this, Fang Guohuan smiled and said, “Since your master has such refined taste, he must be a formidable player. I would be honored to learn from him. Where is Mr. Qi Xianzhou? I must thank him for his generous hospitality these past days.” Xu Jing laughed, “You have already met my master. He even instructed us to treat you well in the coming days.”

Fang Guohuan was surprised. “When did I meet Mr. Qi?” Suddenly, he recalled having seen a middle-aged scholar by a low wall in the house, and realized, “So that was Mr. Qi! How embarrassing—staying here for over ten days and not even thanking my host.” Xu Jing said, “My master first took you for a mere scholar, not realizing you were a Go player traveling with a board. I will go inform him at once. Unintentionally, I have brought him a worthy chess guest; these days, he has been itching for a match.” With that, Xu Jing departed in high spirits.

Soon, Xu Jing returned with Liu Ku. Beaming, Xu Jing said, “My master is overjoyed to hear of your skill at Go, Master Fang! He has sent us to invite you over now.” Fang Guohuan replied, “I dare not refuse.” He rose and followed Xu Jing and Liu Ku out of the room, making their way to a guest hall.

Qi Xianzhou came out to greet them, cupping his fists and smiling, “I did not know Master Fang was skilled at Go; I have wasted over ten days without realizing it. Please forgive my negligence.” Fang Guohuan returned the salute, “As a passerby, I am deeply grateful for your kind hospitality. Allow me to thank you here, Mr. Qi.” Qi Xianzhou replied, “There’s no need for such formality, Master Fang. I saw you once at noon and thought you looked familiar—who would have guessed you were also a Go enthusiast?” He then invited Fang Guohuan into the hall and had him seated.

A servant brought tea. Qi Xianzhou offered Fang Guohuan a cup, then said, “I hear from Steward Xu that you carry a Go set with you, which speaks of true dedication. I am but a humble recluse, and besides reading, I love nothing more than Go. Yet this is a secluded place where few play, and those who do are of little skill. Today is quite the stroke of luck; the rain has kept you here. If you do not mind my modest abilities, may I ask for a game?” Fang Guohuan replied, “I dare not presume; I would be glad to play with you.” Qi Xianzhou was delighted, “Master Fang, you are truly straightforward!”

Meanwhile, Xu Jing had already set out the fragrant sandalwood board and two fine Yunnan pottery jars of Go stones. Qi Xianzhou invited Fang Guohuan to sit opposite him at the chess table, gesturing, “As my guest, Master Fang, please take the first move.”

Fang Guohuan thought to himself, “This gentleman is friendly and hospitable; I know not what level of skill he possesses. I shall play with the usual balance—not pressing too hard, lest I spoil his enjoyment.” With that, he took black and opened with a standard move, following Qi Xianzhou’s play and keeping the balance of strength between their sides close.

After several dozen moves, Fang Guohuan realized that Qi Xianzhou’s skill was not weak—each stone was placed with care and precision.

By midgame, Qi Xianzhou was inwardly astonished. “This young man plays with such strength—rare indeed.” Impressed, he played with increasing caution.

In the end, Fang Guohuan won by only a single stone—a deliberate allowance on his part. He did not pretend to lose, nor did he crush his opponent, but maintained a narrow lead, which kept Qi Xianzhou’s fighting spirit alive and made the game more interesting for both. This was the mastery of playing at will, achieving the highest state of art.

Having lost by a single stone, Qi Xianzhou was both impressed and intrigued, his competitive spirit undiminished. “Master Fang, you are truly a rare talent. Shall we play another?”

Fang Guohuan smiled, “As the host wishes.” In the second game, Fang Guohuan again led by half a stone. Qi Xianzhou, unaware that Fang Guohuan was quietly conceding, sighed, “Your skill is truly exceptional, Master Fang. You did not go easy on me for being a guest; you are a genuine chess artist, and I am deeply impressed!” He added heartily, “Tomorrow, we shall play again; I will not let you win so easily!” It was clear that Fang Guohuan’s restraint had only heightened Qi Xianzhou’s enthusiasm.

Fang Guohuan, admiring his host’s spirit, laughed, “Excellent! Since I can’t leave for a few days, I’ll help you enjoy your chess to the fullest.” Qi Xianzhou was much pleased and promptly hosted a banquet in his honor. He regretted not getting to know Fang Guohuan sooner, despite his guest’s lengthy stay. Steward Xu Jing, witnessing Fang Guohuan’s easy victories and poise, saw at once that he was no ordinary man and regarded him with new respect.

After the banquet, Fang Guohuan and Qi Xianzhou discussed Go and other arts, finding great rapport. Qi Xianzhou felt as though they were old friends meeting anew. Late at night, Fang Guohuan finally took his leave, accompanied by Liu Ku back to his room. Liu Ku said with sincere admiration, “I never imagined you were such a master of Go, Master Fang. You’ve won my master’s favor—now, your meals will be replaced by banquets! That’s the privilege of men of true talent.” Fang Guohuan smiled at this.

The next day, Qi Xianzhou invited Fang Guohuan early. They played three more games, each ending with Fang Guohuan leading by a stone or two, leaving Qi Xianzhou increasingly in awe. Steward Xu Jing watched as Fang Guohuan won each game with ease and grace, never seeming to struggle as his master did, pondering every move with difficulty. He began to suspect something.

So it went, for three days and eight games, with Qi Xianzhou losing each by only a small margin. Over time, Qi Xianzhou, a clever man, began to realize the truth, especially after a hint from Xu Jing.

One day, Qi Xianzhou invited Fang Guohuan into the hall. Fang Guohuan thought they would play as usual, but as soon as he sat, Qi Xianzhou straightened his robe and bowed deeply. “I failed to recognize greatness before me. I did not realize Master Fang was a top Go player. Please forgive any earlier discourtesies.”

Seeing this, Fang Guohuan knew Qi Xianzhou had realized the truth and quickly rose to help him up. “Please, sir, there is no need for such formality. I cannot accept such honor.” Qi Xianzhou replied, “Playing with you these past three days has benefited me greatly. Only now do I know your true skill. You have been conceding to me throughout. Meeting you is my great fortune. Might I ask you to stay a few more days and offer your guidance, to satisfy my passion for Go?”

Fang Guohuan answered, “You are too kind, sir. We are merely discussing the game; I would not presume to instruct you. Since you are so hospitable, I will gladly stay a few more days.” Qi Xianzhou was overjoyed. That day, as they played, Fang Guohuan pointed out, on the board, the errors Qi Xianzhou had made in previous games. Qi Xianzhou was astounded and deeply impressed; with Fang Guohuan’s advice, his previous confusions were immediately resolved, and his skill improved almost imperceptibly, renewing his enthusiasm.

That night, after sending Fang Guohuan back to his room, Qi Xianzhou said to Steward Xu Jing, “Master Fang’s skill is profound and rarely seen in this world. It seems he is the one our ancestors entrusted this matter to.” Xu Jing nodded, “Whether in character or in chess, Master Fang is truly exceptional. Entrusting this to him would not be wrong. Still, we should invite Mr. Chang Lianyi to consult. This matter is important; the person we entrust must be chosen with care.” Qi Xianzhou agreed, “You are right. That would be even more prudent. If it weren’t for the continuous rain and impassable roads, Mr. Chang would have come already.” Xu Jing said, “I will send someone to invite him tomorrow.”

That day, accompanied by Liu Ku, Fang Guohuan went to the village entrance to inspect the road washed out by the rain. By now, the villagers had nearly finished repairing it, and it could accommodate carts and horses. Liu Ku spoke with the villagers and returned to report, “Master Fang, you should wait a few more days. Though this section is repaired, a hundred meters ahead, a landslide blocks the main road. The villagers say it will take three or four more days to clear.”

Liu Ku continued, “I also heard from Old Wang, one of the laborers, that the recent floods caused the landslide ahead. And guess what? A huge swarm of snakes was flushed out from a cave in the rocks! No one knows how so many snakes ended up hiding together in that mountain. Now, having been washed out, they’re everywhere, coiled and writhing, all sorts of colors and sizes—no one knows how many there are.” Fang Guohuan was astonished, “So many snakes washed out—how strange!”

Liu Ku said, “They say it took several days just to drive the snakes away, or the road would have been open already.” “Drive the snakes?” Fang Guohuan asked in surprise. “To where?” Liu Ku replied, “Into the deep mountains, of course, to keep them from blocking the road or hurting people. There are so many strange snakes, even those who usually fancy snake meat dare not catch them this time. Everyone keeps their distance, as if greatly afraid.” Fang Guohuan remarked, “A swarm of snakes coming down the mountain, only to be driven back—what a curious event.” Remembering he was to study Go with Qi Xianzhou later, he and Liu Ku turned back toward the Qi household.