THE GAME OF GO AND THE CHINESE WAY OF WAR
A close study of the Chinese board game “go” can provide insights into the distinctive Chinese conception of warfighting, according to a new study published by the Army War College.
Go is the oldest board game in the world. With its emphasis on fluidity and long-term strategy, author David Lai says, it differs from chess (absolute conquest), poker (bluffing and risk-taking), boxing (force on force) and football.
Go players compete, using black and white stones on multiple fronts, to encircle territory on the board, penetrating the other’s territory in a dynamic contest that embodies principles articulated by Sun Tzu in his “Art of War.”
“A little knowledge and experience of the game of go will be a valuable addition to the American political and military wisdom; and it will take U.S. political and military leaders a long way in understanding the Chinese way of war and diplomacy.”
See “Learning From the Stones: A Go Approach to Mastering China’s Strategic Concept, Shi,” by David Lai, U.S. Army War College, May 2004: http://www.fas.org/man/eprint/lai.pdf
Jayson Funke
