Weiqi masters and fans braved the snow on Sunday morning in Beijing to bid their farewell to China's revered Weiqi master Nie Weiping at the Babaoshan Funeral Home.
Photo: Li Hao/GT
Nie, 74, passed away on Wednesday night in Beijing after a prolonged illness. A household name in China and known affectionately as the "Weiqi Sage," Nie was honorary president of the Chinese Weiqi Association, former head coach of China's national Weiqi team.
Sun Guangming, Vice Chairman of the Chinese Weiqi Association, paid tribute to Nie at the farewell ceremony.
Photo: Li Hao/GT
"We miss him dearly and feel profound grief. His departure came too soon. Without Master Nie, Chinese Weiqi would not be as thriving as it is today," Sun told reporters. "Our deep love for the game now has been greatly influenced by him."
South Korean Weiqi legend Cho Hun-hyun also traveled to Beijing to attend the ceremony.
"As a decades-long friend, this has been a devastating shock, and I am deeply grieved. I had truly hoped for Nie's full recovery, wishing we could have played many more games together. It is profoundly regrettable that he has left us first," Cho told reporters.
Cho was not only a rival of Nie's throughout their careers but also a lifelong friend. Their competitive relationship was emblematic of the rise of Weiqi in East Asia.
"I hope we may meet again in the heavens someday, where we can continue our games of Weiqi. Today's weather feels like the heavens themselves mourn the loss of a true genius, sharing in our sorrow," he said.
Gu Li, a nine-dan ranked player and one of Nie's most famous students, recalled his learning days with Master Nie.
"The guidance and assistance Master Nie provided became the solid foundation for my subsequent efforts and eventual achievements," Gu told reporters, who became Nie's disciple in 1997.
"There would be no Chinese Weiqi as we know it today without Master Nie. As one of his disciples, it falls upon us to carry forward his spirit and ensure that Chinese Weiqi continues to advance toward even greater heights."
"Master Nie always emphasized to us, his disciples, the paramount importance of moral integrity and character. We have always kept his teachings firmly in mind."
Photo: Li Hao/GT
Though Nie has never become a world champion, he rose to prominence in the 1980s with a series of electrifying performances in the China-Japan Supermatches, which marked a seminal moment in the modernization of Chinese Weiqi and helped ignite a nationwide passion for the game.
Facing Japan's Koichi Kobayashi during the China-Japan Go Challenge Series in 1985, then 33-year-old Nie wore a tracksuit borrowed from China's national table tennis team. Nie ultimately defeated Kobayashi, marking the first time a Chinese Weiqi player had beaten a Japanese opponent.
He notched up a stunning 11-game winning streak during the challenge, powering the Chinese team to three consecutive title wins. His feats electrified audiences at home and abroad, igniting a surge of national pride and patriotic fervor, and earning him the nickname "Whirlwind Nie."