THE GO MASTER, the long-anticipated new film by acclaimed 5th Generation Chinese director Tian Zhuangzhuang (Horse Thief, The Blue Kite, Springtime in a Small Town), is based on the true-to-life story of a Chinese prodigy who became the undisputed master of the ancient Japanese board game Go, Wu Qingyuan. Go, a table game requiring intense stamina, energy, emotions, strategy and intellect from its players, was developed in ancient China but found a new home in post-Meiji Japan.Wu overturned the established traditions and strategies of this ancient game, earning multitudes of fans and enemies along the way.
Remaining in Japan despite the outbreak of the tumultuous Sina-Japanese war and later sucked into a religious cult that tries to exploit his celebrity, Wu became a controversial figure in both countries. Now well into his 90s, he continues to reside in Japan playing Go, writing strategy books and living the life of THE GO MASTER.
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