A fan for a fan

Tuchola, Poland

Fan written by Cho Chikun

Yesterday I returned from a brief visit to the European Go Congress in Tuchola, Poland. I was there in my role as secretary of the European Go Federation. Maybe you do not know about these Go Congresses. They are held every year, and last for two weeks. Many Go players from all over Europe come together and have a combined holiday with lots of Go (such as the European Championship) and lots of fun. This year was one of the biggest events ever. I have been told there were over 700 participants. Over the years there also has been an increasing number of participants from the US and from the far east (especially Japan and South Korea).

A present from South Korea

This time there was also a big group of players from South Korea, including a group of young professionals (all girls). Among them -- and I think leading the group -- professor Hahn whom I had already met last year in Amsterdam. I have a picture of him in my story about the trip to South Korea last year. Anyway, his wife had found my site because of the trip report, and because of that my Cho Chikun collection seems to have become more or less famous in South Korea now. Professor Hahn told me that Cho's brother was so delighted with it, that he had to bring me a little present from him, namely a special fan that was made when Cho first held the triple crown (in 1983). The fan is slightly broader than the normal fans, and -- he told me -- it was only for a special group of friends. Of course I was surprised.

More fans

Interestingly, many people talked with me in Tuchola about this website. One Italian player who I had never seen before started staring at me, then he suddenly asked whether I was the author of "My Friday Night Files". So it helps having a picture on your site. He told me he very much liked my site, and even more, that his boss is such a fan of Cho Chikun that he checks this site almost every day to see whether there is a new game :-) By the way he must be a lucky fellow with a boss that plays go and likes Cho Chikun.

What it means

In Tuchola I was told that the text on the fan says: "affection of forest cloud", but this is not quite correct. On fans the characters have to be read from right to left. I should have looked on the GoGoD CD that also has a picture of a similar fan. This is what it says about the text on this fan:

«« "UNRIN NO JOU" -- the feeling of forests in the mist, that is a desire for the stillness of the mountains. Many Orientals would associate this phrase with the 9th century Chinese poet Bai Juyi ("My dwelling 'neath Fragrant Mountain..."). »»  

[2004-08-03/2004-10-23]

I wrote...