Yunzi

Yunzi

Yunzi (Traditional: 雲子; Simplified: 云子; Pinyin: Yúzǐ) refer to special weiqi (Go) pieces manufactured in the Chinese province of Yunnan; at various times in history they have also been termed yunbian (云扁) and yunyaozi (云窑子).

Yunzi are delicately made with a jade-like lustre yet are neither brittle nor slippery. The black and white pieces each have their special qualities. The white pieces are opaque with a tint of yellow or green. The black pieces are dark, and when held to the light hae a translucent green hue. [1]

History

The production of yunzi started in the Tang dynasty and reached its peak in the Ming and Qing dynasties; the total verifiable history of yunzi spans at least five hundred years.

Among yunzi, most famous was the yongzi (永子) manufactured by Yongchang Fu (永昌府, today Baoshan city in Yunnan) during the Ming dynasty. It was said that after a fire broke out in an imperial treasury, one of the keepers, who was from Yongchang Fu, discovered that melted pearls and jade had a special luster. When he returned back to his hometown, he fashioned yunzi out of the agate and amber for which Yongchang Fu was famous. Yunzi went on to be prized by the literati and were offered to the Emperor.

Yunzi also appeared frequently in Chinese literature as the subject of a number of verses penned over the years, being mentioned in works such as Ming Yi Tong Zhi (Ming Dynasty Comprehensive Geographic Survey) and Travels of Xu Xiake, both of which favored the yongzi.

Today in Baoshan there are still people who have antiques dating from the Ming dynasty; among those there remain one and a half original yongzi sets.

Reappearance

The traditional art of making yunzi was lost during the first few years of the 20th Century because of war in the region. In 1964 General Chen Yi examined the situation of yunzi while inspecting Yunnan. Zhou Enlai also inquired about the possible reproduction of yunzi. The Yunnan Sports Commission investigated the Yunzi manufacturing processes and rediscovered this art.

In 1974, the state-run Yunnan Weiqi Factory began manufacturing yunzi stones. [2] These stones are of excellent quality and a source of regional and national pride. They are used in professional Weiki tournaments in China and elsewhere, and have been presented to foreign dignitaries visiting China. The recipe for manufacturing Yunzi is still a secret.

References

[3] Description of stones by California merchant. [4] Yunnan Weiqi Factory english page.

See also

• Go equipment