History & Culture

Go is more than game - it is a unique and profound cultural artifact. Learn more about the history and culture of Go here. The links below will also lead you in fascinating directions.

Start with our Brief History of Go, a broad survey of the origins in China, ascendancy in Japan, the rise of Korean champions, and the modern era. 

The United States was one of the first Western nations to take note of the depth and fascination of Go. Go in America tells the story of how we led the way in the West. 

The AGF Library page will link you to dozens of in-depth and highly researched details on the history and culture of Go, along with everything else from scientific studies to parody songbooks and poetry. 

The IGS Art Gallery: Learn more about Go as a rich cultural presence in Asian life through more than 100 Japanese and Chinese classic works of art featuring a Go theme, fully curated with the history and significance of each piece.

Gobase.org offers numerous essays describing the role of Go in Chinese, Japanese and Korean society through the ages.

Sensei's Library: A huge Go-themed Wiki of more of 27,000 pages on every conceivable Go-related topic.

Tales from Go History: A collection of entertaining anecdotes.

Rules of Go: Nothing reflects the simplicity and complexity of Go more than the rules of play. n one hand, play is so self-evident that a set of rules was not codified in writing until 1927. On the other, at least four separate, mutually exclusive sets of rules are in use today. The "Rules" section of the AGF library is a great rabbithole where you can explore the subject.