China's fifth generation film director Tian Zhuangzhuang said in Beijing that he plans to shoot a new film about the philosophy of a famous go game player.
As a super fan of the game, Tian Zhuangzhuang, the director, says the film is expected to expose to the public the life stories and unique philosophy of the Chinese go saint Wu Qingyuan.
The exact date of the production isn't set yet.
It's only decided that the script will base on Wu's autobiography "Never Best In The World". The theme will be "Play go game to reach harmony not become the winner of the fights".
Wu, 88, is the most renowned Chinese go player since the founding of the People's Republic of China in the 1940s.
After he traveled to Japan and became a permanent resident there, he also enjoys high reputation in Japan.
Director Tian says he has been filled with admiration to the go saint for many years. Wu's philosophy of go and his attitude to go games and the Sino-Japanese war is unique. It's also the "harmony seeking" philosophy and nonchalance to any wins or defeats that keeps him conquering the go kingdom for so many years.
Tian wants to express in his new film the philosophy -- to make harmony, not fight or contest -- of Wu, hinting that the fights and wars in real life should also be avoided to reach the international peace and the ultimate harmony.
In Wu's philosophy, the two players holding black or white pieces of the go game don't aim at fighting, but to establish their own kingdoms on the game board.
Fights only occur when one of the players destroys the harmony of both by invasion into his rival's territory.
Ideally, the player to locate the first piece on the board will become the winner. The couple of players try hard to make the ultimate harmony in the end, when their pieces fill the board.
To fill the board and decide which area is occupied by which player, techniques are used and brain exhausted. This also creates the many different endings of the go game, which should be the main attraction of the game.
But in the mundane world, two players just focus on fighting and targeting only the winner's crown. This has deprived the go game of its originality.
In Wu's world, there are no words such as "win" or "lose".
If his philosophy is applied to the film stardom or all the activities in the world, human beings could have done things better, make more miracles and live a peaceful life.
The theme, though not specified by director Tian, could also be the core thing he wants to tell the audience through the new film.
(eastday.com September 22, 2002)
