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Abstract

The thesis examines the two major developments of the game of Weiqi in the People’s Republic of China (PRC) from 1956 to 1966. The game was traditionally considered as an art form, but in 1956, the socialist state redefined it as a sport. Moreover, starting in 1960, China and Japan used the game in a diplomatic role by exchanging Weiqi delegations. Employing a variety of sources, including archival materials, oral history, newspaper articles, rulebooks, and game records, this thesis argues that these two processes were intertwined. In the early 1950s, Weiqi was relegated as a United Front affair. Yet, through establishing Weiqi as a sport in 1956, the Chinese state extended its direct control over the game. It thus was able to use to the game on the diplomatic stage. On the other hand, the so-called “Weiqi diplomacy” facilitated the making of Weiqi as a sport, as Chinese sports leadership learned organizational skills from the Japanese Nihon Ki-in. The Weiqi exchanges also prepared Chinese officials with invaluable experience that they utilized in other forms of cultural and sports diplomacy.

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