Close to my departure from China I had the idea of having an interview with An Yan re his background, his go-school, his opinion re the current go-situation and re the future. I considered that it might be interesting to get his opinions and his knowledge as a professional go-player and teacher. I have really looked forward to his answers, but I need to admit that some of them surprise me, especially when talking about the current and future go-situation.
Thanks to Juan Guo who took her time and supported my idea by translating the interview.
One note: No editing was done by me towards the answers.
Background:
您的围棋简历:
十岁开始学棋，多次获得湖北省和武汉市儿童、少年围棋比赛冠军。78年进入湖北省围棋队，1982年定为职业四段，1985年获全国国棋团体赛第五名，1986年获全国新秀杯围棋赛第三名。1989年升入专业七段.1983年至1985年入选国家围棋队。
Started to learn Go at 10 years old, Won many times of HuBei province and Wuhan city youth championships, Entered HuBei province team in 78, 1982 4p. 1985 national team championship 5th place. 1986 national new talent cup 3ird place. 1989 promoted to 7p. From 1083 to 1985 in the China National Team.
- When did you start playing Weiqi, and how many years have you been playing now?
- 您是从什么时候开始下的围棋? 您下了多少年围棋?
十岁开始学棋，下了36年围棋。
Since 10 years old, played go for 36 years.
- When did you become a professional player?
- 您是从什么时候成为职业棋手的?
1982年定为职业四段，成为职业棋手的。
1982 became 4p (guojuan: before 1982 we did not have official pro ranking).
- When were you promoted, finally to 7p?
- 您是从什么时候打到职业七段的?
1989年
1989
- As a professional player, how many hours per day did you do exercises?
- 作为职业棋手, 您曾经一天花多少时间做联系?
半个小时至丨个小时。
Half an hour to one hour.
- At how many tournaments did you participate (roughly) and how many years/ games did you play in the league?
- 您大概参加了多少比赛? 大概下了多少年比赛? 大概下了多少盘比赛对局?
不清楚了。
Don’t remember anymore.
- When did you decide to become a Weiqi teacher?
- 您是什么时候决定做围棋老师的?
2001年．
2001
- What was the reason that you decided to teach Weiqi? Was it your dream to become a teacher?
- 是什么原因使您决定做围棋老师的? 做围棋老师曾是您的做梦想吗?
想培养专业棋手。梦想是培养一名世界冠军。
I want to train young players to become pro. My dream is to make a world champion.
- What did change for you after you had become a teacher?
- 做围棋老师之后, 您的人生有何改变?
跟做专业棋手一样。
Same as when I was a pro player.
Go-School:
围棋学校:
- How many Weiqi students does your school have and how many teachers do work there?
- 您的围棋学校有多少学生? 有多少老师在那里工作?
围棋学校有200多人.10名老师。
Our go school has more than 200 students, 10 teachers.
- Is your Weiqi school also active in other areas, eg promotes Weiqi at "normal" schools?
- 您的围棋学校在其他领域也有活动吗? 比如说到学校去普及围棋?
有到学校去普及围棋，目前已有8所小学开展围棋课。
Yes, we go to schools to promote Go, at this moment we started go classes in 8 elementary schools.
- How many Weiqi schools do exist here in Wuhan?
- 在武汉有多少围棋学校?
4个围棋学校，1500人上课。
4 go schools, 1500 students taking go classes.
- How come that you had the idea to offer to foreign Weiqi students to study Weiqi at
your school?
- 您是怎么想到让西方国家的围棋手到您的学校学棋的?
2005年访欧在捷克见到了老朋友郭娟五段，是郭娟老师提意策划后，是他的学校和我的学校一起合作创办的。
When I visited European Go congress in 2005, in CZ I met my old friend Guo Juan 5p, she talked with me about this, we started to work on this together.
- How is this program re foreign students developing?
- 西方国家的围棋手到您的学校学棋的发展情况如何?
西方国家棋手，通过到我的学校学棋后，对围棋理论、方法、实战应用等均能系统的掌握，一般学习3个月后能提高1段水平。
Students from western countries, then learn from our school about Go theories, skills and real game applies, normally after 3month, they can improve 1 dan.
- Do you have for every student, especially for the foreign students, an individual program?
- 对您的每一个学生, 尤其是西方国家来的学生, 您都有个别的训练计划吗?
是的。我对每个学生，尤其是西方国家来的学生都会个别制定训练计划，
Yes, for every student, especially from western countries, I all have training plans for each of them.
- How many of your students have become a professional player?
- 您的学生中有多少成为了职业棋手?
学生中有8人成为职业棋手，像严欢三段，鲁佳（女）初段已经入选中国国家少年围棋队
8 of them became pro, like Yan Huan 3p, Lu Jia (female) 1p are already entered the China national youth team.
Current situation:
目前的形势:
到目前为止，来我棋校学棋的外国学生有美国、德国、法国、捷克、荷兰、摩罗哥等国家近30人。
Up to now, there were students from USA, Germany, France, CZ, Netherlands, Morocco, total about 30 students.
- How do you judge the current situation re Weiqi in China?
- 您对目前中国的围棋形势怎么看?
中国围棋形势发展不错。
The development of Chinese Go is good.
- What do you think is the reason that Weiqi in general is so popular in Asia - compared to for example Europe, and that people start to study at a very young age?
- 和欧洲比较, 您认为是什么原因使围棋在亚洲这么流行? 而且亚洲的孩子学棋那么早.
No answer.
- There is the rumour that in China especially children from poor families seriously study Weiqi. Is this true? Is yes, what do you think is the reason for this phenomen?
- 传说在中国, 尤其是比较穷的家庭的小孩学棋特别认真, 是这样吗? 如果是, 您认为这是为什么呢?
No answer.
- If you compare China's level with the level in Korea and Japan what do you think?
- 您是如何看待中国与韩国和日本围棋水平的差距的?
No answer.
- It is said that Japan did have a lot of problems, and recently Korea is said to have big problems. According to some open sources info a lot of Weiqi schools had to close in these countries because few children went to a Weiqi school. Do you have further information re this development?
- 人们说日本棋界曾经有许多问题, 目前又说韩国棋界问题很大. 具一些公开的信息渠道说在这两个国家很多围棋学校都关了门, 因为生源不够. 您对此有更多的信息吗?
不知
I don’t know.
- Is it possible that this development could also arise here in China?
- 上面所说的问题也可能在中国发生吗?
不知
I don’t know
- In which way does the Chinese Weiqi Federation support and promote the game within China?
- 中国围棋协会是如何在国内支持和普及围棋的?
I don’t know.
- Is the Chinese Weiqi Federation interested in supporting and promoting Weiqi outside China?
- 中国围棋协会对在国外支持和普及围棋有兴趣吗?
不知。
I don’t know
- In Seoul/ Korea there is the only Weiqi university in the world. What is your opinion re this university? If you compare this university with a "normal" Weiqi school what is your judgement? Can you imagine that China is going to have also a Weiqi university?
- 韩国首都首尔有世界上唯一的围棋大学. 您对这所大学有什么看法? 如果将这所围棋大学和一般的围棋学校作比较, 您的判断是什么? 您认为中国也会有一所围棋大学吗?
不清楚。
I don’t know.
