The Go Master
The Go Master is a 2006 biopic about Wu Qingyuan, best known as Go Seigen, one of the greatest Go players of the 20th century. It was directed by Tian Zhuangzhuang and stars Chang Chen as Wu, with Ayumi Ito as his wife Kazuko.
The story follows Wu’s life from his early talent as a child prodigy to his rise as a revolutionary thinker in the game of Go. During the Sino-Japanese War, Wu and his family become unwanted foreigners in Japan. He stays in Japan to continue playing Go, focusing on his art and his love for Kazuko, even as the world around him grows chaotic.
A memorable moment in the film is a scene about the Atomic Bomb Go game. The wartime turmoil eventually disrupts Wu’s quiet life, and a motorcycle accident leaves him with brain trauma, ending his Go career. The film ends with a nostalgic glow in the “golden room” of Go.
The real Wu Qingyuan makes a brief cameo at the start of the movie.
Details about the film: It runs 104 minutes and is in Chinese and Japanese. It premiered at the New York Film Festival in September 2006. The screenplay is by Ah Cheng and Zou Jingzhi, with production by Liu Xiaodian. Emi Wada designed the costumes, and Fortissimo Films distributed the movie. The film was praised for its stately, contemplative feel and gorgeous cinematography, and was nominated for Best Cinematography at the 2007 Asia Pacific Screen Awards.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 10:05 (CET).