http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/culture/2013-11/27/content_17134814.htm
Making the world's best Go pieces
Updated: 2013-11-27 11:16 (chinadaily.com.cn)
Picture:
Sitting in front of a clay oven in which the temperature
is kept at 1,200 C, workers use a traditional tool to
precisely drop melted materials onto an iron board. As
a result, crystal-clear Go pieces, which look like
black jade along with the color white, immediately appear.
This is how the world-famous Yunzi, the special Go pieces, are produced.
Go, a board game for two players that originated in
China thousands of years ago, is also called "sitting
in seclusion," or "hands talk." When people play the
game, they only see the world that changes on the board
and forget annoying real world issues, which is where
the name "sitting in seclusion" comes from. The Chinese
do not talk when playing Go and the only communication
allowed takes place on the board itself, which is where
the name "hands talk" comes from. These unique attributes
serve as part of the game's charm.
Yunzi is short for Yunnan Go pieces, and has a history
of more than 500 years. The ancient process of making
Yunzi was lost towards the end of the Ming Dynasty. In
1974, researchers found the formula from ancient Go
pieces and the process remained a secret. Now, only
Liu Wenfu, a 3rd generation Yunzi heir, has the formula.
In 2009, Yunzi and the production process were listed
as a provincial intangible cultural heritage in Yunnan
province. The white pieces are made in an ancient style
with heavy and smooth lines, and the black pieces look
like jade as their edges shine with sunlight almost like
clear water in a pool.
The best Go pieces are still made by hand utilizing
more than 10 steps. Making Yunzi is a precious process
that comes with number of details and specifications.
[Photo/icpress]
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yunzi
Yunzi are pieces manufactured in the Chinese province of Yunnan.
Technically Yunzi refers only to sintered stones made of "yunzi"
material (the exact composition is a secret), the term can also
used these days to refer to any Go pieces, whether bought on line
from WalMart or from the highest end manufacturers who make them
out of gemstones, with prices beginning at $400 USD per set.
single-convex of any material. Yunzi-style stones made of
jade for instance, were often presented to the reigning
emperor and his court ancient China.
Yunzi are delicately made with a green luster yet are neither
brittle nor slippery. The black and white pieces each have
unique individual qualities. Old style white pieces are opaque
with a tint of yellow or green. The black pieces are dark,
and when held to the light have a translucent green hue.[1]
Newer yunzi, however, have pure white stones.[2]
The production of yunzi started in the Tang dynasty and
reached its peak in the Ming and Qing dynasties; the
total verifiable history of yunzi spans at least five hundred years.
Among yunzi, most famous was the yongzi (??) manufactured
by Yongchang Fu (???, today the city of Baoshan, Yunnan)
during the Ming dynasty. It was said[by whom?] that after
a fire broke out in an imperial treasury, one of the keepers,
who was from Yongchang Fu, discovered that melted pearls
and jade had a special luster. When he returned to his
hometown, he fashioned yunzi out of the agate and amber
for which Yongchang Fu was famous. These yunzi went on to
be prized by the literati and were offered to the Emperor.
Yunzi also appeared frequently in Chinese literature as
the subject of a number of verses penned over the years,
being mentioned in works such as Ming Yi Tong Zhi (Ming
Dynasty Comprehensive Geographic Survey) and Travels of
Xu Xiake, both of which favored the yongzi.
Today in Baoshan there are still people who have antiques
dating from the Ming dynasty; among those there remain
one and a half original yongzi sets.
The yunzi have also been presented to international
dignitaries including Queen Elizabeth II.[3]
The traditional art of making yunzi was lost during
the first few years of the 20th Century because of war
in the region. In 1964, General Chen Yi examined the
situation of yunzi while inspecting Yunnan. Zhou Enlai
also inquired about the possible reproduction of yunzi.
The Yunnan Sports Commission investigated the Yunzi
manufacturing processes and rediscovered the art.
In 1974, the state-run Yunnan Weiqi Factory began
manufacturing yunzi stones.[4] They are used in
professional weiqi tournaments in China and elsewhere.
According to Chinese law, the yunzi stones can only
be produced by the state run Yunzi company. The
company creates the yunzi in an old factory that
was used by the American Flying Tigers as barracks
during World War II. The formula is thought to
be ground Yunnan mountain stones and agate.[1]
Caring for yunzi[edit]
Like other types of Go stones, yunzi are washed and
dried using a gentle soap solution to remove any dust
from the packaging/manufacturing process. Although a
light coat of oil, wiped clean, will help yunzi stones
appear at their best, care must be taken in oiling yunzi.
Because vegetable oils, such as olive or canola oil,
are rancid oils, they should not be applied to yunzi
to avoid unpleasant odor with time. Instead, common
practice is to use an unscented mineral oil to oil
yunzi; alternatively, stones may be washed but remain
unoiled; over time, the natural oils incurred by human
touch will polish yunzi to a sheen.
Like glass Go stones, yunzi are very durable. However,
like glass stones, yunzi are still at risk for chipping
if they are dropped or otherwise come into sharp contact
with hard surfaces such as metal, tile, or stone.
==================
http://senseis.xmp.net/?Yunzi
Keywords: Equipment
Yunzi (?? Hanyu Pinyin: Yśnzi ) are Go/Weiqi stones
from Yunnan and shortly called Yunzi.
http://i977.photobucket.com/albums/ae259/dlyq2000/ddd-1.jpg
Traditional Yunzi Go stones are half-flat (single-convex
or "one-side-convex"). Modern Yunzi are available both
half-flat and in lens shape (bi-convex, similar to
Japanese go stones).
Chinese players like this for analyzing variations by
turning the stones in question upside down. (e.g. cf.
with the picture on Weiqi Tiandi, where ?? Yang Lian
seems to have turned around all stones)
See XuYing ?? turning around the Yunzi too.
Yunzi have a thickness of 7 to 9 mm and a diameter of
21mm to 22mm. Black stones are slightly larger to make
up for an optical illusion. Both are non-glossy with
a matte finish.
When Yunzi are held against the light, they will
appear dark green or soft white respectively, and
show a beautiful translucency.
http://i977.photobucket.com/albums/ae259/dlyq2000/ccc.jpg
Modern Yunzi white stones are pure white, while
traditional Yunzi white stones have a yellowish
tint to them and are known as Old Yunzi, see the
upper right picture.
Yunzi playing stones are the official standard of
the Chinese Weiqi Academy. They are used in major
national and international tournaments.
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http://www.microsofttranslator.com/bv.aspx?from=&to=en&a=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.yun-zi.com%2Flxwm.asp
Director: Luo Ling 0871-63178432
Director's Office: 0871-63178432
Contact: Zhou Wenjiao: 13888379035
Tel (fax): 0871-63179454
Sales phone: 0871-63164013
Address: Guandu district, Kunming city of H1, H2, building A2
Yun Zi qi yuan store address: Guandu district, Kunming city, building A2 (marble hall and satisfying restaurant)
Zhen Qing Temple address: Baita Lu Zhen Qing Temple in Kunming city (just across from the Oasis Hotel)
Account name: Yunnan Weiqi factory
Bank: ICBC Wu Jing, Kunming branch
Account number: 2502 0132 0902 2100 872
Website:http://www.Yun-Zi.com
Tax number: 530103216576332
Email:Manager@Yun-Zi.com
QQ:1600359568
About us
Yunnan Weiqi factory, founded in 1974, Yunnan province, is the first successful cloud plate "clouds" go and obtained production license of export commodities and China Enterprise best image AAA-level State-owned manufacturer specializing in the production of confidentiality, is the game industry-standard main drafter
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http://chiyodad.blogspot.com/2005/12/go-set-from-yellow-mountain-imports.html
Pictures & text about ordering Go stone set
=====================
http://www.algorithmicartisan.com/gostones/goStones.html
Go stones made of exotic gemstone materials.
======================
http://senseis.xmp.net/?MakingYourOwnEquipment
Measurements, materials, etc.