It was first recorded in the Tang Dynasty that there were some weiqi contests between China and foreign countries. Emperor Xuan
Zong of the Tang once sent a delegation to Xinluo on the Korean Peninsula to congratulate Xinluo's emperor on taking the throne. Yang Jiying, the best player in China at that time, was a member of the delegation. After arriving in Xinluo, Yang played weiqi with many Xinluo players but nobody could beat him. Once a Japanese prince visited China and wanted to play weiqi with the best Chinese player. Emperor Xuan of the Tang ordered the top player, Gu Shiyan, who lived inside the palace, to accept the challenge. On the 33rd moves, Gu Shiyan made a clever move called "one piece raising two sieges." The Japanese prince didn't know how to deal with it, and admitted defeat. Later, the prince asked an official what grade player Gu Shiyan was in China. The official gave false information and said "the third grade." So the prince sadly said to himself, "The first of a small country cannot compare with the third of a big country. I believe this.
