Weiqi Course at the Confucius Institute

This year, the Confucius Institute is organizing a course in Weiqi (围棋), which takes place every Saturday at 12 o’clock in the hall at the Faculty of Political Science of the University of Banja Luka.

The course is held by the professional lecturer Dragan Barišić, a multiple award-winning player of this ancient Chinese strategy game, and the deadline for signing up is still open.

The rule of this interesting strategic game, which has the largest number of players in the world, is that two players compete surrounding the territory on a wooden board with horizontal and vertical lines using pieces called stones. The stones are placed alternately at the intersections of the lines, and each player has 180 stones, some of which are black and others are white.

Many people love this ancient game because of the essence of Chinese philosophy it embodies. For example, Confucianism emphasizes the rule of the golden mean, that people should not go to extremes and that they should not reveal everything about their personality. Similarly, in the game of Weiqi, you must hide your intentions and not reveal them completely. According to traditional Taoist doctrine, if you want to take something from others, you must first give up something of your own. This is equally applicable to the strategies of this board game.

Consequently, Weiqi is more than a game, it is also a test of patience, strategy, and deep thinking. Every move reflects not only logic, but also intuition, balance, and foresight—values that transcend the board itself. As in life, so in Weiqi, every decision one makes shapes the future. Whether we face challenges or embrace opportunities, the lessons of this ancient game remain timeless.