Short info about idea and plan of expeditionGo is the substantial phenomenon with long history and huge geography. We know a little about that time, when Go began spreading over the continent. Where the Go origins can be searched and what is Go game origins?
Today there are two main versions about Go game origin. First is that Go was invented in China, and the second is that Go came to China from outside. I think that the true is between of this. It is possible to assume that 4000-5000 years before some people came to China from Siberia. They went through Mongolian steppe and Gobi to Tibet. Now in Tibet graves of European type people has founded. We don’t know why they decided to go from north to south. But we can make a conclusion that Chinese culture and civilization was formed not in isolation but in connection with other ancient civilizations.
Version of Russian Go and Strategy School is that Go game belong to indo-european civilization and not only Chinese. Therefore we can try to search for Go origins not only on Chinese kingdom territory but on the ways of people migration from Siberia to Central Asia. All the more this region has explored a little on this problem.
Thought to make the expedition to Mongolia came to Igor Grishin not casually. He made more then 10 searching trips to China, he collected unique Go sets and books, spoke with masters and historians. He made a short of ancient Weiqi stones (6 сentury) in Shansi National Museum. He was very wondering that stones. It was pyramidal brown, beige and dark green stones not unlike usual stones modern-style. Why they have so strange form and plural colors? How stones were chosen for Go set. Why several sets were made from animal bones? And how were chosen animals for it?
Weiqi agate stones of the Sui Dynasty (A.D. 589), excavated from the eastern suburbs of Xian. Photo by Igor Grishin (1999)Igor Grishin suggests that in early time game sets were made from not usual stones, but from stones which can give a power for man. And when stones were made from bones, the most aggressive, rare or power animals were chosen for it. The stones colors were mean the confrontation two elements: water and earth. Maybe for this reason on stones of Ming dynasty (this set in our school collection) are painted inhabitants of water and earth, and Japanese stones are made from shell (water) and slate (earth).
Planning the expedition we have a goal — to try to understand fillings, thoughts, imaginations of the people, who lived there, to see nature and landscape in which people in ancient time invented the form of the game. Like this we can understand fillings and thoughts of the citizens of the old towns in Europe. Their architecture makes us an imagination about their mind.
Researches and observations is the main but not the only one part of the expedition. It includes three missions. At first, it is a cultural-patriotic automobile expedition in places of fighting glory to
Halhin-Gol (Mongolia). Its time to 65 anniversary of Win in Second World War. Russian Go and Strategy School is studying war history in connection with Go game, and is looking for strategic examples during the war. In 2009 Igor Grishin published his book “
Soviet-German War Vocabulary”, where Go problems illustrated historical events what happened during the war.
During the Russian part of expedition Igor Grishin and other participants will visited the place of battles, war museums, meet with veterans, make a lections on war historical and strategic problems and presentations books about Go and war history.
The second mission is to popularize Go game in Russia and to help for people who want to develop Go in their cities. Never since before chief of Russian Go federation has not visited so many cities and regions in our huge country. Many people want to meet Igor Grishin, because he not only successful Go organizer (his children club in Moscow is oldest), but because he can explain how to begin study Go, how to find people, how to open club and section or to hold the tournament, how to teach children and adults. Because such questions people in Russia are afraid to open clubs and organizes something.
In every city and it will be more then 25, Igor Grishin will meet Go game fans, make a lection about Go game or connection Go and strategy and about teaching or Go life organizations, in several cities he will make his workshops about Strategic Go or present his books. I hope that this big programme will really help a lot of Russian to understand that Go game is useful, interesting, modern and deep art, and they will begin studying Go by all families. Such expedition is really grate event for Russian Go life.
In Astrakhan (the capital of Russian Caspian sea region) Igor Grishin will take part in interregional economic forum with his workshop. Now in Russia a lot of people want to study strategy, therefore forum organizers ask Igor to come to Astrakhan with workshop about Strategic Go.
And the third mission is research about Go game origins and other researches about history and nature of west part of Mongolia. I think we will know something interesting about it when expedition returns to Moscow with full report.
The final point of expedition in Mongolia will be lake in Gobi which is the last part of ancient sea. It is special sacred place, and in this lake there is “whale” as locals named it. In early time people lived there, because it is lake with sweet water.
The full route of expedition is marked on the map. The expedition will continue near 80 days. We choose the towns for make a stop according asking from its. If there was somebody who wanted to meet expedition, Igor agreed to visited town. Therefore in every town there is a programme of meeting or lections and presentations.
There are 4 cars (8-9 persons) in the expedition team. The Ministry of foreign affairs of Russia and the Ministry of sport, tourism and youth politic of Russia support this expedition. Especial thanks for Association of graduating students of Russian President’s programme of skill (management) conversion.
The expedition’s journalThe 4-th of May. Ryazan. The expedition made first stop in old russian town with 1000 years history. In Ryazan there was not any club Go, Time to time several people ask our Federation to help them to find somebody who plays Go. We answered that they should be first Go players there. Because the right way to find players is — to open club and begin studying Go. Other people will come to you. When we prepared expedition we have not got any request for lection or workshop. But several Go game fans ask to meet with Igor Grishin. Their leader — teacher of Japanese language at Ryazan Government University. He is from Japan, living in Russia.
Meeting with Go lovers in Ryazan
The meeting was in Ryazan Kremlin (old fortress in the center of the town). Igor Grishin presented them our books. On photo he presents Go game textbook “Russian Teacher of Japanese Go”.
Igor Grishin and Irina Chukomina in Ryazan Kremlin.And after it Igor said a few words about expedition and Go game to local journalists.
The 5-th of May. Penza. It is real russian interior. We could not find any Go players there when compare the plan of the trip. But expedition was met by local ministry of tourism. It was very useful meeting because Igor Grishin asked them about route. In Penza expedition visited the memorial of the Unknown Warrior
With Soviet-German War Vocabulary near memorial of Unknown Warrior in Penza.After it Igor Grishin visited museum of russian writer Radischev. Museum placed in his house. He wrote famous critical essay “The Journey from Petersburg to Moscow” about corruption and difficult life people in Russia (it was time of Catherine the Great). After publication Empress banished him to Siberia.
Igor Grishin and director of Radischev museum 
“GO” at the left top corner on the plate.
It is interesting photo, from museum. Here — family plate with to letters — ГО — Go into russian. What dose it mean, I don’t understand. I think Igor Grishin will explain it when he return to Moscow.
The 6-th of May. Tolyatti. It town is placed near big city Samara, and famous as russian automobile industry center. We came to Tolyatti several times before, because there is a big children education center there. It center specializes on teaching Wushu, martial arts. And from 2007 there is a Go education programme here. In our first visit (I took part too) we presented a lot of Go game sets and books. The center director Artem Marchenko is president of The Go Federation of Samara region. He made big programme for Igor Grishin with lections, presentations and workshops.
On the photo lection for youth in Tolyatti Government University “The Go game Sublety”.The 7-th of May. Samara. In Samara Maksimilian Yatskar and Aleksey Kurochkin are developing Go game. Thanks for them in the city lections, seminars, tournaments are conducted. Our federation help them with advises, books and sets.
Igor Grishin on the meeting with children from Go section 
Igor Grishin’s workshop about Strategy for business-club “Altera Pars”In Samara Igor Grishin made a lection in Samara Government Aerospace University, lection about Strategy for “Altera Pars” club, workshop for student’s club “Thought flight” and meeting with children from Go section in sport club “Rook”.
Tolyatti and Samara are the most dynamic developing as Go centers in Russia. It is huge social movement, which rise without outside support. I think that in future Samara will be the strong Go game center, which will attract the best russian youth to Go. Expedition spent 5 days in Tolyatti and Samara.
