[Stones and Stories] The Realm of Ipshin

Can human abilities reach the realm of the divine? This is a question imbued with philosophical contemplation and religious reflection. There are those who have demonstrated exceptional capabilities in various fields of society. Through excruciating pain, patience, and the sweat of effort, they have transformed the impossible into the possible. In society, this is expressed as reaching the state of ‘Ipshin (入神).’

Ipshin literally means having attained an extraordinary level of wisdom or skill, entering a mysterious and sublime state. In the world of professional Baduk (Go), the 9-dan rank is referred to as Ipshin. The 9-dan rank is the highest peak in Baduk, and achieving it is an honor in itself. The title Ipshin carries a sense of awe and reverence.

In Korea, there are 101 active professional players who have reached the 9-dan, or Ipshin, level. Kim Jeonghyun 9-dan and Han Woonggyu 9-dan joined the ranks of the 100th and 101st Ipshin professionals on June 28 and June 29, respectively. Looking at the list of professional players provided by the Korea Baduk Association, the 9-dan rank is the most common among ranks from 1-dan to 9-dan.

Among the 101 Ipshin players are figures who have led the renaissance of Korean Baduk, including the current world’s strongest Shin Jinseo 9-dan, Cho Hunhyun 9-dan, Lee Changho 9-dan, Seo Bongsoo 9-dan, and Yoo Changhyuk 9-dan. It is not an exclusive domain of men. Female players such as Choi Jeong 9-dan, Cho Hye-yeon 9-dan, and Park Ji-eun 9-dan have also earned the Ipshin title.

China has 330 professional 1-dan players, but only 56 have reached 9-dan. Compared to Korea, the number of Ipshin players is about half. China is considered the world’s best in both Baduk infrastructure and skill level. When compared to such a country, Korea might seem to have too many Ipshin players. However, it is worth considering whether the process of reaching Ipshin as a professional player can be belittled.

The first person to reach Ipshin in Korean professional Baduk is the living legend Cho Hunhyun. He achieved 9-dan in October 1982. Does 9-dan mean better Baduk skills than 8-dan, and 8-dan better than 7-dan? Common sense might say yes, but in reality, it is not always so. In the world of professional Baduk, the dan rank does not necessarily indicate superiority in skill. Lee Changho was only 5-dan when he won the 1992 Tongyang Securities Cup World Baduk Championship. At 17 years old, he became a world champion and was even listed in the Guinness Book of Records.

If Ipshin does not mean the highest skill, should it be seen as a symbolic position? Every professional player dreams of Ipshin, but it is not a position granted to just anyone. Only a few who have endured years of hardship can aspire to it.

The case of Ko Jaehee 9-dan, the oldest active Ipshin player, illustrates this. Born on July 24, 1939, he is 84 years old. He became a professional player in 1959 and was promoted to 9-dan in 2018. The summit he reached after nearly 60 years as a professional player?an age when most people are approaching retirement?is Ipshin. He had to witness countless times how much younger juniors surpassed him in skill. It was a time to control himself against the temptation to give up and to steel his resolve with bitter determination.

While physical energy may weaken with age, it does not take away the passion for Baduk. The tempering of skill accumulated over many years ultimately leads the practitioner of endurance and hardship to the path of Ipshin.

The history of Baduk thus asks us to reconsider the meaning of effort. Are you truly doing your best? Are you qualified to be a practitioner of endurance and hardship...?

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.