A pair of wooden Weiqi boxes with covers, Qing dynasty (1664-1912).

The game of Go 'Wéiqí' originated in China in ancient times. It was considered one of the four essential arts of a cultured Chinese scholar in antiquity and is described as a worthy pastime for a gentleman in the Analects of Confucius. The game was described by Thomas Hyde in 1694, but it did not become popular in the West until the late 19th century.