Life In 19x19
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The feet on floor goban
http://www.lifein19x19.com/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=10540		 Page 1 of 1
Author:  cloudbrows [ Wed Jul 09, 2014 11:18 am ]
Post subject:  The feet on floor goban
What's the story?

For reference:

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BsHkygZCMAAbt8e.jpg:large

http://ancientpoint.com/imgs/a/a/w/b/x/japanese_vintage_thick_go_game_board_goban_thick_kaya_with_carved_legs_3_lgw.jpg

http://ancientpoint.com/imgs/a/a/w/b/x/japanese_vintage_thick_go_game_board_goban_thick_kaya_with_carved_legs_10_lgw.jpg

http://yfh2.chez-alice.fr/goban-leg2.jpg

Does anybody know any details behind the history of this design?

I ask partially because it's so strange from a geometric point of view. If you've ever tried to render a goban in 3d, you might have noticed that everything about a goban is trivial to make with simple shapes... except those weird-ass legs. They're, like, heptogons with lots of beveling and flourishes?

Anyway. Any outside knowledge anyone can bring to slightly assuage my curiosity would be much appreciated.
Author:  Bonobo [ Wed Jul 09, 2014 12:39 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The feet on floor goban
Not much, but:

“octa-”, not “hepta-”

See also carving the "gardenia" legs (via http://senseis.xmp.net/?Goban)

Greetings, Tom


<edit>

Seems only appropriate to me that such a board, with the Origin of Heaven in its middle, rests on such flowers :-)

</edit>
Author:  gowan [ Wed Jul 09, 2014 3:34 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The feet on floor goban
The legs are modeled on the buds of the plant Gardenia floribunda which is known in Japan as Kuchinashi which means "without a mouth". It is thought to refer to the custom that onlookers should not make comments (not kibitz).
Author:  xed_over [ Wed Jul 09, 2014 3:53 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The feet on floor goban
gowan wrote:
The legs are modeled on the buds of the plant Gardenia floribunda which is known in Japan as Kuchinashi which means "without a mouth". It is thought to refer to the custom that onlookers should not make comments (not kibitz).

somebody ought to put that on Sensei's Library somewhere.
Author:  gowan [ Wed Jul 09, 2014 4:38 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The feet on floor goban
xed_over wrote:
gowan wrote:
The legs are modeled on the buds of the plant Gardenia floribunda which is known in Japan as Kuchinashi which means "without a mouth". It is thought to refer to the custom that onlookers should not make comments (not kibitz).

somebody ought to put that on Sensei's Library somewhere.


It's there, part of http://senseis.xmp.net/?TheGameOfGoTheN ... dAndStones
Author:  cloudbrows [ Wed Jul 09, 2014 8:17 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The feet on floor goban
What great answers. Thanks, everybody.

Though I'm sad that I misjudged the pictures... there would have been something very pleasing about heptagons.
Author:  EdLee [ Thu Jul 10, 2014 2:54 am ]
Post subject: 
gowan wrote:
Kuchinashi which means "without a mouth".
Just want to double check: the name of the plant is 梔子 (kuchinashi, gardenia floribunda),
which happens to be a homonym of 口なし, meaning "no mouth"/"mouthless"/"without a mouth" -- is this correct ?

Chicken and egg questions:

  • did they first pick the shape to resemble the plant
    and later noticed the homonym 口なし meaning;
  • were they using the saying 口なし first, then later noticed the homonym plant;
  • it was simultaneous;
  • the exact order is lost in history ? :)
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