Hai Yang

Yang is friendly, perceptive and intellectually curious. He enjoys languages and computer technology alongside Go, giving him interests broader than those of many professionals whose lives revolve almost entirely around the board.

He pays close attention to psychology. When Isumi arrives in China burdened by his previous failures, Yang recognizes that stronger Go alone will not solve the problem unless Isumi learns to control his emotions during important games.

Yang can also be mischievous in trying to manipulate circumstances. His attempts to give Isumi a psychological advantage do not always please Isumi, who wants to succeed through his own play.

Yang is an 8-dan Chinese professional, placing him among the country's experienced high-ranking players.

His expertise extends into computer Go. He follows attempts to develop software capable of playing the game and is interested in how technological progress might eventually challenge assumptions about human Go.

He is also multilingual, speaking Japanese, Korean and English in addition to Chinese. That ability makes him particularly useful in international Go settings.

Yang meets Isumi when the Japanese insei travels to China after failing the professional examination. He offers Isumi accommodation and helps him integrate into the Chinese Go environment.

More importantly, Yang helps Isumi recognize his psychological weaknesses. Playing strong Chinese professionals gives Isumi new experience, while Yang's guidance helps him stop allowing individual mistakes or losses to destroy his concentration.

Yang later appears in connection with the Hokuto Cup, where his international experience and language skills fit naturally into the Chinese delegation.

Shinichirou Isumi becomes Yang's friend and guest during his stay in China. Yang helps Shinichirou Isumi rebuild his confidence and develop greater emotional control.

Le Ping is one of the young Chinese professionals around Yang. Yang uses games involving Le Ping to challenge Isumi's mental approach.

Atsushi Kurata is a Japanese professional Yang knows through the international Go world.

Yoshitaka Waya later surprises Yang because of his strong physical resemblance to Le Ping.