The youngest son of the Wan family—seventh in line—grew up surrounded by merchants, but Wan Zhi'an was always …
The youngest son of the Wan family—seventh in line—grew up surrounded by merchants, but Wan Zhi'an was always a bit of an oddball. At his first birthday ceremony, instead of reaching for the brushes, ink, paper, bows, or swords laid out before him, he made a beeline for the chessboard. Twelve years later, he faced off against a national chess master. Their match ended in a draw, which instantly made Wan Zhi'an a teenage sensation throughout Kaifeng. But, as the saying goes, water overflows when the cup is full, and the moon wanes when it's at its brightest. That same year, a boy with the bearing of a chess genius left an indelible mark on Wan Zhi'an's otherwise perfect life.