The Chinese World Champions

This interesting photo was published at Chinese portal site Sina. It shows all 15 Chinese Go players that have ever won at least one Go world championships.

The Chinese world champions

The back row players (younger ones) are: Piao Wenyao, Fan Tingyu, Jiang Weijie, Mi Yuting, Shi Yue, Tuo Jiaxi, Zhou Ruiyang, Chen Yaoye, Tang Weixing. The front row players (more senior ones) are: Kong Jie, Luo Xihe, Ma Xiaochun, Yu Bin, Chang Hao, Gu Li.

Of course, this photo, taken back in 2014, does not include Ke Jie, the latest and 16th Chinese world champion.

List of Chinese world champions (update in January 2016, 30 titles in total)

Champion # titles Date Term Event Score Runner-up
Ke Jie 3 2016-01 2nd Mlily Cup 3:2 Lee Sedol
2015-12 20th Samsung Cup 2:0 Shi Yue
2015-01 2nd Bailing Cup 3:2 Qiu Jun
Tuo Jiaxi 1 2014-02 18th LG Cup 2:1 Zhou Ruiyang
Tang Weixing 1 2013-12 18th Samsung Cup 2:0 Lee Sedol
Mi Yuting 1 2013-12 1st Mlily Cup 3:1 Gu Li
Chen Yaoye 1 2013-06 9th Chunlan Cup 2:1 Lee Sedol
Fan Tingyu 1 2013-03 7th Ing Cup 3:1 Park Jungwhan
Shi Yue 1 2013-02 17th LG Cup 2:0 Weon Seongjin
Zhou Ruiyang 1 2013-01 1st Bailing Cup 3:0 Chen Yaoye
Jiang Weijie 1 2012-02 16th LG Cup 2:0 Lee Changho
Piao Wenyao 1 2011-02 15th LG Cup 2:0 Kong Jie
Kong Jie 3 2010-07 23rd Fujitsu Cup 1:0 Lee Sedol
2010-02 14th LG Cup 2:0 Lee Changho
2009-12 14th Samsung Cup 2:0 Qiu Jun
Gu Li 8 2015-06 10th Chunlan Cup 2:0 Zhou Ruiyang
2010-12 15th Samsung Cup 2:1 Heo Yongho
2009-05 1st BC Card Cup 3:1 Cho Hanseung
2009-02 13th LG Cup 2:0 Lee Sedol
2009-01 4th Toyota Cup 2:0 Piao Wenyao
2008-07 21st Fujitsu Cup 1:0 Lee Changho
2007-03 6th Chunlan Cup 2:0 Chang Hao
2006-04 10th LG Cup 3:2 Cheng Yaoye
Luo Xihe 1 2006-01 10th Samsung Cup 2:1 Lee Changho
Chang Hao 3 2009-06 7th Chunlan Cup 2:0 Lee Changho
2007-01 11th Samsung Cup 2:0 Lee Changho
2005-03 5th Ing Cup 3:1 Choi Cheolhan
Yu Bin 1 2000-05 4th LG Cup 3:1 Yoo Changhyuk
Ma Xiaochun 2 1995-08 8th Fujitsu Cup 1:0 Kobayashi Koichi
1995-05 6th Tongyang Securities Cup 3:1 Nie Weiping

Note the list of young players holding one title each. They storm the Go scene after 2011. When they won all six international titles in 2013, the Chinese central TV channel surprisingly gave the most prestigious sport personality of the year award to all of them. Chinese media vividly call them "[wolf] pack with one title". They form the backbone of Chinese Go, or 'thickness' using a Go term. However the media have since been speculating who would break though from the pack and become the next leader. 

Now, Ke Jie does look like the best candidate becoming the next leader.