9 Pin Zhi was an ancient Chinese ranking system

Go ranks and ratings

Skill in the traditional board game Go is measured by a number of different national, regional and online ranking and rating systems. Traditionally, go rankings have been measured using a system of dan and kyu ranks...

 for the game of Go

Go (board game)

Go , is an ancient board game for two players that originated in China more than 2,000 years ago...

, which first appeared in the 3rd century book Classic of Arts

Classic of Arts

The Classic of Arts was a 3rd century Chinese book written by Handan Chun on the various cultivated arts of ancient China. The book also briefly discussed some basics of the game of go, and it was the first to state the 9 Pin Zhi, a system for Go ranks and ratings...

by Handan Chun. He ranks 9 different Pin (levels) for Go players, from strong to weak:

夫围棋之品有九：There are 9 levels in go:

• 一曰入神 – 1 pin Being in the Spirit
• 二曰坐照 – 2 pin Seated in Enlightenment
• 三曰具体 – 3 pin Concreteness
• 四曰通幽 – 4 pin Understanding changes
• 五曰用智 – 5 pin Applying Wisdom
• 六曰小巧 – 6 pin Ability
• 七曰斗力 – 7 pin Fighting Strength
• 八曰若愚 – 8 pin Being Quite Inept
• 九曰守拙 – 9 pin Being Truly Stupid

九品之外，今不复云。

This system is loosely based on the Nine-rank system

Nine-rank system

The nine rank system , or much less commonly nine grade controller system, was a civil service nomination system during the Three Kingdoms and the Southern and Northern Dynasties in China...

(traditional Chinese: 九品中正制 or 九品官人法), used at the imperial court to rank the importance of officials.