Do you know what Chinese people love to do when they're bored? Or which game in China always needs four players to play? And what game can get people so hooked they can't stop? That's right—Mahjong!
In our last workshop, we introduced everyone to a classic part of Chinese culture—Mahjong. But Mahjong is more than just a game; it's a cultural icon! Mahjong originated in China and has been around for hundreds of years. There are many stories about how Mahjong came to be, but many scholars believe it evolved from an old card game called "Madiao" and eventually turned into the Mahjong we know today.
At a Mahjong table, four players sit together for an exciting battle of wits. There are 144 tiles in a full set—sounds like a lot, right? But don't worry! Mahjong tiles are mainly divided into five categories: Circle (筒), Bamboo (条), Character (万), Winds (风), and Dragons (箭). The dealer starts with 14 tiles, and the other three players each have 13. The goal is to arrange your tiles into a winning hand, called "Hu." When you "Hu," you win!
You might wonder, who came up with the designs for these tiles? Is there a fun story behind them? You're right, there is! Here's the version we shared in our workshop: Once upon a time, in Taicang, Jiangsu Province, there was a large grain storage filled with rice. To protect the rice from being eaten by sparrows, the officials in charge invented bamboo tiles called "Sparrow Tiles" or "Maque Pai." At first, these tiles were used to keep records and exchange rewards. The tiles had different designs, like "Wan" (representing money as a reward), "Tiao" (representing a string of caught sparrows), and "Tong" (a symbol that might look like the cross-section of a rifle). Over time, these bamboo tiles transformed into the Mahjong tiles we use today!
The fun of Mahjong is that winning isn't just about strategy and brains; you also need a bit of luck! To make it even more exciting, we created a Quiz Bingo game during the workshop to see how well everyone remembered the Mahjong rules and to give a taste of how skill and luck go hand in hand in winning the game!
In our busy lives, Mahjong is a great way to relax and relieve stress. Now you know why everyone in China, young and old, can't resist the fun of Mahjong!
If you missed our Mahjong workshop, make sure to set aside time for our next Mid-Autumn Festival workshop, where you'll get to make ice mooncakes by hand! Don't miss out!
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