I first heard the click of mahjong tiles in the Philippines as a child--and now my mom is learning to play -- from another white American woman. Thank you for taking the time to reveal more to appreciate about the culture and the game. I was a bit appalled at the "subscribe for the annual update" model.
I grew up playing Mahjong for fun - HK rules • Miss playing it • in Japan they have the Riichi version which has 136 tiles but the patterns on the tiles are the traditional ones 🥰 all I remember was that big scandal during the pandemic about the American company “the mahjong line” founded by 3 Caucasian women who just made the tackiest, plastic, cheap, neon colored tiles that looked horrific & made fun of the original meanings behind the design 🤮 then reading about how it was American Mahjong where the game had literally been simplified/dumbed down coz the original rules were too complicated 🤦🏻♀️& the tiles larger with pretty pictures • ignoring the whole aspect that half the skill/fun was tracing your thumb/fingers over the tile pattern without seeing it but instantly knowing what tile you held • the strategy & complexity of not only playing your tiles but tricking the other players made it so interesting • do you play for the easy classic win or try for one of the rarer hands 🤩 love that it’s become an outlet for community & fun in America but how amazing would it have been if they had embraced the original game fully from the get go
Thank you so much for amplifying our collective voices! The LA Mahjong League is so proud to be showing up for our people, and we truly feel honored to be stewards of this game we love.
We should play next time we meet! And I didn’t learn it until I was 13 I think. The same reason that my family doesn’t allow me to learn like yours. But it is fuuuun game.
The social part of it is the most interesting thing to me. And the sound of it can be my asmr. I love how people show their personalities while playing, and how the drama, the gossip all come to the table.
I have some friends here sometimes organize us to play as well, and some from the south or north of China, all play with different rules. I am fascinated.
I am not so good at playing it, but it is almost like hotpot to me, it was for the atmosphere.
Enjoy your time in Shanghai! I will go back in July, can’t wait to be in the dirty-sweaty-Shanghai style summer. Can’t believe it is my nostalgia now 😁💕
I first heard the click of mahjong tiles in the Philippines as a child--and now my mom is learning to play -- from another white American woman. Thank you for taking the time to reveal more to appreciate about the culture and the game. I was a bit appalled at the "subscribe for the annual update" model.
I grew up playing Mahjong for fun - HK rules • Miss playing it • in Japan they have the Riichi version which has 136 tiles but the patterns on the tiles are the traditional ones 🥰 all I remember was that big scandal during the pandemic about the American company “the mahjong line” founded by 3 Caucasian women who just made the tackiest, plastic, cheap, neon colored tiles that looked horrific & made fun of the original meanings behind the design 🤮 then reading about how it was American Mahjong where the game had literally been simplified/dumbed down coz the original rules were too complicated 🤦🏻♀️& the tiles larger with pretty pictures • ignoring the whole aspect that half the skill/fun was tracing your thumb/fingers over the tile pattern without seeing it but instantly knowing what tile you held • the strategy & complexity of not only playing your tiles but tricking the other players made it so interesting • do you play for the easy classic win or try for one of the rarer hands 🤩 love that it’s become an outlet for community & fun in America but how amazing would it have been if they had embraced the original game fully from the get go
Beautiful piece! What an honor to be apart of this narrative and to drive it forward alongside my peers! ❤️🔥
Beautifully written, Laura!
Thank you so much for amplifying our collective voices! The LA Mahjong League is so proud to be showing up for our people, and we truly feel honored to be stewards of this game we love.
May the winds be ever in your favor 🀄️♥️
Well written Laura!
We should play next time we meet! And I didn’t learn it until I was 13 I think. The same reason that my family doesn’t allow me to learn like yours. But it is fuuuun game.
The social part of it is the most interesting thing to me. And the sound of it can be my asmr. I love how people show their personalities while playing, and how the drama, the gossip all come to the table.
I have some friends here sometimes organize us to play as well, and some from the south or north of China, all play with different rules. I am fascinated.
I am not so good at playing it, but it is almost like hotpot to me, it was for the atmosphere.
Enjoy your time in Shanghai! I will go back in July, can’t wait to be in the dirty-sweaty-Shanghai style summer. Can’t believe it is my nostalgia now 😁💕
Love from Lund Sweden!