Traditions in Tile

The sound of tiles shuffling around a card table can only mean one thing: a game of mahjong is about to start. In the last five years or so, that sound has become louder and more frequent, with more and more people eager to learn. Celebrities ranging from Sarah Jessica Parker to Julia Roberts to Kelly Ripa have even picked up the game in recent years, a testament to the game’s growing popularity.

A COLORFUL HISTORY

While it might seem like mahjong is an ancient game, it is more modern than commonly thought. It was possibly derived from a popular tile game that flourished during the Ming Dynasty, but its exact origins are unknown. Modern Chinese mahjong started in the 1800s in China’s Yangtze River area and once trade routes were open, spread through the ports to other provinces. It became popular in urban areas like Shanghai and Beijing before being exported to the West in the 1920s as a gambling game. Joseph Park Babcock is often cited as the godfather of American mahjong. He simplified the Chinese rules, trademarked it and marketed the game as exotic and fashionable.

The Mahjong Line

The game saw a fleeting but very intense interest in the 1920s. However, the appetite for it waned quickly due to many competing sets of rules and regulations from different mahjong groups. In the 1930s, Jewish women in New York City resurrected the game and created the National Mah Jongg League, and the game spread to suburban households in the 1950s. While “mahjong” traditionally meant Chinese style and “mah jongg” meant American style, the two are now interchangeable.

In the 1970s, the game was standardized and unified further by the National Mah Jongg League, including its iconic annual Official Standard Hands and Rules Cards. In a tradition that began in the 1940s, these cards—now in their 88th year—are required for American-style mahjong play and introduce new winning hands each year. The National Mah Jongg League now has over 350,000 members and is responsible for the official American rules and for settling gameplay disputes.

HEAD IN THE GAME

“Mahjong stimulates the brain,” says Kate LeGere, who along with co-founder Annie O’Grady founded direct-to-consumer tile and accessories brand The Mahjong Line in 2020. “There’s such an emphasis today on brain health and longevity. We’ve all been learning about how to keep your brain sharp and exercise it frequently, and mahjong is a mindful way to do that.”

The social element is just as important in LeGere’s eyes. “It provides a reason to gather, and it can be formal or informal; with very close friends or a broader group. There’s a sense of community that comes with these opportunities and I think it’s incredible for growing friendships and meeting new people.”

Mahjong is an intelligent game that combines competitive play with socialization. A mahjong table is beautifully laid, often with colorful specialty tiles and mats. Hosts often like to coordinate drinks and food to create an atmosphere of fun and conviviality. “The game hits all of your senses: you eat good food, the tiles are beautiful and they feel smooth, and the sound of them moving around is pleasing,” says Shawn Martin, a mahjong instructor and the owner of Atlanta-based Rocket Mahjong.

Vintage mahjong set.

For Sea Island Club member Katie Knox, the game encompasses everything she wants in a social event. As a mom of three young kids who is short on time for learning new hobbies, she was pleased with how quickly she picked it up. “I love that it appeals to both women or men—my husband plays!— that you can have coffee or adult beverages, it can be played inside or outside…I enjoy the competitive setting,” she says.

A BIRD BAM IN HAND

For a casual onlooker, the sight of 152 tiles being shuffled around a card table might seem overwhelming, but instructors can usually teach novices and get a game going in under an hour.

Mahjong is a four-player game that, like poker or gin rummy, operates on the interplay between chance and skill. Chinese icons are visible in tiles’ “suits,” which include bamboos and circles, which represent ancient Chinese currency; arrows or “dragons,” which symbolize the ancient art of archery; and flowers, which represent the four Confucian plants, including chrysanthemum and orchid. “Mahjong” loosely translates to “game of sparrows” because the tiles mimic the sound of birds chirping and a single bamboo tile is often called a “bird bam” in homage. Additionally, there are other tiles to use for winning combinations as outlined by the Official Standard Hands and Rules Card that feature flowers, dragons and winds, or the points on a compass.

Dice are tossed to see who becomes the dealer. After the Charleston, or a tile-swapping dance in which players exchange tiles they don’t want or need, every player gets dealt a hand of 13, with the dealer getting 14 to begin the game. Players take turns drawing tiles and discarding them from a central wall in pursuit of certain lines as outlined on the card. Once a line is achieved, the winner shouts “Mahjong!”

While most Americans play American mahjong, there is another style more closely associated with the original Chinese game. Called Hong Kong style, it uses 144 tiles instead of 152 tiles, eliminating the jokers. There is no Charleston and no official card with rules. Hong Kong style allows for more flexible wins via various sets and pairs. It also has a more complex scoring system.

A SEAT AT THE TABLE

Martin’s own reconnection with mahjong began as a social one. “I had lived in Atlanta my whole adult life, and then my husband took a job in New York,” she explains. Her daughter had just left for college, and she took the opportunity to pursue a new interest. “I needed something to get me out of the house.”

Across the card table from her were women she said she didn’t have a lot in common with. “One had just had a grandbaby, one had lost her husband and the third was downsizing. But they became my life and my joy, to sit down and play the game together.” Similarly, LeGere met O’Grady over a mahjong table in their community before creating The Mahjong Line. The duo wanted something more focused on design and experience that fit their lifestyle to help encourage women to continue to play. “I wanted to create a brand, but also a community around that brand,” says LeGere. “We want to grow the game.”

Kacee Reagan, Sea Island Membership Sales Manager and mahjong fanatic, loves the sense of community the game brings and has been thrilled at how quickly the interest snowballed after Knox suggested starting a beginner group taught by two Sea Island Club members. Now, games pop up everywhere. “There’s a huge following here, and groups meet up in the Ladies’ Parlor Room at The Lodge, The Cloister Solarium, The Retreat Ballroom and The Beach Club,” she says.

An artful display of tiles from The Mahjong Line.

Martin thinks the game has staying power because it’s always been multi-generational, with tiles and instruction often passed down within families, but she’s particularly excited about the current boom. “People with no prior exposure are jumping in. It’s being played at restaurants, at bars and at home. Because of the rich history and unique flow of the game that lends itself to building bonds, it will survive with many players for generations to come.”