Mahjong culture

[3] After the end of Mao's control, mahjong became popular again in the country as government and social reforms changed and became less restrictive.

Mahjong, outside of being a game, is also widely considered to be a social activity that has been used to build relationships and create a sense of community.

[4] In China, mahjong is closely related to teahouse culture where players gather to play and socialize.

[7] Additionally, arranging the table at an angle, unaligned with the surrounding walls, is said to promote good fortune by aligning it with the mahjong ghosts.

Mahjong was marketed as an exotic and mystical game played in ancient China and it quickly gained popularity.

The change is thought to be brought on by “the merging of American gendered ideas of Chinese culture with the strengthened association of women as archetypal consumers.

Hoping to revitalize the game, a group of Jewish women from New York established the national Mah-Jongg League.

By the mid-20th century, after World War II, Mahjong games became lodged in many Jewish-American families, offering a space for socializing, networking, and entertainment.

In the Philippines, games of mahjong are played graveside as a form of honoring the dead, specifically on All Souls’ Day.