When Ryan Lee first played Magong two years ago, he got a drug addict. He dug groups of the classic Chinese tile game from his parents ’house and brought them to San Francisco, where he began hosting the Magong nights in his apartment.
The gatherings became so common that the 25 -year -old American -Chinese American began to host Mahaong Packs in Restaurants, Boars and Night Clubs throughout San Francisco.
MahjongHe was invented in the nineteenth century in China, gaining popularity with a new generation of players looking to get out of their phones and social communication in the real world.
for me Luck Luck Leisure (YLL) Mahmoud Club It now hosts parties every two months with up to 30 tables and 200 guests. It attracts a varied young crowd attracted to the festive atmosphere and the live DJ and custom cocktails and an opportunity to meet new friends. Trainers are at hand to teach beginners.
“Many people are really fascinated, although they really don’t know how to play,” he told me. “There is a cultural element trying to communicate with him. It is like a cultural nostalgia.”
There was a 179 % increase in the MAHJONG events in the United States from 2023 to 2024, according to Eventbrite, a popular ticket application. The event platform says that Gen Z also shows increasing interest in other “Grannycore” activities such as baking workshops and needle circuits that occur in a non -connection mode.
In Mahjong, four players paint tiles and ignore them with different Chinese allowances, numbers and personalities. The goal is to build a winning hand from four groups of three and one husband.
“It is a truly touch game, it is a truly social game. It really builds society among people easily,” said Nicole Wong, writer and audio producer in Auckland. “It is a good way for my whole and not just on your phone.”
Wong learned how to play when her Chinese grandparents visited her in New Zealand in 2009. She found several years ago her parents ’table and gaming groups, and began hosting Magong nights with her friends.
In 2019, it was launched Mahjong ProjectAn educational guide and an oral history project inspired by her family’s love for the game. This prompted her to publish “Mahmoud: House Rules from all over the Asian diaspora”, a video book that explores the history of the game, its strategies, traditions and patterns of play.
“For the American -Asian society, I think there is an interest in communicating with your heritage and culture in a way that was not the case when you were bigger,” said Wong.
YLL MAHJONG has held nearly 20 events in San Francisco since it started last year. He told me it is an opportunity to introduce people to the game in addition to presenting business to local restaurants, bars and food sellers. Lee’s sister started hosting similar events in Los Angeles. There are plans to expand in other American cities.
“The demand is rising,” said Li, Administration Administration at the College of Business Administration. “It is not only attention to learn how to play Mahjong, but to find a third space or another society to do things.”
Joyce Yam, YLL MALLJONG Club Club Care Director, helps to manage the San Francisco events, which sells quickly and long waiting lists.
“We welcome people who have no experience in Mahajong at all, and we have TA who teach people how to play the game. They love it so much that they continue to return,” Yam said.
Ethan Fong, a Florida citizen living in San Francisco, started playing with friends two years ago. He saw this as a way to communicate with his Chinese heritage and make new friendships. It is regular in the events of the Baba House club in Auckland and YLL MAHJONG Club, as it volunteers to teach the new arrivals.
“It is not just a skill or mechanical game, it is an expression of your personality,” Fong said. “I am still playing because I have this goal that I will one day strike.”
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