Mahjong is as popular in the United States as ever, probably the most popular the game has ever been here. The Wall Street Journal last month declared American mahjong an obsession. It's no different here. When I did a quick survey online, I found regular mahjong classes and events in Bella Vista, Fayetteville, Rogers, Centerton, Bentonville and Fort Smith. There's a group that will bring a mahjong party to you, and later this month there will be a night devoted to Chinese mahjong at Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art. It's sponsored by Jade Bridge Culture Center. That center is dedicated to fostering understanding and community in the region through Chinese culture and the arts.
We reached out to our friend Kat Ran at the center. She visited with us earlier this year, just before the center's Lunar New Year celebration, and we wanted to ask her about mahjong, Chinese mahjong and the event specifically on July 23, she says.
That night is billed as Chinese Mahjong Night. Same tiles, different rules.
Ran: I can say American mahjong is involved from Chinese mahjong. So they use the same tiles, but because they have different traditions, different cultures, they just have different ways to play. So that's why we would like to introduce this to an American audience here. In American mahjong, they have different ways to use that, but for Chinese mahjong, it's just more like a way to gathering people together and have conversations with each other. That's a little bit different.
Kellams: And the event at Crystal Bridges, it says, it doesn't matter what your experience is with mahjong. You can show up?
Ran: Of course, of course, because we would like to make the event a welcoming thing for everyone. So we will have a demonstration table. Visitors can watch a game in progress, and also hear the sound of the mahjong tiles and ask questions before drawing. And we also have a two beginner learning table. We have volunteers to teach basic rules and strategies of Chinese mahjong. And for the participants who are ready to try playing, or have beginner play table, so they can experience a real game with support from volunteers. And also for the families with young kids, we prepared some mahjong themed coloring activities for them, so when the parents learn the game, the kids can explore mahjong symbols or some Chinese culture at the same time.
Kellams: I know many people who have discovered this game in the last couple of years, the American rules. I'm assuming public libraries are hosting nights. It's become very popular in Northwest Arkansas. I've always been intimidated, Kat, because it looks like it might be difficult to learn. Is it?
Ran: Mm. I don't think it's difficult. If someone has been exposed to American mahjong, they will feel transportation is not that complicated, I think, because for American mahjong, I think they typically use a yearly card with specific hand combinations. But Chinese mahjong usually don't use cards. People just build their hands more flexible. So if they have some experience of American mahjong, they will have been familiar with the tiles. I think it's easier for them to learn the rules.
Kellams: What about those of us who haven't even played American mahjong? Can we pick it up?
Ran: I think so. It's not that hard. I think sometimes people feel very frustrated because they see, they may see some Chinese characters from the tiles, so it makes them feel so complicated. So for the beginning, this event is more designed for beginners. We take out the complicated characters a lot. So we just use, I can say, three major stats of the mahjong tiles.
Kellams: I take it that it's much more than a game in the social aspect. It makes me think of the games that I learned when I was maybe in high school or college, card games like spades, where there was a winner. It was somewhat competitive, but the idea was to get with friends and catch up with each other.
Ran: Yeah, that's why we would like to introduce mahjong here, because mahjong is one of the best example of everyday Chinese culture for Chinese families. Mahjong is just the part of holidays or Chinese reunions, like we talk about Chinese New Year before. So that's a big part of Chinese New Year gatherings. People just visit relatives and spend time with neighbors and friends and playing mahjong. So we are very familiar with the sound of mahjong.
Kellams: That's just like you said, the board games. That's a way to have people connect and get together with each other. So you play, obviously?
Ran: Of course. Yeah. When I was young, my family, yeah, they taught me how to play. And for the holiday gatherings, we play together.
Kellams: Would you consider yourself a pretty good player?
Ran: I don't think I'm a good player, so that's why I'm sure it's for everyone.
Kellams: I love that. All right, so this is taking place on July 23 from 6 until 8 at Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art. What does someone have to do to make sure they can participate?
Ran: I don't think they need to do anything, but for the participants, this event will be in the new community spaces of a museum's extension areas. So I think for them, don't prepare anything but come to enjoying the new places of Crystal Bridges.
Kat Ran is with Jade Bridge Culture Center, the sponsor of the Night of Chinese Mahjong, taking place at Crystal Bridges in Bentonville on Thursday night, July 23 from 6 until 8. It's officially called Chinese Mahjong Night: Same Tiles, Different Rules. We talked last week. This is Ozarks at Large.
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