All about mahjong: Hong Kong parlour inducts newbies to beloved game

Hongkonger Angus Hung Yiu-leung had never stepped foot inside a mahjong parlour despite having played the famous Chinese game for almost his whole life.

So when he heard that the Hong Kong Mahjong Company was hosting an open house, he decided to take a chance on it.

Entering the parlour in Wan Chai, he was pleasantly surprised to be greeted by the lively sounds of clacking tiles, punctuated by bouts of laughter and cheering from about 30 people there.

“I used to imagine mahjong parlours to be smoky dens associated with gangs,” said Hung, who is in his early forties and works in insurance.

He recalled hearing rumours of people having their hands chopped off if they were caught cheating.

“But it is really just a comfortable venue for entertainment,” he said.