Familiar Hong Kong sound of mahjong tiles may be fading as more young people shun game
Only one in 50 young people in Hong Kong played the traditional Chinese table game at least once a week last year
The clack of shuffling mahjong tiles is a familiar sound in Hong Kong neighbourhoods, but a new study suggests it may be a fading phenomenon.
Only one in 50 young people in Hong Kong played the traditional Chinese table game at least once a week last year, down from one in 12 only five years ago, according to a survey which highlighted the declining popularity of the pastime.
Among the local population at large, only 18 per cent of Hongkongers between 18 and 64 years old sat down monthly for a game in 2017, compared with 28 per cent in 2012.
A veteran mahjong craftsman blamed the dwindling interest on the variety of entertainment options available these days, but a student who founded a “mahjong study society” at his university disagreed.
For decades, gathering a group of four players around a square table for a game of mahjong has been a favourite activity for Hongkongers.
The game is seen as a symbol of family bonds in Chinese society, as it is commonly played during festivals such as Lunar New Year and at wedding banquets.
