She loves Mah Jongg because it allows her to socialize with close friends while playing with beautiful tiles. It kept the elders’ minds sharp while the young, envious of the seniors’ skill, joined in hoping to one day reach that level of accomplishment. This is the first book to fully capture the story of the exotic and exciting game of Mahjong or "Mah Jongg," offering an intimate look at the history of the game as well as the visual beauty of the tiles.

Finding few references, Israel and Swain set out to create a book that chronicles the early beginnings of the game and documents Mahjong sets from the most basic, made of paper, to the most precious materials such as ivory and mother-of-pearl. Gregg Swain, a graduate of Smith College with a Major in Art History, grew up in New York City where she nurtured her love of art. As a mahjong carver, it’s imperative all tiles are identical otherwise players can cheat using irregular tiles as markers.Keep in mind that anyone can view public collections—they may also appear in recommendations and other places. On display will be a precious collection of exhibits, including rare century-old mahjong tiles hand-carved from ox bones; Japanese bamboo-backed tiles dating back to the 1970s; and hand-carved sets from Hong Kong with which production has already ceased, alongside rare catalogues and books that look into the art of the game. Anyone who has ever been intrigued by a Mah Jongg tile will find in these pages visually stunning photographs that will entice them into becoming an enthusiast of the timeless game of Mah Jongg. Choose from different variants to either give yourself a challenge or for a more casual and relaxing mahjong experience.

Thousands of social media users took to various platforms to express their outrage at the whitewashing of a game which is generally understood as a central pillar of Chinese culture. He had moved to Hong Kong from Macau as a youngster, cutting his teeth at one of the largest mahjong retailers on the well-known Canton Road in Tsim Sha Tsui, steadily learning the trade which he would pass down to his son. Since it’s too difficult to learn and requires many years to polish the skills, it is very hard to pass on the skills – it’s a dying art indeed. And like many Hong Kong residents, Ricky understands mahjong making as part of its “intangible cultural heritage,” though one that is gradually disappearing with its retiring elders.As one person wrote: “You threw out thousands of years of culture to make a quick buck,” while another wrote, “My culture is not some cheap colouring book that can be filled in and be ‘made pretty’ by the standards of privileged teenyboppers. Anyone who has ever been intrigued by a Mahjong tile will find in these pages visually stunning photographs that will entice them into becoming an enthusiast of the timeless game of Mahjong. Whether used as a reference or a beautiful keepsake, it's a very worthy addition to the world of Mah Jongg.