Mahjong for fun and fellowship
Four ladies in The Canyons neighborhood meet every other Thursday for fellowship and to play Mahjong, a 19th century game with 144 tiles that originated in China.
“My dad taught me how to play his favorite game, and my neighbors wanted to learn, so we started a regular Mahjong meet-up,” stated Susan Bicket.
Although there are many variations of Mahjong, the foursome plays the Filipino version, which is much like the Rummy card game. The goal is to have five sets of three tiles and a pair to win, which is a “Mahjong,” explained Susan.
The word Mahjong means “sparrow” in some Chinese dialects, which is a nod to the sound the tiles make when they are shuffled, but Susan said that to them, the shuffling sounds like rain.
“We enjoy learning about the different symbolic meanings of the tiles. For example, the red dragon represents success and the bamboo is said to symbolize longevity,” Susan concluded.
The Mahjong foursome meets bimonthly in The Canyons. From left to right: Susan Bicket (front), Molly Camper, Debbie Seiden and Carol Gross.
By Hollen Wheeler; photo courtesy of Susan Bicket
