The Weaver- Glessner Family had a box of mah jongg, a tradtional Chinese game, in their homes for many years. I took out the tiles or bricks a lot as a kid, and never knew what they meant or how to play. My sis, Jane, seems always "game" to try something new and I was most grateful for hear enthusiasm to learn this game and have fun with it, in her home, with her husband Don and son Ryan. So here is Jane, counting the tiles as I was reading the manual and really trying the game for the first time!
During this time, I was planning for my trip to Asia and China, and it was fun for me to look at this as a connection to my family and our history looking at other cultures. I thank Xiaosong Liu, AKA "Steven" from Tianjin near Beijing helped to light that fire as well. Xie xie ni, Xiaosong. Hope your journey to San Fran is going well. This rule book helped guide us to play the game and build the walls just one time about a year ago during the winter holidays. Hopefully we might attract someone who really KNOWS, how to play the game and put it into cultural perspective. I wonder if younger folks from China play it. I did not see much of it in my travels this year and I was only in Zhongguo (the central kingdom) for about 2 weeks.
Here is the cover of the box as it was manufactured in the 1920's. I wonder if the spirit of Dr Sun Yat Sen is in it. I was able to visit his presidential palace in Nanjing this year and his burial place. Interesting it is one of the few places where the Nationalist Chinese Flag is still allowed to be in the People's Republic. So grateful for my tour guide I had in Nanjing, Tony, who supported my learning about the local buses and transport there.
Here are Jane, Don and Ryan building the walls of the tiles in the Mah-Jongg game. Really grateful to be able to bring out this old family international game and give it new life!
Another view of the game as the wall is built.
Another view. Looking forward to finding the time and the right people to play this traditional game in the weeks ahead.
Thanks, xie xie ni for your kind consideration. Ziajian! See you later. All the best....Two spirited Tom with a foot in both worlds....
