Mahjong game gains popularity with intergenerational events

MONTEREY PARK, Calif (KABC) -- It's a centuries-old Chinese tile-game that's normally played at home during family gatherings, but in recent years, Mahjong has been gaining popularity at several gathering spaces across Southern California. One of those places is the Langley Center in Monterey Park.

The game involves players drawing and discarding tiles until they form sets based on characters and symbols. Win or lose, it's a good time, and more and more people are falling in love with the game thanks to organizations like Mahjong Underground. Brandon Klailee got invited to the social club by a friend.

"We go, and then he teaches me, and I got hooked. So I've been playing ever since," said Klailee.

For many, it's the look, feel and sound of the game.

"They're very esthetically pleasing. And the sound, people love the sound too. They love moving it around. They love shuffling. It's great for them," he said.

For Brandon, it comes down to connecting with others.

"The community is what kept me here, he said. "Everyone's very friendly, everybody's very nice."

Now, Mahjong is bringing people together young and old, through a monthly event at the Langley Center called Intergenerational Mahjong Series, put on by the Wan Collective.

You get a really good mix of meeting different people and different backgrounds. Really people you wouldn't have met otherwise," said Jaimie Wan, the organizer behind the Wan Collective.

Irene Leung-Astwood played Mahjong as a girl growing up in Hong Kong. Now she teaches the game to newcomers.

"I love it, and then it's good for them to mingle," she said.

Thirteen-year-old Asten Ng is one of the younger players that likes to come.

"If your cards are great, then you're probably going to win," he said.

Wan has big hopes for the game, including some inter-cultural events that bring people together.

"It's called Cha Cha Chow. It was a salsa, mahjong, and dominoes event. All in one. So you're going to see different types of events come that you don't expect, like different crossovers and celebrations of culture," Wan said.

The Wan Collective puts on Intergenerational Mahjong events once a month at the Langley Center and posts information on their Instagram page @wan.collective. Mahjong Underground hosts events throughout the month as well.