摘要
MID-SPRING till the end of autumn is the mahjong (or majiang as it is pronounced) season in China. Courtyards in modern high-rises resound to the clacking of tiles being shuffled and arranged, and the occa-
MID-SPRING till the end of autumn is the mahjong （or majiang as it is pronounced） season in China. Courtyards in modem high-rises resound to the clacking of tiles being shuffled and arranged, and the occasional cry of ＂Hula!＂ （I win!）. Majiang is a highly addictive game of chance for four players. It is not uncommon for gaming sessions to carry on for 20 hours or more, as demonstrated in the famous Wong Kar-Wai movie In the Mood for Love, when the main character＇s neighbors play majiang non-stop for several days. These days it is a game that is played not only on the narrow streets of Chinese cities, but nearly everywhere in Asia. There are also majiang websites visited by virtual communities of mahjong devotees, and shops both real and virtual that sell mahjong sets fashioned out of anything from chocolate to jade to ivory.
