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All Fired Up: The art of modern ceramics

July 1997 was the end of an era – 150 years of colonial rule had just ended, the British Hong Kong “dragon and lion” flag was lowered to make way for not one, but two flags under the “one country, two systems” principle to be hoisted over the SAR. Every morning since then, China’s five-starred red flag and Hong Kong’s five-petalled, white bauhinia flower against the red backdrop, fly over the autonomous state.
The British colony-turned-Special Administrative Region of China has never flown an independent flag, but flags have played an integral role in its politics and history. Seven years ahead of the handover, the white bauhinia flower emblem was selected from thousands of submissions to be the centrepiece of the new Hong Kong flag.
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-65283" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/pink-bauhinia-flower-2021-08-29-07-35-58-utc.jpg" alt="The making of Hong Kong's national flag gafencu feature local culture " width="700" height="466" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/pink-bauhinia-flower-2021-08-29-07-35-58-utc.jpg 700w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/pink-bauhinia-flower-2021-08-29-07-35-58-utc-200x133.jpg 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/pink-bauhinia-flower-2021-08-29-07-35-58-utc-600x399.jpg 600w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/pink-bauhinia-flower-2021-08-29-07-35-58-utc-421x280.jpg 421w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/pink-bauhinia-flower-2021-08-29-07-35-58-utc-120x80.jpg 120w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/pink-bauhinia-flower-2021-08-29-07-35-58-utc-500x333.jpg 500w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/pink-bauhinia-flower-2021-08-29-07-35-58-utc-400x266.jpg 400w" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" />
The bauhinia – a genus of five-petalled flowering plants – already enjoyed an elevated status in the city, with our very own hybrid cultivar being the official flower since 1965. Named in the early 20th century after Sir Henry Blake, the 1898-1903 botany-loving Governor, it was deemed an apt representation of the place itself – a conglomeration of backgrounds and contrasts.
<blockquote>
&#8220;The hybrid nature of the plant is seen as symbolic of Hong Kong’s history and how the colony had drawn its strength first from Britain and then China&#8221;
</blockquote>
Bauhinia blakeana, or Hong Kong orchid tree, is distinguished by intense, pinkish-purple flowers that bloom from November to March. The fragrant, semi-evergreen flowering plant is an ideal streetscaping solution, but in a region which boasts a diverse flora including some 390 native tree species, the elevation to national emblem of a sterile cultivar of non-indigenous parents that propagates only by hand-grafting was met with some puzzlement. In Portraits of Trees of Hong Kong and Southern China, co-author Richard Saunders described this barren badge as an “arguably inauspicious” choice for a “city built on mixed Chinese and British heritage”.
Flag History
<figure id="attachment_65277" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-65277" style="width: 466px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-65277" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/golden-bauhinia-sculpture-2021-08-29-13-29-02-utc.jpg" alt="Golden Bauhinia sculpture the making of Hong Kong's national flag gafencu feature local culture" width="466" height="700" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/golden-bauhinia-sculpture-2021-08-29-13-29-02-utc.jpg 466w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/golden-bauhinia-sculpture-2021-08-29-13-29-02-utc-200x300.jpg 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/golden-bauhinia-sculpture-2021-08-29-13-29-02-utc-186x280.jpg 186w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/golden-bauhinia-sculpture-2021-08-29-13-29-02-utc-120x180.jpg 120w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/golden-bauhinia-sculpture-2021-08-29-13-29-02-utc-400x601.jpg 400w" sizes="(max-width: 466px) 100vw, 466px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-65277" class="wp-caption-text">The national flags of Hong Kong and China by the Golden Bauhinia Sculpture</figcaption></figure>
The new flag was on the drawing board as early as 1984, when the government called for design concepts that best reflected “the spirit of ‘one country, two systems’”. From among more than 7,000 submissions – many littered with dragons and stars – six sketches were shortlisted by a panel of judges, but they fell short of expectations. Thus, three of the jurists – architect Tao Ho, designer Hon Bing-wah and sculptor Van Lau – were asked to remedy the situation and submit a proposal.
<blockquote>
&#8220;The stylised flower is asymmetrical, and therefore its form implies movement, alluding to Hong Kong’s democratic energy and economic vitality&#8221;
</blockquote>
They put their heads together to envision an abstract design of white bauhinia petals in a clockwise motion on a red background, and it received the resounding approval of China’s National People’s Congress in 1990. Unlike the static symbol of the Urban Council, the post-handover emblem was admired for its lyrical, poetic interpretation of Hong Kong’s native flower.
“We had to avoid certain shapes like the crescent, which could be religiously sensitive,” explained Hon, fittingly a Bronze Bauhinia Star-winning artist. “A triangle enclosing a circle that suggests Lion Rock wasn’t lively enough. A sailboat couldn’t represent the whole of Hong Kong’s diverse communities. A dolphin wasn’t appropriate enough, while a dragon had varied resonances across cultures.”
<figure id="attachment_65279" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-65279" style="width: 700px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-65279" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Hand-drawn-designs-of-HK-Flag-2-Pic-Courtesy-Hon-Bing-Wah.jpg" alt="The making of Hong Kong's national flag gafencu feature local culture" width="700" height="466" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Hand-drawn-designs-of-HK-Flag-2-Pic-Courtesy-Hon-Bing-Wah.jpg 700w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Hand-drawn-designs-of-HK-Flag-2-Pic-Courtesy-Hon-Bing-Wah-200x133.jpg 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Hand-drawn-designs-of-HK-Flag-2-Pic-Courtesy-Hon-Bing-Wah-600x399.jpg 600w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Hand-drawn-designs-of-HK-Flag-2-Pic-Courtesy-Hon-Bing-Wah-421x280.jpg 421w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Hand-drawn-designs-of-HK-Flag-2-Pic-Courtesy-Hon-Bing-Wah-120x80.jpg 120w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Hand-drawn-designs-of-HK-Flag-2-Pic-Courtesy-Hon-Bing-Wah-500x333.jpg 500w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Hand-drawn-designs-of-HK-Flag-2-Pic-Courtesy-Hon-Bing-Wah-400x266.jpg 400w" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-65279" class="wp-caption-text">Hand drawn designs of the Hong Kong Flag. Photo courtesy: Hon-Bing-Wah</figcaption></figure>
Settling on the flower as a “neutral” choice, Hon has related that they were “inspired by the auspicious spiral patterns found in Chinese paper-cutting aesthetics” that thus “arranged the bauhinia flower’s five petals like a windmill, incorporating movements to symbolise that Hong Kong is an energetic city that never stops progressing forward.”
Shanghai-born, Harvard-educated Ho, whose legacy also includes the Arts Centre and the panda enclosure at Ocean Park, concurred. He wrote on his website: “The stylised flower is asymmetrical, and therefore its form implies movement, alluding to Hong Kong’s democratic energy and economic vitality. The red background represents China, and the five stars&#8230; hint at the integration of the ‘one country, two systems’ policy.” The respected architect passed away two years ago this month at the age of 82.
Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="//www.gafencushop.com/culturere-claiming-hongkong-a-history-changing-coastline/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reclaiming Hong Kong: A history of the changing coastline</a>
Flower Power
<figure id="attachment_65281" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-65281" style="width: 700px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-65281" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Legco-Flag.jpg" alt="legco building The making of Hong Kong's national flag gafencu feature local culture" width="700" height="466" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Legco-Flag.jpg 700w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Legco-Flag-200x133.jpg 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Legco-Flag-600x399.jpg 600w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Legco-Flag-421x280.jpg 421w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Legco-Flag-120x80.jpg 120w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Legco-Flag-500x333.jpg 500w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Legco-Flag-400x266.jpg 400w" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-65281" class="wp-caption-text">The national flag of Hong Kong and China side-by-side at the LegCo building</figcaption></figure>
Despite the name and appearance, the Hong Kong bauhinia isn’t an orchid, but rather a tree from the legume family, which includes the likes of peas and beans. The undoubtedly pretty petals were accidently discovered in 1880 by French Catholic missionary Jean-Marie Delavay while hiking in Pok Fu Lam. Fascinated by the brilliant magenta of its flowers, Delavay took a cutting and propagated it near Béthanie, then a sanatorium belonging to the French Mission. A few years later, the plant was offered to the Botanical Gardens.
Now abundant, it has been planted extensively throughout the territory since 1914. All Bauhinia blakeana are believed to have hailed from the French missionary’s ancestor tree, and since the Hong Kong orchid tree is sterile (bearing no seeds or fruit), each was cultivated by hand by someone who took the stock of an old tree, stuck it onto another root, and let the descendants grow from there.
Foreign Roots
<figure id="attachment_65278" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-65278" style="width: 700px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-65278 size-full" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Government-House-FLAG.jpg" alt="The making of Hong Kong's national flag gafencu feature local culture" width="700" height="466" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Government-House-FLAG.jpg 700w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Government-House-FLAG-200x133.jpg 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Government-House-FLAG-600x399.jpg 600w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Government-House-FLAG-421x280.jpg 421w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Government-House-FLAG-120x80.jpg 120w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Government-House-FLAG-500x333.jpg 500w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Government-House-FLAG-400x266.jpg 400w" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-65278" class="wp-caption-text">Government House on Government Hill in Central, the official residence of the Chief Executive of Hong Kong</figcaption></figure>
It’s not just this barren nature that makes the flower seem an unlikely choice as a symbol of Hong Kong; its parents also have no ties to the city. In 2005, Saunders traced the origins of Bauhinia blakeana by comparing its breeding system with those of other bauhinias. He confirmed that the cultivar is the result of hybridisation between two exotic plants: Bauhinia purpurea (the purple bauhinia or camel’s foot), a native of the Indian subcontinent and Myanmar, and Bauhinia variegata (the orchid tree or mountain ebony), found abundantly in China and East Asia.
Though its rise from flower pot to flag pole may have had some detractors, the fact that our bauhinia flourished in Hong Kong from overseas heritage will endear it to many citizens who share a similar origin story. The stylised white five-petal bauhinia flower amid a red field has fluttered in the morning breeze more often of late – in schools as well as government landmarks – flies over the city in a symbolic representation of the region’s ‘one country, two systems’ governing principle.
One person’s trash is another’s treasure. While Saunders and others may have objected to its selection, the Urban Council, which oversaw public services and facilities under British rule, unanimously praised the decision. Indeed, the body had adopted the bauhinia as its logo 25 years previously. The hybrid nature of the plant is seen as symbolic of Hong Kong’s history and how the city had drawn its strength first from Britain and then China.
Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="//www.gafencushop.com/the-peak-chronicling-the-ascent-of-asias-oldest-furnicular/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Pulse of the Peak: Chronicling the ascent of Asia’s oldest furnicular</a>
&nbsp;
(Text: Nikita Mishra Photos: Hon-Bing-Wah)

Culture Conversations History of Hong Kong's bauhinia flag gafencu culture

Culture Conversations: History of Hong Kong’s bauhinia flag

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In a city where restaurants rise and fall according to the admittedly fickle tastes of its discerning diners, Yung Kee is a singular success story. Indeed, the Cantonese eatery is something of an institution, having recently celebrated its 80th anniversary. Despite being internationally renowned today, its roots, however, are humble to the extreme.
<figure id="attachment_65211" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-65211" style="width: 700px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-65211 size-full" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Interior_Ground-Floor_2-copyrgb.jpg" alt="yung kee 2022 80 year anniverary gafencu dining renovation" width="700" height="466" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Interior_Ground-Floor_2-copyrgb.jpg 700w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Interior_Ground-Floor_2-copyrgb-200x133.jpg 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Interior_Ground-Floor_2-copyrgb-600x399.jpg 600w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Interior_Ground-Floor_2-copyrgb-421x280.jpg 421w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Interior_Ground-Floor_2-copyrgb-120x80.jpg 120w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Interior_Ground-Floor_2-copyrgb-500x333.jpg 500w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Interior_Ground-Floor_2-copyrgb-400x266.jpg 400w" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-65211" class="wp-caption-text">Newly renovated dining room at Yung Kee</figcaption></figure>
Having begun as a dai pai dong in 1936, Yung Kee moved to a sturdier location in Wing Lok Street in 1942. Two years later, though, during Hong Kong’s occupation by the Japanese, the site was razed by US bombers and had to be rebuilt. Two decades on, Yung Kee finally found its forever home on Wellington Street, and to mark its landmark 80th year, the restaurant underwent significant renovations.
<figure id="attachment_65213" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-65213" style="width: 700px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-65213" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Yvonne-Kam-Third-generation-owner.jpg" alt="Yvonne Kam, Third-generation owner yung kee 2022 80 year anniverary gafencu dining " width="700" height="466" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Yvonne-Kam-Third-generation-owner.jpg 700w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Yvonne-Kam-Third-generation-owner-200x133.jpg 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Yvonne-Kam-Third-generation-owner-600x399.jpg 600w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Yvonne-Kam-Third-generation-owner-421x280.jpg 421w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Yvonne-Kam-Third-generation-owner-120x80.jpg 120w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Yvonne-Kam-Third-generation-owner-500x333.jpg 500w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Yvonne-Kam-Third-generation-owner-400x266.jpg 400w" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-65213" class="wp-caption-text">Yvonne Kam, Third-generation owner of Yung Kee</figcaption></figure>
“With the new refurbishment, we’ve ensured that each floor provides a different type of atmosphere to suit diners’ different needs,” says third-generation owner Yvonne Kam. “The ground floor is more for light dining, while the first floor has a ’50s / ’60s teahouse vibe. At the top is our formal dining area, replete with a stunning Dragon Phoenix Hall. We’ve even interspersed various pieces of memorabilia and artworks from Yung Kee’s past, so it’s almost like eating within a majestic living-history museum – one that has evolved alongside the city’s rapid culinary development.”
Multiple nods to the restaurant’s legacy are indeed to be found, from the painstakingly restored handcrafted Italian tiles that were fitted on the first floor in 1964 and the original signage that now graces the contemporary bar area, to the beautifully maintained gold-plated, traditional dragon and phoenix statues and custom-made art punctuating the second-floor grand hall.
<figure id="attachment_65207" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-65207" style="width: 700px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-65207" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/20220207_161654.jpg" alt="dim sum yung kee 2022 80 year anniverary gafencu dining -1" width="700" height="466" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/20220207_161654.jpg 700w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/20220207_161654-200x133.jpg 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/20220207_161654-600x399.jpg 600w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/20220207_161654-421x280.jpg 421w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/20220207_161654-120x80.jpg 120w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/20220207_161654-500x333.jpg 500w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/20220207_161654-400x266.jpg 400w" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-65207" class="wp-caption-text">Yung Kee steamed shrimp and scallop dumpling</figcaption></figure>
Amid this august environment, we kick off our own tasting with a duo of signature dim-sum dishes – Steamed Shrimp and Scallop Dumpling and Supreme Soup Pork Dumpling. The former encompasses delightfully delicate oceanic flavours, while the latter features a single oversized dumpling brimming with soup and a soft pork stuffing.
<figure id="attachment_65209" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-65209" style="width: 700px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-65209" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/20220207_162354.jpg" alt="yung kee 2022 80 year anniverary gafencu dining 1" width="700" height="466" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/20220207_162354.jpg 700w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/20220207_162354-200x133.jpg 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/20220207_162354-600x399.jpg 600w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/20220207_162354-421x280.jpg 421w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/20220207_162354-120x80.jpg 120w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/20220207_162354-500x333.jpg 500w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/20220207_162354-400x266.jpg 400w" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-65209" class="wp-caption-text">Yung Kee Roasted Pigeon Legs and Stir-fried Pigeon Fillet</figcaption></figure>
Next to arrive is Roasted Pigeon Legs and Stir-fried Pigeon Fillet, an updated combination of two disparate dishes. Here, the plump bird’s legs have been deboned then sewn up, so not one iota of flavour or moisture can escape. Roasted to perfection, each mouthful combines succulent meat with crispy skin. The fillets, meanwhile, are beautifully tender, with the accompanying asparagus slivers and lily bulb petals adding a welcome textural element.
<figure id="attachment_65208" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-65208" style="width: 700px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-65208" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/20220207_161713.jpg" alt="yung kee 2022 80 year anniverary gafencu dining" width="700" height="466" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/20220207_161713.jpg 700w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/20220207_161713-200x133.jpg 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/20220207_161713-600x399.jpg 600w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/20220207_161713-421x280.jpg 421w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/20220207_161713-120x80.jpg 120w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/20220207_161713-500x333.jpg 500w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/20220207_161713-400x266.jpg 400w" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-65208" class="wp-caption-text">Yung Kee Crispy Toast with Mixed Shrimps and Lobster Tail</figcaption></figure>
Another new addition to the menu then hoves into view – Crispy Toast with Mixed Shrimps and Lobster Tail. An elevated interpretation of a dim-sum favourite (shrimp toast), this particular iteration sees the base layer of bread covered with a decadent lobster tail, which is then sprinkled with sakura shrimp for a dash of added texture. Crunchy yet subtly flavoured, this is a guaranteed hit for any shellfish aficionado.
<figure id="attachment_65210" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-65210" style="width: 700px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-65210" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/20220207_164812.jpg" alt="yung kee 2022 80 year anniverary gafencu dining goose" width="700" height="466" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/20220207_164812.jpg 700w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/20220207_164812-200x133.jpg 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/20220207_164812-600x399.jpg 600w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/20220207_164812-421x280.jpg 421w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/20220207_164812-120x80.jpg 120w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/20220207_164812-500x333.jpg 500w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/20220207_164812-400x266.jpg 400w" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-65210" class="wp-caption-text">Yung Kee Signature Charcoal Roasted Goose</figcaption></figure>
Rounding out our delicious tasting is a return to that Yung Kee classic – Signature Charcoal Roasted Goose. “The secret behind our iconic roast goose is our Chinese charcoal grill,” explains Kam. “We have the last remaining one in the CBD area, as the government no longer issues new licences for them. By slow-roasting the goose in it, the meat retains a succulent flavour while simultaneously being given a uniquely fragrant smokiness.”
That’s not all, though. The bird in question is no ordinary goose. It’s a purebred black-maned Chinese goose, carefully chosen for its juicy flesh, which is then bathed in a secret marinade that locks in extra flavour. The result is an explosion of fat, meat and saltiness with every bite – a powerfully addictive combination that keeps you coming back for more. Small wonder, then, that this dish, more than any other at Yung Kee, has kept eager epicureans in thrall across the decades.
<a href="http://yungkee.com.hk" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Yung Kee</a>. 32-40 Wellington Street, Central.&nbsp;(852) 2522 1624. <a href="http://yungkee.com.hk" target="_blank" rel="noopener">yungkee.com.hk</a>
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<h6>(Text: Tenzing Thoundup)</h6>

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After almost a year of waiting, the sixth generation Peak Tram is set to launch by summer 2022 — trundling up and down the heavily forested slopes of Victoria Peak for 133 years, we look back at colourful history and the old world charm of this meticulously designed modern classic…<a href="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/gafencu-the-peak-tram-reopening.jpg"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-61053" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/gafencu-the-peak-tram-reopening.jpg" alt="gafencu the peak tram reopening" width="700" height="466" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/gafencu-the-peak-tram-reopening.jpg 700w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/gafencu-the-peak-tram-reopening-200x133.jpg 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/gafencu-the-peak-tram-reopening-421x280.jpg 421w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/gafencu-the-peak-tram-reopening-120x80.jpg 120w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/gafencu-the-peak-tram-reopening-500x333.jpg 500w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/gafencu-the-peak-tram-reopening-400x266.jpg 400w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/gafencu-the-peak-tram-reopening-600x399.jpg 600w" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" /></a>
Trundling up and down the densely forested slopes of Victoria Peak for 133 years, the tramcar has long been the best way to see the sights from atop, to soak up the panoramic vistas and to absorb the boundless energy of a sleepless city that rises from sea level to Mid-Levels. For generations of families and millions of visitors, doing a weather check and then hopping on Asia’s oldest funicular railway to creak up to the Peak has been a holiday ritual.
<a href="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/the-history-of-the-peak-tram-hong-kong-gafencu.jpg"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-61059" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/the-history-of-the-peak-tram-hong-kong-gafencu.jpg" alt="the history of the peak tram hong kong gafencu" width="700" height="466" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/the-history-of-the-peak-tram-hong-kong-gafencu.jpg 700w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/the-history-of-the-peak-tram-hong-kong-gafencu-200x133.jpg 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/the-history-of-the-peak-tram-hong-kong-gafencu-421x280.jpg 421w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/the-history-of-the-peak-tram-hong-kong-gafencu-120x80.jpg 120w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/the-history-of-the-peak-tram-hong-kong-gafencu-500x333.jpg 500w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/the-history-of-the-peak-tram-hong-kong-gafencu-400x266.jpg 400w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/the-history-of-the-peak-tram-hong-kong-gafencu-600x399.jpg 600w" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" /></a>
Humble Beginnings 
Altitude is affluence in Hong Kong. By default, the higher you live, the wealthier you are. Mansions on the elite Victoria Peak make for some of the costliest real estate in the world. In the early years before the Peak Tram was constructed, just 30 or 40 well-heeled British families were in residence. From 1904 for nearly half a century, under a racially discriminatory ordinance passed by the colonial government, Chinese nationals were banned from living there unless they were domestic workers. Once that abhorrent European privilege changed in 1947, navigating the heavily forested slopes of the Peak was unequivocally possible because of the Peak Tram.
Pause for a moment and wonder how the people of the Peak functioned before the tram. With no speeding cars, mass transit system or fossil-fuelled vehicles, hauling up and down that staggering height for an arduous hour or more in sedan chairs, on horses, mules or on foot would undoubtedly have required beastly strength and, in the summer, buckets of sweat.
<a href="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/hong-kong-history-of-the-peak-tram-victoria-peak-gafencu.jpg"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-61055" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/hong-kong-history-of-the-peak-tram-victoria-peak-gafencu.jpg" alt="hong kong history of the peak tram victoria peak gafencu" width="700" height="466" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/hong-kong-history-of-the-peak-tram-victoria-peak-gafencu.jpg 700w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/hong-kong-history-of-the-peak-tram-victoria-peak-gafencu-200x133.jpg 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/hong-kong-history-of-the-peak-tram-victoria-peak-gafencu-421x280.jpg 421w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/hong-kong-history-of-the-peak-tram-victoria-peak-gafencu-120x80.jpg 120w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/hong-kong-history-of-the-peak-tram-victoria-peak-gafencu-500x333.jpg 500w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/hong-kong-history-of-the-peak-tram-victoria-peak-gafencu-400x266.jpg 400w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/hong-kong-history-of-the-peak-tram-victoria-peak-gafencu-600x399.jpg 600w" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" /></a>
More of a tourist attraction than a commuter train in today’s world, the Peak Tram climbs the 1.4km from Central in eight to 10 minutes, ascending a dizzying height of almost 400m, and navigating a 27-degree gradient on the most thrilling stretch of its single-track route. It is not only the most efficient route to the top but also the most picturesque. The journey in a boxy, burgundy carriage to the city’s best vantage points is a visual and visceral feast, revealing spellbinding views.
<a href="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/hong-kong-the-peak-tram-history-reopening-sixth-generation-hong-kong.jpg"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-61058" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/hong-kong-the-peak-tram-history-reopening-sixth-generation-hong-kong.jpg" alt="hong kong the peak tram history reopening sixth generation hong kong" width="700" height="466" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/hong-kong-the-peak-tram-history-reopening-sixth-generation-hong-kong.jpg 700w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/hong-kong-the-peak-tram-history-reopening-sixth-generation-hong-kong-200x133.jpg 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/hong-kong-the-peak-tram-history-reopening-sixth-generation-hong-kong-421x280.jpg 421w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/hong-kong-the-peak-tram-history-reopening-sixth-generation-hong-kong-120x80.jpg 120w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/hong-kong-the-peak-tram-history-reopening-sixth-generation-hong-kong-500x333.jpg 500w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/hong-kong-the-peak-tram-history-reopening-sixth-generation-hong-kong-400x266.jpg 400w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/hong-kong-the-peak-tram-history-reopening-sixth-generation-hong-kong-600x399.jpg 600w" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" /></a>
Most of the credit for the gravity-defying funicular goes to an enterprising Scot, Alexander Findlay Smith. A young entrepreneur with a background in railways, Smith arrived in Hong Kong in the 1860s and built the prestigious Peak Hotel atop the Victoria Peak in 1873. Fascinated by the potential of combining rails and wheels, he suggested the ambitious plan for a tramcar to increase trade for his hotel. 
Approval for the construction of tracks across the mountainous terrain was granted in 1882, allowing the colossal work of laying track to begin. Machine parts often weighing up to 136kg each were carried uphill by brute manpower. Six years of blood, sweat and tears later, the first generation of the Peak Tram was ready for its inaugural ascent.
<a href="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/the-peak-tram-gafencu.jpg"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-61062" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/the-peak-tram-gafencu.jpg" alt="the peak tram gafencu" width="700" height="466" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/the-peak-tram-gafencu.jpg 700w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/the-peak-tram-gafencu-200x133.jpg 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/the-peak-tram-gafencu-421x280.jpg 421w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/the-peak-tram-gafencu-120x80.jpg 120w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/the-peak-tram-gafencu-500x333.jpg 500w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/the-peak-tram-gafencu-400x266.jpg 400w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/the-peak-tram-gafencu-600x399.jpg 600w" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" /></a>
Crafted from varnished timber, the car had a seating capacity of 30 passengers; for many years the first two seats were reserved for the Governor of Hong Kong, whose summer house, Mountain Lodge, was then on the Peak. Some 800 passengers rode the tram on the first day, and 150,000 in the first year – to put this number into perspective, in 1888 that was the entire population of Hong Kong.
<a href="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/hong-kong-the-peak-tram-gafencu.jpg"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-61057" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/hong-kong-the-peak-tram-gafencu.jpg" alt="hong kong the peak tram gafencu" width="700" height="466" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/hong-kong-the-peak-tram-gafencu.jpg 700w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/hong-kong-the-peak-tram-gafencu-200x133.jpg 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/hong-kong-the-peak-tram-gafencu-421x280.jpg 421w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/hong-kong-the-peak-tram-gafencu-120x80.jpg 120w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/hong-kong-the-peak-tram-gafencu-500x333.jpg 500w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/hong-kong-the-peak-tram-gafencu-400x266.jpg 400w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/hong-kong-the-peak-tram-gafencu-600x399.jpg 600w" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" /></a>
A Slice of History 
A revolutionary feat of engineering for a genius mode of transport, the first Peak tramcars were powered by coal-fired steam. The original price for a first-class ride was 30 cents, with 20 cents for second-class seats and 10 cents for third class, and tickets for the return journey slashed by half. At the last count this year, a single ticket was HK$37, thousands of times higher than the early fare, but only the cost of a Starbucks latte for a vintage Hong Kong experience.
The nostalgic, colonial vibe of the tramway, with its characteristic wooden benches, hasn’t really changed in 133 years, nor indeed the necessity of queuing for hours at peak times to board a crammed carriage. But in tandem with the extraordinary vertical growth of the majestic city skyline, the technology and structure of the funicular itself has undergone a series of makeovers since it first set wheels on the hilly terrain. The power system switched to electric in 1926; the tramcars began their shift from wood to metal in 1948; and the colour of the carriages went from deep red to green and then back to burgundy. Since the fifth-generation Peak Tram (car capacity: 120) was rolled out in 1989, it has carried some 140 million people up and down for day trips, evening dinners and scenic strolls around the summit.
<a href="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/the-peak-tram-debut-hong-kong-gafencu.jpg"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-61061" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/the-peak-tram-debut-hong-kong-gafencu.jpg" alt="the peak tram debut hong kong gafencu" width="700" height="466" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/the-peak-tram-debut-hong-kong-gafencu.jpg 700w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/the-peak-tram-debut-hong-kong-gafencu-200x133.jpg 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/the-peak-tram-debut-hong-kong-gafencu-421x280.jpg 421w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/the-peak-tram-debut-hong-kong-gafencu-120x80.jpg 120w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/the-peak-tram-debut-hong-kong-gafencu-500x333.jpg 500w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/the-peak-tram-debut-hong-kong-gafencu-400x266.jpg 400w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/the-peak-tram-debut-hong-kong-gafencu-600x399.jpg 600w" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" /></a>
A Tramcar Called Nostalgia 
A further, highly anticipated modernisation has been underway. The massive HK$700 million facelift during the last eight months will reveal a passenger-capacity uptick to 210 and a weekend waiting-time cut from 90 minutes to a mere 17 minutes. The upper and lower terminuses will be extensively renovated to accommodate the bigger cars, and the control and signalling systems completely overhauled.
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-65121" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/hong-kong-the-peak-tram-6th-generation-2022.png" alt="hong kong the peak tram 6th generation 2022" width="700" height="466" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/hong-kong-the-peak-tram-6th-generation-2022.png 700w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/hong-kong-the-peak-tram-6th-generation-2022-200x133.png 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/hong-kong-the-peak-tram-6th-generation-2022-600x399.png 600w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/hong-kong-the-peak-tram-6th-generation-2022-421x280.png 421w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/hong-kong-the-peak-tram-6th-generation-2022-120x80.png 120w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/hong-kong-the-peak-tram-6th-generation-2022-500x333.png 500w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/hong-kong-the-peak-tram-6th-generation-2022-400x266.png 400w" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" />
An emblem of Hong Kong, the Peak Tram has withstood the ruins of the Second World War, survived epic hillside floods and braved the current pandemic. Before 2019, it recorded an annual ridership of six million – roughly 17,000 passengers a day – and even during the peak of Covid-19, patronage stood steady at one million. It’s one of the oldest forms of public transport and a slice of local history. 
Owned by the Hong Kong and Shanghai Hotels since 1971, the tramway is a landmark in the same ilk as the group’s grand-dame property, The Peninsula Hong Kong. It takes a place of pride in Hongkongers’ hearts. Hundreds of people queued for hours to ride in those iconic burgundy carriages one last time before the service closed at the end of June.
In a futuristic megapolis, the humble carriages of the Peak Tram are a reminder of the contrasts that define Hong Kong – of old and new, gritty and glossy – and they serve as a social bridge between the rich and the poor. Yes, you can whoosh to the top of the Peak in your Ferrari, but is it as enriching as chugging up in an ancient time capsule, wind caressing the hair as you reminiscence about the first tram journey you took as a child? The 10-minute ride to the top brings awe and perspective, changing more than just how you travel.
(Text: Nikita Mishra)

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Mahjong, a tile-based game with its origins lost in the mists of ancient China, has become, arguably, one of the most iconic manifestations of Hong Kong culture. Indeed, any local will inevitably have found themselves caught up in this engaging pastime at some point in their lives. Whether at a family gathering, a wedding or even at a funeral, the clash and clang of mahjong tiles and the frantic exclamations of “Pong” and “Mo” are backdrops to many childhood experiences. For many younger residents, however, it has only been by association that this centuries-old game has impinged on their lives, as it has most frequently come to be regarded as solely a diversion for the more elderly.
<a href="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/gafencu-magazine-culture-How-Mahjong-conquered-Hong-Kong-and-then-the-world...classic-set.jpg"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-57955" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/gafencu-magazine-culture-How-Mahjong-conquered-Hong-Kong-and-then-the-world...classic-set.jpg" alt="gafencu magazine culture How Mahjong conquered Hong Kong and then the world...classic set" width="700" height="466" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/gafencu-magazine-culture-How-Mahjong-conquered-Hong-Kong-and-then-the-world...classic-set.jpg 700w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/gafencu-magazine-culture-How-Mahjong-conquered-Hong-Kong-and-then-the-world...classic-set-200x133.jpg 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/gafencu-magazine-culture-How-Mahjong-conquered-Hong-Kong-and-then-the-world...classic-set-421x280.jpg 421w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/gafencu-magazine-culture-How-Mahjong-conquered-Hong-Kong-and-then-the-world...classic-set-120x80.jpg 120w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/gafencu-magazine-culture-How-Mahjong-conquered-Hong-Kong-and-then-the-world...classic-set-500x333.jpg 500w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/gafencu-magazine-culture-How-Mahjong-conquered-Hong-Kong-and-then-the-world...classic-set-400x266.jpg 400w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/gafencu-magazine-culture-How-Mahjong-conquered-Hong-Kong-and-then-the-world...classic-set-600x399.jpg 600w" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" /></a>
More recently, however, there have been signs that the generation that once spurned it is now embracing the game. At the same time, there are also indications that its appeal is spreading out well beyond Asia as it finds keen participants on a truly international basis. In fact, there are now more than 20 recognised variants of the game in different parts of the world, all of them involving slightly different rules of play and contrasting levels of difficulty.
<a href="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/gafencu-magazine-culture-How-Mahjong-conquered-Hong-Kong-and-then-the-world...hand-carved.jpg"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-57956" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/gafencu-magazine-culture-How-Mahjong-conquered-Hong-Kong-and-then-the-world...hand-carved.jpg" alt="gafencu magazine culture How Mahjong conquered Hong Kong and then the world...hand carved" width="700" height="466" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/gafencu-magazine-culture-How-Mahjong-conquered-Hong-Kong-and-then-the-world...hand-carved.jpg 700w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/gafencu-magazine-culture-How-Mahjong-conquered-Hong-Kong-and-then-the-world...hand-carved-200x133.jpg 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/gafencu-magazine-culture-How-Mahjong-conquered-Hong-Kong-and-then-the-world...hand-carved-421x280.jpg 421w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/gafencu-magazine-culture-How-Mahjong-conquered-Hong-Kong-and-then-the-world...hand-carved-120x80.jpg 120w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/gafencu-magazine-culture-How-Mahjong-conquered-Hong-Kong-and-then-the-world...hand-carved-500x333.jpg 500w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/gafencu-magazine-culture-How-Mahjong-conquered-Hong-Kong-and-then-the-world...hand-carved-400x266.jpg 400w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/gafencu-magazine-culture-How-Mahjong-conquered-Hong-Kong-and-then-the-world...hand-carved-600x399.jpg 600w" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" /></a>
Believed to have evolved in mainland China during the time of the Qing dynasty, mahjong actually had its roots in the dice and card games of the earlier Ming era. Indeed, it is actually an updated take on a classic card game known as Peng He Pai that became what we now recognise as mahjong. Before it took on its iconic tile styling, it was played in the form of a deck of cards with symbols and characters. As such cards were easily blown away by a passing gust or wildly scattered by the motion of the sea when playing aboard a boat, carving the deck onto tiles came to be seen as a more resilient means of play and one that came to dominate.
<blockquote>
“Frantic exclamations of ‘Pong’ and ‘Mo’ are the soundtrack to many Hong Kong childhoods”
</blockquote>
The game continued to grow in popularity across the country until 1949, when the People’s Republic of China imposed a national ban on card games and all other forms of gambling, with mahjong then vanishing from public sight until after the Cultural Revolution. It was this enforced hiatus that saw much of the history of the game forever lost. Once the game was again officially sanctioned, however, its popularity soared, with its fame being carried far and wide by Western visitors to China. In the wake of this, mahjong was introduced to the United States and its gradual move to becoming a global cultural phenomenon began.
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Today, it is a pastime enjoyed as far afield as China, Japan, the United States and even South Africa. Such is its popularity and ubiquity that it has become a bigscreen staple, taking all but starring roles in such international hits as Joy Luck Club and Crazy Rich Asians. Regardless of its growing global repute, however, mahjong remains, for Hongkongers at least, a game that inevitably unites people, while embodying the city’s cultural and societal values.
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How to Play 
Depending on your preferred version of the game, the number of players and tiles, as well as the exact rules and the form of winning hands, can vary considerably. The two constants, however, are the need for a mahjong table and a set of tiles. For the latter part, the tiles typically feature a range of characters and symbols that form what suits – bamboo, dots, characters (Simple), winds and dragons (Honours), flowers and seasons (Bonus).
The Set 
Hong Kong mahjong (otherwise known as Cantonese mahjong) consists of 144 tiles traditionally hand-carved on bone or ivory, a rare skill now that most modern sets are mass produced in plastic. There are, of course, many premium, luxury sets, frequently adorned with gems and fashioned from precious metals, with both Hermès and Louis Vuitton offering intriguing variants.
The tables, too, can be found in a variety of styles. While square boards that can be placed on a flat surface remain the most popular, there are even several high-tech incarnations, one of which incorporates a robo-shuffling function.
The Gameplay 
Although commonly involving four participants, the absence of a fourth doesn’t necessarily preclude playing the game In fact, Korean mahjong is often played with just three players. As for the tiles, different variations may omit or include various tiles, as is the case with American mahjong, which typically sees the addition of a ‘joker’ tile. In Cantonese mahjong, however, four players are the standard, with 144 tiles used.
At the start of each round, the tiles are ‘washed’ (shuffled) facedown, before being arranged into a wall of 36 tiles in an even stack of two rows in front of every player. Each player begins with 13 tiles in their hand, from which they then proceed to draw and discard tiles in a bid to form a winning hand.
Winning 
In Cantonese mahjong, a successful hand consists of 14 tiles in any of the four winning combinations: Pong (three identical tiles), Kong (four identical tiles), Chow (three simple tiles all of the same suit in numerical sequence) or Eyes (two identical tiles). Compiling any such hand involves a mixture of skill, calculation and good fortune. 
Although there are more than two dozen ways to play mahjong, with different rules and scoring systems, the objective remains the same – to create a complete hand with more points than any of your opponents.
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MAHJONG AROUND THE WORLD
Cantonese Mahjong 
Overall, Hong Kong mahjong (also known as Cantonese mahjong) remains the most popular version of the game. Viewed as faster-paced, more competitive and more challenging than other versions, it is the choice of the most skilled players and those who most enjoy the thrill of gameplay.
Chinese Classical Mahjong 
Another significant iteration of the game is classical Chinese mahjong (or Chinese Official mahjong), the oldest version of mahjong. Although legitimised by an international rulebook issued by the Sports Committee of the People’s Republic of China in January 1998 as means of standardising the game in all global competitions, it is still not as commonly played in China as its Cantonese counterpart.
Western Classical Mahjong 
Western classical mahjong is basically an American form of game play established in the ’20s. Featuring the most dramatic variants of any incarnation of the game, it includes the use of joker tiles and melds of five or more tiles (instead of three or four). It is this version that is favoured by American Mahjong League and has also found popularity in such US-friendly territories as the Philippines.
Sichuan and Other Mahjong 
Sichuan mahjong, by contrast, is the simplest iteration of the game and acts as a good introduction for those new to the game and keen to learn the basics. It uses only 136 tiles (discarding the flower suit).
Other iterations that have significant differences are Japanese mahjong, in which the rules of declaring rīchi (ready hand) and dora (bonus tiles) are somewhat unique. Taiwanese mahjong, meanwhile, sees players hold 16 tiles per hand (instead of 13), while Korea’s iteration of the game excludes the use of the bamboo suit entirely and also relaxes its scoring system in a significantly stripped down version to the Cantonese and classical versions.
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