Did you know that Julia Roberts plays mahjong regularly? At least that’s what she told Stephen Colbert in an interview on his talk show last year. That just goes to show the extent to which this fast-paced game of Chinese origins has spread and why you really should take it up! If you want to take up lessons to learn how to master this fascinating game, check out this article.
As a mahjong lover, I never did take the plunge to buy a table. Partly because of space constraints in my house and in part because I’m saving up for a really awesome electronic table hidden that packs away inside a wooden table carved in traditional Chinese style. So whenever my mahjong friends and I met up for a game, we would play on my living room table or on the dining table, which was clearly less than ideal.
But then we found a game room nearby with mahjong tables that we could rent! 星雅茶楼棋牌 (Xīng yǎ chálóu qípái) is in the Gaobeidian area of Chaoyang District, east of the CBD. Its name loosely translates into “tea house for chess and cards”. There are several types of rooms you could rent offering different games – from blackjack to poker and of course, mahjong. Check out the video below!
The room that we liked the best was the Japanese-inspired tatami room which was laid out in soft tatami mats and decorated with plastic sakura flowers. It was a fun backdrop against which to play the traditional game of mahjong. It cost us just over RMB108 for three hours (which is next to nothing when you split it 4 ways), not including the drinks we opted to buy for ourselves. The front counter also offers simple snacks and you can feel free to order waimai to the place!
PRO TIP: One drawback was that the place did smell of cigarettes, so maybe opt to bring a hand fan to air the place out, or call ahead to ask the staff to give you a room without the smell!
The same brand has another store in Guomao by the name of 星雅茶楼会馆 (Xīng yǎ chálóu huìguǎn) as well if you prefer a more central location.
Find it:
Xingya Tea House Chess and Cards
Gaobeidianxiang Huihe South Street Xidiancun Building No. 81 No. 3 F1, Chaoyang
惠河南街西店村A区81号楼3号一层
Tel: 13120161994
Want to play mahjong with us? Add VivienneTseng-Rush on WeChat and let’s set up a game!
KEEP READING: How A 3,000-Year-Old Game Changed My China Experience
Images: Pexels, Vivienne Tseng-Rush
