Mahjong, the Changsha Way

What it is

Mahjong is the sound of the holidays in China. It turns up at every family gathering and every get-together with friends — not everyone is good at it, but almost everyone can play. And for the real fans, a game every few days is just part of life.

Forget the old teahouse. This is a modern self-service mahjong house: you unlock the room door and switch on the power with a WeChat or Alipay mini-program. There are no staff coming in and out — it feels like an extension of someone's living room. Here, you play the way people play at home.

You sit down in a private four-seat room at a premium no-push automatic table — it clears, shuffles and deals by itself — and learn Changsha mahjong by playing real hands: reading the tiles, learning the rules and picking up the table talk. Jamie sits at the table and coaches as you play.

Along the way we brew tea with a modern tea machine instead of a gaiwan. It is how many people here drink tea now: when plain water is not enough, tea is a habit, but there is no time for a full ceremony — a quicker, more modern way to a better cup.

Highlights

• Play real hands on an automatic table that shuffles and deals for you
• Learn the three suits, the honours and how to build a winning hand
• Pick up the table talk: pèng (碰), chī (吃), hú (胡)!
• Hear why every room in the house is named after a mahjong pun
• Tea break included — a modern way to drink Chinese tea

How the time goes

1. 0:00Welcome. Open the room and switch on the power with the mini-program — see how a self-service mahjong house works.
2. 0:15Tiles on the table: the three suits, the honours, and how to read them.
3. 0:40Practice rounds with open hands — Jamie explains every decision.
4. 1:20Tea break: brewing with the tea machine, and how it differs from a gaiwan.
5. 1:40Real rounds of Changsha mahjong. You play; Jamie coaches and keeps score.
6. 2–3 hTeaching ends. Then 1–2 hours of free play — the room is yours.

Included

• Private mahjong room for your group
• Hosting and coaching in English
• Tea break
• Printed cheat sheet to take home

Not included

• Transport to the venue
• Gambling — we play for points only

Good to know

• Minimum 2 guests. 2–4 guests recommended.
• No experience needed. If you have played another style of mahjong, we will show you what is different here.