For BYU students in the BYUSA Chinese Students and Scholars Society club, the game of mahjong is an opportunity to learn more about Chinese culture and grow closer to their friends.
The BYUSA Chinese Students and Scholars Society club invites international and local students who speak Chinese to come together to learn more about Chinese culture and strives to help international students adapt to the environment at BYU. Playing mahjong is just one way the organization seeks to celebrate and educate others on Chinese culture.
Mahjong originated in Southern China and dates back hundreds of years to the 1800s. Today it is played by thousands in various countries as well as on BYU campus.
“We come together and speak Chinese. We do a bunch of Chinese activities like play mahjong and do karaoke. We also talk a little bit about heritage, and we learn about cultures around China and begin to understand the dynamic of being abroad,” Brooklyn Egget, a student from the U.S. who grew up in China, said.
Eggett shared it is not easy for Chinese international students to find a community in Provo after being abroad, so one of the purposes of the BYUSA CSSS club is to bring the dynamic of being abroad into the club.
For Eggett, mahjong is something she learned as a child and one way she is able to connect with her love for Chinese culture.
“My family used to have a mahjong table, and I used to play with my nanny. She actually taught me how to play. So it’s one of the games I used to play,” Eggett said.
Eggett explained mahjong is a very popular community and family-oriented game that inspires connection among its players.
“It’s a game where you connect with people, and that’s the importance of it. Because Chinese culture is all about community, and I think this is one of the ways they bring that in,” Eggett said.
Mahjong is often played during the Spring Festival and on other holidays. For Charlotte Tanner, an international student from Beijing, China, it is a game she learned by watching her parents play.
“I learned from my parents, just watching them play because I was too young to play at the time,' Tanner said. 'Mahjong is played often by families, especially in Spring Festival.'
Tanner said mahjong is not difficult to play and explained how the game pieces have different patterns printed on them. A player needs four sets of three with the same pattern and a pair of two with the same pattern to win the game.
Golden Huang, an international student from Shanghai, China, said mahjong is something he has recently picked up and is currently learning.
According to Huang, the game is now played in many different countries and is a part of many cultures.
“Mahjong is pretty big in a lot of countries like China, Taiwan, Singapore and Malaysia. It's been there for a long time,' Huang said. 'There are multiple ways of playing it. It’s very deep into the history.'
Students involved in the BYUSA CSSS are taking a familiar piece of Chinese culture and bringing it to campus, creating a familiar community environment here in Provo.
The Chinese Students and Scholars Society meets on the first and third Thursdays of each month from 7 to 8:30 p.m. in 3250 WSC. More information on the club’s activities can be found on its Instagram page.