US mahjong set maker accused of cultural appropriation apologises for mahjong set stripped of Chinese numbers and symbols, saying ‘We are deeply sorry’
- Dallas, Texas-based The Mahjong Line this week issued an apology after its redesigned version of the game came under fire
- Social media users slammed the company for removing the usual Chinese numbers and symbols and replacing them with bars of soap, cherries and flour
Mahjong is quintessentially Chinese, a strategy-based game developed in the country during the Qing dynasty (1644-1912). It is played with a set of 144 tiles based on Chinese characters and symbols. In pre-Covid-19 days, the clacking sound of shuffling tiles was a familiar one heard in many Hong Kong neighbourhoods.
The game is especially popular among older people, who are encouraged to play not just as a way to keep loneliness at bay but for brain health, with studies linking it to improved mental health.
Dallas, Texas-based The Mahjong Line, founded in November 2020 by three young women, this week issued an apology after its redesigned version of the game came under fire, and not just for the hefty price tag – some sets sell for up to US$425.
“My culture is one of the oldest civilisations in the world. It is a product of thousands of years of tradition and history. My culture not some cheap colouring book that can be filled-in and be ‘made pretty’ by the standards of privileged teeny-boppers,” wrote Twitter user Jeremy Lee.
“Please put the Chinese characters BACK onto the Chinese game. Don’t change my history and culture to make it more palatable to you,” wrote Twitter user Grace Meng.
In an Instagram post on Wednesday, the company told its followers that it never set out to ignore or misrepresent the origins of the game.
“While our intent is to inspire and engage with a new generation of American mahjong players, we recognise our failure to pay proper homage to the game’s Chinese heritage. Using words like ‘refresh’ were hurtful and we are deeply sorry,” the post said.