There’s an old joke that an airplane passenger bound for Chengdu, population 14 million, can hear mahjong tiles clicking in the city before landing.
The joke captures how popular mahjong is in the capital of Sichuan province. During a stroll, visitors are bound to find residents playing the game in outdoor tea houses or in parks. Virtually every backstreet has little tables with crowds of people gathered around and listening to the click of the tiles.
Chengdu’s love of mahjong is better known…