Every neighbour of any Hong Kong household can tell what they are up to by the clacking sounds of shuffling mahjong tiles. But its popularity is shrinking so does the future of hand-carved mahjong thanks to technology. There are only a few artisans in town struggling to keep it alive, one of whom is Cheung Shun-King (張順景) from Biu Kee Mahjong, with his tiny understairs store standing humbly in Jordan. 

The Craftsmanship

The signature white-green tiles, tiny handmade chisels and bow-and-arrow-like tools, and the scars on Mr Cheung’s fingertips reveal all of his craftsmanship, hard work and dedication. Nobody would deny he is a natural-born talent, as he never received any formal training but only mastered the skills on his own from observing how his dad and grandfather worked their magic. A master he has become now after 50 years in business – no wonder he could immediately distinguish the differences between machine-made and hand-carved tiles just by their smell and colours.

A Disappearing Heritage

But his business has been hit by waves of technology, especially after the creation of electronic mahjong tables where the hand-carved ones are no longer valuable. Compared to a regular set that only costs $400, Mr Cheung’s 4000-dollar-worth set also makes people hesitant to own one. It is definitely to compete with technology, which makes him pessimistic about its future – but he is striving to sustain his art through making personalized tiles like favourite Cantonese slang, festival-themed blessings, and even your names. Maybe it could also be a souvenir for you to bring home or for your loved ones?