HONG KONG — 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.

Companies often issue mahjong sets carrying their branding. Last month, Singapore Airlines released a set with tiles featuring the flag-carriers' batik prints. Luxury brands have got in on the act too, with Hermes releasing a set last year made with rosewood and leather, priced at a whopping US$40,400 (S$53,279).

While its roots are in China, the game's popularity has spread to the rest of Asia and it has also found a following in the West. But one American company has landed in hot water this week, accused of whitewashing the game.

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.

Social media went into overdrive, slamming the creators for cultural appropriation; they were especially critical of the removal of the traditional Chinese numbers and symbols that are typically found on the tiles and their replacement with images such as bars of soap, cherries and bags of flour.

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"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. SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST

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