27/6/2025
On Friday, 27 June, the Nottingham Confucius Institute (NCI) held a Mahjong evening to conclude this term’s Mandarin Corner sessions. Around 40 attendees, including university staff, students, and local residents, joined the event to learn about this traditional Chinese game.
The evening began with an insightful introduction to Mahjong’s history and cultural significance. Student host Miss Zeng Shihan captivated the audience with entertaining anecdotes—including stories about famous Chinese intellectuals like Hu Shi—and drew clever parallels between Mahjong and Western card games like poker. She then explained the basic rules and strategies, while also helping participants recognise the Chinese characters on the tiles. The presentation was well-received by all, regardless of their prior experience with Mahjong.
After the talk, attendees formed small groups to practice playing. The room was lively with discussion as participants used terms like “Chi,” “Peng,” and “Hupai” during their games. The event concluded at 8:00 pm in a friendly, relaxed atmosphere.
Feedback from attendees was overwhelmingly positive, with many praising the event as both entertaining and educational. Several participants mentioned how much they enjoyed recognising Chinese characters while playing, proving that learning Mandarin can be both fun and immersive. Some attendees also expressed a keen interest in the upcoming NCI Summer School, which will take place every Wednesday evening throughout July.
~ENDS~
Posted on Friday 4th July 2025