Common sources of faan
Typical Hong Kong values include: self-drawn win, 1 faan; no flowers, 1; each flower or season matching your seat, 1; a pung of dragons, 1 each; a pung of your seat wind or the round wind, 1 each; a concealed hand, 1 at many tables; and a "common hand" of four chows and a non-scoring pair, 1.
Bigger elements include all pungs (3), mixed one suit — one suit plus honours (3), small three dragons (5), great three dragons (8), and pure one suit — a single suit with no honours (7).
Adding up
Faan are added together: a self-drawn, all-pungs hand with a dragon pung might be 1 + 3 + 1 = 5 faan. The total then determines payment through the table's agreed scale, with the limit capping very large hands.
Limit hands
Some patterns are worth the limit outright, regardless of other faan: thirteen orphans, nine gates, all honours, all terminals, great four winds and, at many tables, heavenly and earthly hands. These are rare and celebrated.
Why values vary
Different parlours and families use slightly different faan values; the numbers above are common but not universal. Always confirm the faan list before you play, particularly for flowers and concealed hands.
