Suppression
The new government of the People's Republic regarded mahjong as associated with gambling and old-society habits. Playing for money was banned, and the game itself was discouraged. During the Cultural Revolution (1966–1976) many sets were confiscated or destroyed as symbols of the "four olds", though some families hid theirs and continued to play quietly.
In Hong Kong, Taiwan, Macau and the overseas Chinese communities, meanwhile, the game continued to flourish, preserving and developing its regional styles.
Return
From the late 1970s and 1980s, as reform policies took hold, mahjong returned to public life. Tables reappeared in parks, teahouses and courtyards. Playing for money remained illegal in principle, but small-stake social games were widely tolerated.
Becoming a sport
In 1998 China's sports authority published Mahjong Competition Rules (MCR), with a standardised scoring table designed to emphasise skill. Official recognition of mahjong as a "mind sport" followed, and international tournaments using these rules began in the early 2000s.
Mahjong in China today
Today mahjong is one of China's most popular pastimes, played at home, in dedicated mahjong rooms (often with automatic tables), and online on enormous apps. Local styles thrive — Sichuan's "bloody battle" and Guangdong's chicken-hand variants are hugely popular — and authorities continue to act against large-scale gambling while tolerating friendly games.
