This wildly popular game seems to symbolize Chinese culture, but mahjong’s emergence is relatively recent. Though some claim it was created by Confucius, the first concrete accounts of the game only appear in the late 19th century, and most believe the game was created in Shanghai by a wealthy merchant as an adaptation of a card game. Mahjong was outlawed in 1949, along with anything that could be used to gamble, and was only officially permitted again in 1985. Read on to learn more:

Difficulty: 3 out of 5

Number of Players: 4

“There are 136 tiles in all, most of which are split into three suits, and they are communally shuffled in the middle of the table before each hand begins,” explains Veronica Chen, a Shanghai native who plays at home with her family most weekends. “Thirteen tiles are given out to each of the four players, who then take turns picking up and discarding the remaining tiles from those left in the middle.” The aim is to make sets (known as melds) or collections of four of the same symbol. The first player to make all of their tiles into sets lays down their hand and wins. It’s like rummy, in a way, just played with tiles rather than cards.

There are myriad variations that are played around the world—even more than poker, reputedly—and even more scoring systems.

Roam Shanghai’s old town or the streets around Laoximen and you’ll see dozens of games going on in cramped storefronts at all hours. Locals won’t mind you watching a few hands, though expect to be shooed away if your presence is felt to be intrusive.

There are hundreds of teashops, KTV bars, restaurants and massage joints that offer mahjong rooms for hire if you have three friends and want to try it. One of our favorites is Yubianhui on Xietu Lu, which offers foot massages and mahjong rooms from RMB38 per hour, 24 hours a day. Alternatively, buy a basic set of tiles from around RMB80 and play at home. All you need is a square table that seats four. Full rules can be found online.

Want to learn how to play other Chinese games? Check out these classics:

Weiqi
San Guo Sha
Liar's Dice
Dou Di Zhu