The Director

Hong Kong Museum of History

100 Chatham Road South, TST

Kowloon, Hong Kong

May 26, 2015

Dear Mr Wong Yuen Fai,

Re: Proposal of Historical Object Collection – Qing Dynasty Ivory MahJong Set

My name is Betty Leung, a post graduate student of Museum Studies of University of Leicester who has
just started the program for one month. Due to this new academic venture I have started visiting the key
museums in Hong Kong including the Hong Kong Heritage Museum and yours truly, the Hong Kong
Museum of History. I have to confess that my visit to the HKMH has been most surprisingly fascinating
and reflective, being a totally HK born and grown person the section of “FOLK CULTURE IN HONG KONG”
simply amazes me. And yet, also due to my passion in the topic of “the Hong Kong Story” galleries, if I
may, I would like to make a proposal for the HKMH to collect a new piece and consequently make
expansion in one of the “Hong Kong Story” galleries.

The object I am proposing is a Qing Dynasty Ivory MahJong set, currently a possession of Mr Lamb Kowk
Keung who has been the owner of Kaikee Mah Jong, one of Hong Kong’s first Mahjong entertainment
establishment holding a license with over 80 years of history. i

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Qing Dynasty Ivory Mahjong set, property of Mr Lamb Kowk Keung

According to Uncle Lamb (father of Mr Wilson Lamb my previous employer) he inherited this set from
his great Grand Father, a wealthy merchant in Qing Dynasty without a definite year of possession. The
set consist of 144 tiles each made of ivory surface with specific mahjong engravings and a bamboo base
on the back of each tile. There are also full set of mahjong accessories including ivory dices and score

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sticks for easy calculation of the scores. The set comes with a rosewood box with brass metal pieces
ornament which also serves as protection of the box. The tiles are being placed within the four drawers
to hold the set in a tidy way and for easy storage. “Production of one full set of Mahjong requires the
utmost skills and patience. The engraving of each tile is unique and takes years of training and
experience. Wordings, design and color of the tiles need to reflect clarity. The mahjong craftsman
master will employ their own set of iron mold on the tile to produce the set.” ii Yet “in 1980s it became
popular to produce mahjong with machine, replacing the high demand of this highly skilled handicraft.
Furthermore the launched of electronic mahjong table requires the mahjong set to be produced
together with the same machine, pushing handmade mahjong craftsmanship to its final chapter” iiiWith
the passing of the last generation of mahjong craftsman we will no longer be able to be exposed to such
cultural artefacts. The set is undoubtedly a collectable item.

I first came across this set in one of the Chinese New Year gathering at Uncle Lamb’s apartment some
years ago. Playing Mahjong is considered “one of the most popular leisurely entertainment of
Cantonese”iv, especially during Chinese New Year. While we gather put together four players at the
same table to participate in the game, it is not necessarily a gamble. When we gathered at Uncle Lamb’s
apartment after the traditional well wishes, sharing of red packet, eating and drinking then comes the
time of playing mahjong which associates more with sharing good luck with each and every player.
While we help setting the table I came across this beautiful set of mahjong and requested Uncle Lamb to
let us take a look. It turns out that Uncle Lamb is very fond of the set as it brings him a lot of warm
memories from spending time with his mother, and the numerous second wives (concubines) of his
father. Do note that before the launched of “Marriage Reform Ordinance Chapter 178” on October 1 st
1970 v Chinese men are generally accepted to maintain a polygyny relationship via customary marriage.

This brings me to the second part of my proposal, an expansion of the “Hong Kong Story” Galleries
especially at the gallery between section 6: Birth and Early Growth of the city and section 7: The
Japanese Occupation. There is one display gallery showing “The Emergence of the Chinese Elite” in
which the room display a living room setting with Chinese redwood furniture with western household
items such as a radio and a fireplace. To be really honest the room seems pretty empty and lack of
content to reflect the status of the privileged “Nam Pak Hong Merchants…..persons with considerable
interest in Hong Kong’s future, these groups supported the Government against any forms of unrest.
The British government intentionally using Chinese against Chinese, fostered the growth of these elite
groups of rich Chinese merchants as the leaders of Hong Kong’s Chinese community” vi These merchants,
similar to the background of the ancestor of Uncle Lamb enjoyed early western education, fluent in
English and possessed wealth and connection inherited from their family. With such inheritance they
also, unavoidably inherited the customary Chinese marriage tradition by which parents will appoint a
wife to the son base on family’s choice. This kind of parent-arranged marriage constituted the majority
of marital life for the young elite at that time, including whom we name as Chinese National Father Dr.
Sun Yat Sun. viiThese young men, educated and westernized became inevitably discontent with their
arranged wife and began their polygyny marriage life. At a time when women’s social status are lower
than men most women literally stay home without a job. Yet with the privileged class staying home also
means a lot of down time that they need to fill, hence playing mahjong became one of the most popular

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past times for these type of family. Uncle Lamb has a fond memory of his mother spending the
afternoon on the mahjong table with two other concubines of this father and a neighboring auntie. He
used to run around, passing snacks to the ladies and waiting for pocket money from those who win at
the table. Should the Hong Kong Museum of History decided to collect this Ivory mahjong set from Uncle
Lamb, this gallery will be the best place to place the set. The topic of social conflict of old and new family
members under westernization, marital situations of polygyny and the daily life of the elite Chinese at
the time can all be enhanced and expanded.

Before I emerge myself in the gallery of the Chinese elite I came across the exhibit elaborating early
trading years in the Southern part of China where rare and luxury items from the west have been
imported in exchange for tea, silk and opium. Amongst these imported items there is one type which is
nowadays banned by international law. “By the 1970s, Japan consumed about 40% of the global trade;
another 40% was consumed by Europe and North America, often worked in Hong Kong, which was the
largest trade hub,”viiiix Yet back in the Qing Dynasty “between the 16 th to 18th Century due to the
popularity of ivory artefacts huge quantity of elephant ivory were being imported into China” x. This Ivory
set of Mahjong represented key trading activities in the Qing Dynasty, how the Chinese elite at the time,
mostly associated to the Qing Imperial court managed to acquire the set, very likely received as a
present from the Emperor. The biography of the object has a story to tell and yet Mr Lamb, at this late
90 years of age will not have the energy nor expertise to uncover. Should it be collected by the HKMH
for further study and research, one day an interesting story will likely be unveiled.

The mission statement of Hong Kong Museum of History xi clearly listed 1. Collect, preserve, research,
interpret and exhibit collections related to Hong Kong and South China. 2. Engage people to understand
and interpret our history. 3. Promote an understanding of local history to enhance people’s identity and
enrich people’s cultural lives. With these missions in mind I have full confident that my proposal of the
Qing Dynasty Ivory Mahjong set will not only fulfill all the collection requirements, but also assist to
enhance the emotional attachment of visitors especially those who grew up in Hong Kong. Who doesn’t
enjoy a little fond strolling down the memory lane of our good old days, when we were young and worry
less to indulge in traditional Chinese family life surrounded by noise, food and laughter. After all, only in
peaceful and affluent time can we have four players to sit down and play a game of Mahjong.

I sincerely hope that my proposal will be considered by the HKMH. Should further details be required
please feel free to contact me at (852)97333243 or via email beitei.leung@gmail.com. I look forward to
your favorable reply.

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Sincerely,

X
Betty Leung

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i
Kaikeemahjong.com
ii
Leung, K.F 2014. Traditional Arts and Crafts. In Goodbye to the Old Trade. Hong Kong: Chung Wa Book, 127.
iii
Leung, K.F 2014. Traditional Arts and Crafts. In Goodbye to the Old Trade. Hong Kong: Chung Wa Book, 131.
iv
Leung, K.F 2014. Traditional Arts and Crafts. In Goodbye to the Old Trade. Hong Kong: Chung Wa Book, 127.
v
www.legislation.gov.hk/blis_pdf.nsf
vi
Display panels, “Hong Kong Story” Gallery. Hong Kong Museum of History.
vii
Notablebiographies.com

viii
Magazine/Georgaphical. 2011-02-02.
ix
Thornton, A. & Currey, D. 1991. To Save An Elephant. Doubleday.
x
Lin, S.F. 2006. Engravings Artefacts. In National Palace Museum Guide Good. Taiwan: Mei Xiang Ya Kai Guide Book, 108.
xi
Hk.history.museum