Chinese Bakelite

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This is one of my favorite mass-produced Chinese Bakelite Mahjong sets. I like to call it the Talking Hawk One Bam because of the comic-book like talk bubble coming from the hawk's mouth, translated as a wish for good fortune and longevity. The One Dots resemble flowers within flowers, and the other dots are a much more simplified flower. The Craks are elaborate Wans, and the Bams are rounded. The Red and Green Dragons are the Chinese character Chung (center) and Fa (prosperity). The White Dragon resembles a frame decorated with meanders (abstract patterns).

Notice how the upper level of Flower tiles reads correctly with tiles 4321. The boat would not be recognizable without this orientation, and the wall only works this way too. For the lower tiles, the order does not make a difference. The lower tiles have the four important flowers: plum blossom, orchid, bamboo, and chrysanthemum, shown as if they are growing outside the windows. The bottom row of Flowers probably represents some of the ladies in the Twelve Beauties of Jinling (also known as Dream of the Red Mansion  or Dream of the Red Chamber), a tale familiar to most Chinese.

 

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Many Mahjong Flower tiles are not just flowers. Oftentimes, carvers would depict traditional jobs  and activities of the scholar. The top row shows traditional jobs: the scholar, the farmer working the land, the wood cutter (here he does not even have any twigs or branches, but this is how the wood-cutter is depicted, sitting down with a shoe in his hand), and the fisherman.

The scholar's activities are on the bottom row: painting, calligraphy, chess (or the game of go) and the lute or Qin. DSC_0354

Many times the scholar's activities are shown in a very abstract way; that post will come another day.

These Flower tiles can be read 1234 and 4321, but on other tiles it makes a difference because scenes can continue from one tile to the next.