The Kotoba Interactive journal.

Editorial features on the cultures, history and languages of Asia. Filter by culture, by topic, or search for what inspires you.

All culturesChinoisJaponaisCoréen

All topicsartsbusiness-techculturegastronomiehistoirelanguephilosophiepop-culturesocietetraditionsGlossary

#chinese-game

2 articles Reset

China

Society6 min

Mahjong: The History and Rules of the Chinese Tile Game

The history of mahjong, the Chinese tile game: Qing-era origins, the 144 tiles, the worldwide craze of the 1920s, and the Chinese, Japanese and American variants.

May 31, 2026Read

China

Arts5 min

Weiqi: the Chinese game of go, the art of encircling

History and principles of weiqi (the game of go): millennia-old Chinese origins, the rule of encirclement, the scholar's art, baduk, igo and the AlphaGo shock.

May 18, 2026Read