Yellow Mountain Imports Classic Chinese Mahjong Game Set, Emerald with 148 Medium-Size Translucent Green Tiles and Wooden Case

The box is really nice but the handle doesn't feel very strong to carry such a heavy box, I have used it but to be safe I hold the box without the handle. The tiles are really a nice size and they looks so good and feels good to touch. The game manual is very helpful but the scoring has little explained. I don't use the scoring pieces, but It does come with it. It was a bit expensive but I think it was actually good quality and worth it to me. I'm very happy with it.

It saddens me that other buyers have been dissatisfied with this set. We bought the Champagne Gold as well all the fun accessories and while it was definitely expensive, we are absolutely getting our money's worth. The tiles are gorgeous! I was afraid the gold might look cheap & glittery, but it's warm and lovely just like in the photo. We've been playing every weekend for over a year and the set is holding up extraordinarily well, not a scratch or chip anywhere. While the clasp on the case should be stronger, it's really a non-issue.

I'll start with the negatives:1. The die that comes in the wind marker had to be sanded down a little because it was slightly too big, so it would get completely wedged into the holder. Sanding it down was very simple, though, because it is a soft wood. Since I haven't seen anyone else complain about this, I think I just got an odd one.2. Many of the tiles have very small cracks around the carved characters. This is just an aesthetic issue.3. The tiles were covered in weird factory dust when I took them out of the cellophane. I had to dust each tile individually with a rag. But hey, they're brand new, so that's not unexpected. Plus I won't have to do that again (until I have to clean them).4. the included dice look like they were painted under the influence. It's a really shoddy paint job. They almost look perpetually dirty. Fortunately, they are one of the cheapest, most easily replaced parts of the set. They just kind of ruin the effect of the beautiful tiles and case.5.The included instructions can just be thrown away. Yes, the set comes with a small instructional leaflet, but it has some weird flaws, and if you don't already play, I'm not sure that these instructions will help much, especially when strange situations arise during gameplay. You can try learning from them, but I recommend you get a book or find someone who plays to teach you.Now let's talk about the positives, which in my opinion FAR outweigh the negatives:1. The tiles themselves are absolutely perfect (aside from the tiny, non-threatening cracks mentioned above). They slide very nicely, the characters are crystal clear (and look nicer than the characters on standard HK-style tiles, IMHO), and they are a very good size. They are just a tad smaller than the normal HK ones, but they are certainly big enough to see, handle, and not be afraid of losing any; in fact, we play on a card table, and the slightly smaller size makes all the difference. As for the clarity of the characters, this would be a good set to teach with even if it didn't have the Arabic numerals and Roman letters because you can see every stroke on the tiles (unlike tiles where the 發 and 萬 are just a green and red blur, respectively). However, in my area of the US, anyone who's heard of the game usually associates it with the words "ridiculously difficult," so it's nice to have the western indexes on the tiles so that at least no one can use the "I can't read Chinese, and I'm too lazy to learn the whopping 15 characters necessary to distinguish the tiles" excuse.2. The case and trays feel very solid. I was afraid that at least the trays would be flimsy, but they feel pretty substantial. The case itself is also very sturdy, and the handle on the case feels more stable than the handle on our box with the good flatware in it. Both the box and the trays are lined with a velvety sort of material, which is also on the bottom of the case, so you can put it on a wooden table without worrying about scratching it. In size, shape, look, feel, and overall impression, the case really does remind me of the sort of case you'd expect to find real silver silverware in.3. This one is more of a heads up: when I bought this, the picture showed betting sticks instead of chips, but the description said it came with chips, and I saw another reviewer confirm that it came with chips, not sticks. Well, mine definitely came with sticks, and I love them. They are much easier the handle than those cheap MJ chips that sets usually come with. Plus they make you feel a little more traditional when playing.Overall, the whole set is so nice to look at and to handle that I can hardly describe how much I love it. A great purchase. If you are giving this as a gift, it should be well appreciated; HOWEVER, do remember that despite the western markings, this is a set for Chinese mahjong, as it has only 144 tiles (no jokers). It won't work for American styles of mahjong.

I bought this set and it is very nice. Lee made the carrying case is crafted and sturdy. I really like it.

I bought this set knowing it was a Chinese Mahjong set, but I'm a Japanese Mahjong player. This set comes with betting sticks planned for Chinese Mahjong, so I knew I would be 4 short. I spoke with Yellow Mountain Imports, and explained this to them, and they happily offered to ship me 4 sticks from their Chinese warehouse. They were quick, very friendly, and extremely willing to help.The set itself is absolutely beautiful to look at, well made, and very crisp. The betting sticks are mostly perfect though have minor defects, none of which are problematic. The dice included are well weighted and roll evenly, and the tiles are extremely uniform and well painted. The backs of the tiles are mostly clear with beautiful sparkles throughout, and the tiles have a weighty feel that makes them easy to handle. The case is high quality too. While slightly thin, the case feels strong enough to support the weight well, and the handle and latch feel sturdy so I have no fear of damage carrying this wherever I go. The round indicator has four sides on it, in standard Mahjong order of East, South, West, North, and two blank sides on top and bottom, allowing for however long of a game desired.Overall, the set is wonderful, and the customer service is perfect. I didn't once feel like they had trouble understanding my problem, and they were welcoming to find a fit solution. Thank you Yellow Mountain for your great customer service and terrific set.

This is a great quality set. The tiles are pretty and they're nice and big. They're not the biggest out there but big enough to easily stand on end without the need for racks (as the Chinese prefer not to use, which is why they like huge tiles). The tiles are marked with western numerals and letters, so you don't have to read Chinese to play. The champagne glitter scheme is quite attractive but not girly-looking. Also, the case is fairly sturdy and isn't going to fall apart any time soon, and it's made of wood, with felt on the bottom so you don't scratch up your table. There are enough betting sticks to play the Chinese variants of the game (120 sticks in all) and a cube with wooden holder to indicate the round. The inside of the case is lined with felt to protect the tiles.FYI, if you play American/Western mahjong, this isn't the set for you. There are no jokers or racks with it. Then again, the racks aren't really necessary with such thick tiles.It sounds a little pricey at $120, but the price is well worth it for its quality. I'll have fun with this one for years.