Mahjong House

From September, 2021 - Ongoing

“Mahjong House” is a community engagement project that fabric cultural impact though the Chinese traditional entertainment. By gathering visitor and participants in public space that connect with art gallery, theatre, and studio, this project attempt to impact the society with playing, integration and engaging.

“Mahjong House” has taken places at BAM Gallery, Xiao Han ART STUDIO, Art Fair in Italy, ROXY THEATRE, OCAD University Graduate Gallery, and AKA Artist Run Center.

My latest project, Mahjong House, aims to combine art creation and research based on Chinese community history in Saskatoon. By listening and talking historical stories through Mahjong activity, this project delivers an entertainment tradition through a gallery space.

I grew up in Wuhan, a city with a strong culture of Mahjong playing. Every afternoon, my grandparents would go to the mahjong house and spend their time with friends in the neighborhood. Mahjong is a gambling game and fits for chatting during the holiday when family and friends visit.

When the pandemic starts in Wuhan 2020, it was the Chinese New Year break. My family and friends in Wuhan were restricted in their apartment. They are quarantined from each other, neither gathering for new year's dinner nor playing Mahjong. The disconnection with family and friends increases the fear and loneness.

I realize how vital the role that Mahjong plays in the community and culture. How such activity cultivates among the Chinese Canadian. I start this research aiming to find out the meaning of entertainment activities among the immigrants’ communities connected by Mahjong. Do early Chinese immigrants able to entertain themselves with Mahjong? How did early Chinese worker translate Mahjong into English language? What was the conversation during the early time of the century? I hope this project can make the Chinese immigrant history more impactful and completed by cultivating connections with the community.

“Playfull Impressions”
OCAD University, Graduate Gallery

Curator: Avery Creed

March 21-Marrch 26, 2022

Playful Impressions Installation View, 2022

Photo by Avery Creed

“Painted Skin” - Mahjong House-Atmospheric Storytelling

ROXY THEATRE, 20th st., Saskatoon

March 29, 2022

Film by Xiao Han

Cast: Xiao Han, Qiming Sun, Yuwen Tu.

Make up: Yuwen Tu

Sound: Qiming Sun

In Chinese film narrative, a Mahjong scene play as an essential part of the move plots. The Mahjong scene in movie usually deliver the narration among the intensive conversation through the traditional entertainment (such as “Lust, Caution” by Ang Lee, 2007)

This short film tells the Chinese folk story: “The Painted Skin,” by conveying the components of Mahjong scene from the movie and theatrical performance-Noh, from the classical Japanese drama play.

“Painted Skin” is a short story by Chinese writer Pu Songling in 1740. The British sinologist, Herbert Giles, translated it into English in 1880.

Mahjong House is a community-based art project by Xiao Han. Starting from September 2021, Mahjong House has taken place at BAM (Bridges Art Movement, 2021), XIAO HAN ART STUDIO at Drinkle Mall (2022), and OCAD University campus Gallery (2022). Mahjong House aims to combine art practice and historical research through the communities in Saskatoon, and later across Canada. By teaching, listening, and talking on the Mahjong table, this project builds connection and delivers an entertainment tradition through various public spaces.

Noh is a classical Japanese theatrical performance started from the 14th century. Integrates with masks, costumes and sound props, Noh requires acting and sound with emotional voice to represent tales form traditional literature with a supernatural storytelling.