Life on the tiles

A team of retirees, average age 71, has become a leading force in international mahjong, an ancient Chinese game that's becoming increasingly popular overseas. Zhang Yi reports.

Since Wang Guiying retired 13 years ago, she has made it her mission to ensure she has interesting things to do to keep her occupied. Now, she is one of the world's leading players of mahjong, a Chinese game, whose nearest Western equivalent is the card game bridge, where contestants attempt to collect groups of colored tiles.

In July, in Baden, a spa town in Austria, Wang captained a team of eight senior players to win the 11th Austrian Mahjong Open. Team member Tian Ying, 71, took the top spot at the competition, which was held on July 9 and 10, while another member, Cao Lihua, 72, came third. Wang was placed 10th.