Gaming Across
Generations
Written by:
Arlene Chen Edited by:
Katherine Lim Designed by:
Sandro Lorenzo
Growing up, I always looked forward to family game night. There was a certain exhilarating ambience in the air that I have never quite been able to put my finger on. Some nights, my sister and I would huddle around the kitchen table, listening to our parents explain the new card game we were about to attempt. Others, we’d sit cross-legged on the ground, furiously trying to destroy each other in whatever board game we could find, whether it be gomoku or Chinese checkers. Each tabletop or card/board game I learned was deeply rooted in either culture or memory. For example, my parents explained that “斗地主 (doudizhu),” a classic card game literally translating to “fight the landlord,” claimed its name from a time in Chinese history when society was split into economic levels: landlord, upper, middle, and lower-class peasants. There was a general sense of resentment towards the landlords, who exploited the peasant class—hence, the birth of a game designed to knock the “landlord” off their pedestal. Other games such as “争上游 (zhengshangyou),” meaning “fight for the upper hand”, or “升级 (shengji), ” translated as “level up,” led to endless tales of my parents’ childhoods as they sat and watched their parents play so many games they’d forget to study, or participate in the intense family Chinese New Year’s battle for the moneypot. After learning the story behind each game I was taught, I had ample opportunities to practice. For one, I’d play with friends at local Asian parties, where my friends, too, had learned from their parents. We’d argue over specifics in the rules, as different regions differed slightly in their playing styles. Of course, I also continued playing games with my extra-competitive family at home, desperately trying to hone my skills and beat my parents (still working on this). When I visited China, I’d watch and learn as my parents joined family card games, using games as a tool to bridge a generational gap that, though not completely closed, felt narrower from a bond formed over hours of playing. Partaking in my culture through these traditional games felt almost like I’d been through a rite of passage; once I learned the tricks and clever maneuvers, I could carry on the legacy of each game I’d been taught. My mother also describes tabletop games as a phenomenon crucial to Chinese social life. No matter what’s played, Chinese people love enjoying the experience most. Drinking tea, cracking sunflower seeds, and engaging in lively conversation are all vital aspects of these beloved tabletop games. While the games themselves are of course intriguing, more importantly, many problems and relationships find themselves solved over the length of a game. The very act of sitting down together is an important step, she explains, in strengthening bonds between people.
