A poker game called Guandan, which literally means “throwing eggs”, is becoming hot in China, gaining popularity among those who play it as a way to relax and socialise.
Few can explain how and why the game, played by four players in two teams using two decks of cards, has risen in just a decade from a mere regional pastime in coastal Jiangsu province to a nationwide hobby.
In any case, as new tournaments mushroom across the country, Guandan is on its way to becoming a truly national game.
One unusual thing about Guandan is that it has been fully embraced by Chinese bureaucrats. Central Hubei province, for example, in May hosted a two-day Guandan competition for government officials, attracting 174 players from 34 teams, according to the provincial sports authority.
Contestants from Hubei’s tobacco bureau and economic planning agency and the Wuhan railway administration won gold, silver and bronze, respectively, while the provincial water resources administration was the group champion.
As China tightens scrutiny of the lifestyles of its cadres, Guandan provides a politically correct way for civil servants to entertain without eliciting unwanted attention that comes when they throw lavish banquets or visit karaoke clubs, massage parlours and golf courses.
Advertisement
A card game with colleagues in a meeting room or a nearby office requires nothing but four chairs, and offers a safe and frugal way to kill time.
Guandan has additional advantages over other card games. Bridge, a favourite pastime of the late paramount leader Deng Xiaoping, requires too much thinking and is too boring for many people. Dou Dizhu, also popular, can easily descend into a betting game, rendering it a no-no for cadres.
In comparison, Guandan is easy to learn and not designed for gambling. Even better, playing the game requires constant communication among teammates, making it a perfect way for bureaucrats to foster trust and camaraderie.
As such, Guandan is not only tolerated, but actively encouraged by higher authorities. A four-month nationwide Guandan tournament, organised by the chess and card centre of China’s General Administration of Sports, is under way. The centre is trying to turn Guandan into an official “sport” in the country, along with bridge and the board game Go.
A deeper inspection into the popularity of Guandan also reveals interesting changes in Chinese society.
Advertisement
It is hard to estimate how much time has been spent on Guandan, but there is anecdotal evidence that the game is quite addictive. Ji Jianye, former mayor of eastern Nanjing city, told reporters in 2011 that many officials had been spending so much time on Guandan that it had started to affect government work. Ironically, in 2015, Ji was sentenced to 15 years in prison over corruption.
Advertisement
The game’s influence is spreading to the private sector, particularly where interactions with government officials are frequent. In the Chinese financial industry, Guandan has replaced Texas Hold ’em, said to be popular among Wall Street professionals, as the preferred game because it is considered more important to rub shoulders with local officials than Western capitalists.
Private sector employees have to learn the norms and culture of the government to be seen as “one of our own” and get things done. Just like dressing up in the so-called bureaucrat style, playing Guandan offers a sense of cultural affinity. In this regard, Guandan is playing a positive role in aligning the interests of the public and private sectors.
Advertisement