Version 2.0 — Updated March 7, 2026
In this article I present a variant of Zung Jung that I developed for the purposes of running a cash game with some friends. It introduces and reintroduces some concepts from other variants into Alan Kwan’s Zung Jung formula. Zung Jung, according to Alan Kwan this is the philsophy of Zung Jung’s game design:
“Zung Jung” means “the Middle Way” as in Confucian doctrine. “Zung Jung” (“Zung1 Jung4”) is (Cantonese) “Jyut Ping”; the “j” has a “y” sound.
On the surface, “Zung Jung” means to be “moderate”: neither being inadequate nor going overboard. As a pattern-based scoring system, Zung Jung endeavors to adopt just the right amount of patterns, enough for interesting, strategic play as a game of skill, while simple enough to be learned easily and played for family entertainment.
On a deeper level, the Confucian doctrine of “Zung Jung” tries to suggest a way of life that is just and unchanging. The ideal man (the “true man”) should live a life of righteousness and justice, not going into stray paths; and he should live that way at all times, and not behave differently when in private versus in public, nor be easily tempted into wrongdoing.
This middle path reminded me a lot of the Buddha, Siddhartha Gautama, who was said to have found the middle path between asceticism and hedonism in his enlightenment. I was then reminded of the Zen Buddhist koan:
If you meet the Buddha on the road, kill him.
Thus, I have humorously decided to call this Zung Jung variant Zen Koan Mahjong, as it replaces some of the moderate design elements Alan Kwan sought to build for Zung Jung with a more exciting game for gambling or home use. Alan Kwan once said that he designed Zung Jung to create a mahjong variant that the creator of mahjong would enjoy playing. Zen Koan is created to create a mahjong variant that the original opium den player-base of mahjong would enjoy playing.
If playing for money with Zen Koan it is strongly recommended that 1 point be assigned a cash value, e.g., 1 point = $0.10.
This variant is not intended to be taught or played at San Diego Mahjong Club functions.
Here are the elements I have changed from Zung Jung’s standard scoring rules:
- I have changed the point requirement to win the game
- I have changed the rules regarding winning on another player’s discard
- I have restored East paying and receiving double payment
- East keeps the East Seat upon winning
- Thirteen Orphans can rob Concealed Quads
- I have introduced Riichi’s Noten penalties
- I have reworked the Flower system that Alan Kwan originally designed
- I have reintroduced the Prevalent Wind as a scoring element
- I have reintroduced Self-Drawn (Tsumo) as a scoring element
The rest of Zung Jung’s system remains unaltered.
Table of Contents
Zung Jung Core Rules Changes
Minimum Requirement to Win
Zung Jung’s original scoring rules state
By default, any complete hand can win, even if it has no scoring patterns. Such a hand is called a Chicken Hand and is worth 1 point.
I change the minimum requirement to win to:
A 5-point minimum is required to win. Self-Drawing the winning tile and bonus tiles do not count toward this point minimum. The point minimum must be fulfilled by one of the original 44 Zung Jung scoring patterns.
Fixed Payoff Principle
Zung Jung’s original Payoff Scheme states:
The winner’s total earnings are based only on the value of their hand. How the win happens—by discard or self-draw—doesn’t change the total amount they receive.
This clause is abolished as self-draw is introduced as a scoring element in Zen Koan.
Winning on another Player’s Discard
Zung Jung’s original Payoff Scheme states:
If the winning tile comes from another player’s discard, that player is responsible, score accordingly:
- For small hands, 25 points or less: all three players split the payment equally.
- For larger hands over 25 points: each player first pays 25 points, and then the discarder pays the remaining amount so the winner’s total equals three times the hand’s value.
Example: If a 70-point hand wins on discard, the two non-discarders each pay 25 points, and the discarder pays 160 points. The winner receives 210 points total (3 × 70).
I change this to:
If the winning tile comes from another player’s discard, that player is responsible and pays the winner three times their hand value. The non-responsible players pay the winner nothing. This change is made to protect player’s profits.
Zung Jung Standard Payoff
Zung Jung’s original Payoff Scheme states:
In every round, the winner receives three times the value of their hand. This total is always the same; only how it’s divided among the other players changes.
In principle this is still correct in Zen Koan. However, in practice this is changed. I introduce a new principle to the Payoff Scheme:
East pays and is paid double
The East Wind player will be paid six times the value of their hand. East will also pay 2x the value they owe the winner for their hand according to the values presented in the original Zung Jung Payoff scheme and modifications of the Payoff Scheme presented in this document.
Example: a 10-point hand wins
- If East is the Winner:
- Won by Self-Draw: all players pay East 20 points
- Won by Discard: responsible player pays East 60 points
- If Non-East wins:
- Won by Self-Draw: non-East players pay the winner 10, East pays 20
- Won by Discard from East: East pays the winner 60
- Won by Discard from Non-East: player pays the winner 30
East will not receive or pay double payments for Noten Penalties
Rule of Same-Round Immunity
Zung Jung’s original Payoff Scheme states:
If the winning tile had already been discarded earlier in the same round—that is, between the winner’s last discard and their win—the most recent discarder isn’t considered responsible. Responsibility goes to whoever first discarded that tile in the round. If the winner themself discarded it first in the round then no one is responsible and payments are split evenly.
In Zen Koan Mahjong, the Rule of Same-Round Immunity is abolished to allow for dealer-targeting.
Seat Wind Rotation
Zung Jung’s original rules state:
The deal passes after every hand; East does not retain the dealer position. This rule helps regulate the length of the playing session and ensures consistent game flow.
This is abolished. East retains the dealer position if they win.
Resolving Competing Mahjong Claims
Zung Jung’s miscellaneous rules state:
In cases of competing win claims, the classical interception rule applies. This upper-and-lower-seat interaction is a traditional element of Mahjong. The ability to read opponents’ discards—to avoid assisting the upper seat while blocking the lower seat—is regarded as an integral player skill.
Simply put, the Mahjong call of the player who is soonest in the turn order, with respect to the responsible player (the lower seat), has precedence and wins the hand. The lower seat has intercepted the Mahjong claim(s) of the upper seat player(s). There can only be one winner for each hand.
This is abolished. Zen Koan allows multiple players to win on a single tile, increasing variance for gambling
Special Privileges for 10.1 Thirteen Orphans
Zung Jung’s miscellaneous rules state:
A Thirteen Orphans hand carries no special privileges. It cannot rob a Concealed Quad, and it may be intercepted by any other winning hand.
This is abolished. Thirteen Orphans can rob Concealed Quads. Interception does not apply in Zen Koan as it allows multiple players to win on a single tile
Drawn Rounds and Noten Penalties
I import Riichi Mahjong’s drawn game system into Zung Jung to create my variant.
When a game ends in an Exhaustive Draw — all of the tiles except for those in the Dead Wall have been drawn — there is also an opportunity for players whose hands are ready to win, in Tenpai, to receive a payment from players who are not in Tenpai, or Noten.
- One player in Tenpai: All Noten players pay the Tenpai player 10 points
- Two players in Tenpai: Each Noten player pays one of the Tenpai players 15 points
- Three players in Tenpai: The one Noten player pays the three Tenpai players 10 points
- Four players in Tenpai: No Noten Penalties are paid
Winds always rotate after an Exhaustive Draw.
Flower Tiles
One thing I have never liked about Alan Kwan’s design is the treatment he gives to Flower tiles in his optional rules for Zung Jung. The Flower tiles are given a score value of 2 for Guest Flowers and 4 for Seat Flowers. This has always struck me as odd, given that Zung Jung’s scoring system is based on 5s. The Flowers also do not feel good to play with when used in my opinion. I rework the Flowers to make them work more like they do in Hong Kong Mahjong while preserving Alan Kwan’s scoring vision for the Four Flowers/Seasons pattern.
Alan Kwan’s Flower Scheme:
- Guest (Non-Seat) Flower/Season: 2 points each
- Seat Flower/Season: 4 points each
- Four Flowers: 10 points
- Four Season: 10 points
My Flower Scheme:
- Guest (Non-Seat) Flower/Season: 0 points each
- Seat Flower/Season: 5 points each
- Four Flowers: 15 points
- Four Season: 15 points
This preserves Alan Kwan’s scoring vision for All Flowers/Seasons:
A complete set of four Flowers (a “bouquet”) scores 10 (Four Flowers) + 4 (Seat Flower) + 2 + 2 + 2 (Three Guest Flowers) = 20 points.
This math still works in my formulation:
- A complete set of four Flowers (a “bouquet”) scores 15 (Four Flowers) + 5 (Seat Flower) = 20 points.
While also making the Flower tiles feel more balanced when using them for the game.
Additionally, I also imported a rule from MCR that allows you to discard your Flower tiles instead of melding them to draw a replacement tile. This gives the Flower tiles an extra defensive utility that I think make the game a bit more interesting.
9.2 Out with the Replacement Tile does apply to wins achieved from drawing Replacement Tiles for Bonus Tiles
Other Changes
These are the major changes I have made to Zung Jung’s systems that require any amount of discussion. The other two things I have introduced are:
- The Prevalent Wind
- Self-Draw (Tsumo) as a scoring element
Zen Koan Mahjong Scoring Pattern Additions
Below are the modifications to the Zung Jung scoring system, using Zung Jung’s organizational schema.
3.0 Honor Tile Sets and Patterns
3.1 Value Honor
Point Value: 10 per set
Description
The winning hand contains a Triplet or Quad of a Dragon, Seat Wind, or Table Wind tile. This scoring pattern may be scored multiple times.
9.0 Incidental Bonuses
9.1.3 Self-Drawn
Point Value: 5
Description
The winning tile is one drawn from the wall. This scoring element may not count toward fulfilling the point requirement for the winning hand.
11.0 Bonus Tiles
None of the scoring elements in this section may be used to fulfill the point requirement for the winning hand.
11.1.1 Guest Flower/Season Tile
Point Value: 0 per tile
Description
Winning the round with at least one melded Guest Flower or Season Tile.
11.1.2 Seat Flower/Season Tile
Point Value: 5 per tile
Description
Winning the round with at least one melded Seat Flower or Season Tile.
11.2.1 Four Flowers
Point Value: 15
Description
Winning the round with all four Flower Tiles melded.
11.2.2 Four Seasons
Point Value: 15
Description
Winning the round with all four Season Tiles melded.
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