‘Decadent and passive’: China cracks down on ‘throwing eggs’ card game

News Snapshot:

As recently as last year, Chinese state media was hailing guandan as the card game that “can get you a promotion in China”. The country was holding open tournaments, and workers were encouraged to use it as a social and professional networking tool. Guandan, or “throwing eggs”, is a four-person, two-team game of strategy. It has been around for decades, beginning in Jiangsu province, and was a favoured pastime of former leader Deng Xiaoping. But it has had a recent resurgence, with surveys suggesting there are about 140 million enthusiasts. In 2014, the municipal government in Jiangsu tried to have...