The capital of Southwest China's Sichuan Province, Chengdu is a perfect place for "losers". The old saying warns, "Don't visit Sichuan when you are still young."

Sichuan, also known as "Heavenly Kingdom", is rich in natural resources and cultural heritage. Surrounded by high mountains and nurtured by big rivers, the basin has often avoided wars and natural disasters throughout the ages. This peace has helped cultivate a sort of "loser's personality". That means being self-centered, slack and indulging in the everyday pleasure of life.

And some of the best places to find these "losers" are the teahouses in Chengdu. Here, they gamble by playing mahjong and all kinds of card games, watch their caged birds, chat, or do nothing. They enjoy eating ma la tang (meaning "numb, spicy and hot", a cheap Chengdu delicacy featuring skewered bits of vegetable and meat cooked in a hot pot); and playing mahjong with tiny stakes.

Unfortunately being born in the city means that "the loser's personality" is in my blood. I had been a teahouse regular for as long as I can recall. When I was in primary school, I got used to watching my parents play mahjong with their friends. By the time I got to middle school, I was playing too, first with my cousin, then my mother and grandmother.

I started gambling with my classmates when I was in high school, by playing pool, chess or cards. To prevent their son from becoming another Chengdu "loser", my parents suggested that I move to Beijing after college.

But the times are changing and so too is the reputation of Chengdu.

Now the city has become one of the most popular travel destinations in the country. China's "capital of mahjong" is trying to turn itself into a national center for recreation. Many Chengdu folks believe that mahjong, hotpot restaurants and teahouses have created an ideal atmosphere to attract tourists.

My friends often ask where they should go when they visit Chengdu - here's what I tell them:

You should eat at any restaurant packed with local people. There are plenty of them. Or ask taxidrivers. But don't follow your guidebook's recommendations, unless you want to eat just gongbao chicken and mapo toufu. The restaurants in Chengdu drift in and out of fashion all of the time and many travel guidebooks don't account for this.

My only recommendation is Hong Xing Jiu Lou (Pink Apricot Restaurant), simply because my family has chosen it for our New Year banquet for the past four or five years. A couple of my friends who just returned from their vacation in Chengdu one month ago said it was great. Most taxidrivers will know how to get there.

Teahouses along the Jinjiang River and inside parks are usually better and are certainly more popular.

The best place to learn Chengdu-style mahjong is in teahouses. Watch people playing while sipping a cup of tea. With at least two buddies, you can start playing after watching for two hours. Make sure to lay a wager, because as the old Chengdu saying goes, gambling for tiny stakes is pleasant.

(China Daily January 10, 2008)