Hong Kong mahjong carver among the last of his kind

Mahjong tile artisan Cheung Shun-king's shop, Biu Kee Mahjong, in the Yau Tsim Mong district of Hong Kong. Photo: AFP

Eyebrows furrowed in careful concentration as he chisels images and Chinese characters onto mahjong tiles, 70-year-old Cheung Shun-king is one of the last craftsmen of his kind in Hong Kong.

Hand carving playing tiles for the popular Chinese game used to be a source of income for many, but the introduction of much cheaper machine-made sets whittled away at their customer base and turned their work into a rarity.