Flowers

The Flower and Season tiles have a special significance and only one piece is provided of each tile in a Mah Jongg set. These tiles are known as the Supreme Honour Tiles. The tiles are numbered from 1 - 4 in one of the top corners and belong to the players as shown below:

Number	Player	Flower (1)	Season (2)
1	East Wind	Plum Blossom	Spring
2	South Wind	Orchid	Summer
3	West Wind	Chrysanthemum	Autumn
4	North Wind	Bamboo	Winter

Note 1: The number for each tile will be shown in either black or green.
Note 2: The number for each tile will be shown in red.

Although the Flower and Season tiles are used when playing a Mah Jongg Game they are not regarded as suits to be collected, you cannot collect Chows, Pungs, or Kongs of these tiles. The only purpose these tiles serve is to provide bonus points. For a detailed explanation of the scoring of these tiles see scoring.

During a Game if a player is dealt one of these tiles then they will be given a replacement tile. For example, at the start of Game it is possible that a player could be dealt a Flower and a Season tile, for example, the Summer tile and Bamboo tile. In such a case the player will be given two replacement tiles, which are taken from the Loose Tiles that mark the end of a Wall. Similarly during a Game if a player is dealt a Flower or Season tile they will receive a replacement tile. Again this is taken from the Loose Tiles that mark the end of the Wall.

The Flower tiles together with the Season tiles make up a set of tiles that are known as the Eight Guardians. The Flowers; Plum Blossom, Orchid, Chrysanthemum and Bamboo are known in Mah Jongg as the Four Nobles and they were chosen not only to compliment the four Seasons but to provide an example of different kinds of plants.

Together the tiles that make up the eight guardians are representative of the Eight Guardians of Taoism - eight mortal beings who through their asceticism and pious works were transported to the celestial realms.

	Plum Blossom Chinese Character: "Li" Known as "Plum" or "Plum Blossom" and represented by the Chinese character "Li". The plum blossom is one of the first signs of spring and thus symbolises innocence and inexperience and reflects happiness. It can also be a sign of renewed vitality and new fortune. The plum flower is associated with the East Wind and the season Spring.
	Orchid Chinese Character: "Lan" The orchid is rare and exquisite plant - the pleasures of which are generally reserved for those who can afford it. It therefore indicates refinement and it is a symbol of the rare and precious. It is represented by the Chinese character "Lan". The orchid flower is associated with the South Wind and season Summer.
	Chrysanthemum Chinese Character: "Chü" In China the chrysanthemum is regarded as a symbol of the sun and it is represented by the Chinese character "Chü". The chrysanthemum represents pleasure, social activities, leisure and entertainment. It is associated with the West Wind and the season Autumn.
	Bamboo Chinese Character: "Chu" The bamboo is a most versatile plant with thousands of uses ranging from house-building to painting and writing, where a small stem of bamboo can be carved into a nib. The bamboo flower represented by the Chinese character "Chu" is associated with writing, learning and scholarship. It is also associated with the North Wind and the season Winter.