Taiwanese Mahjong · 2 tai
Flower Set (Hua Gang) in Taiwanese Mahjong: Tai, Rules and Odds
In Taiwanese mahjong, a Flower Set (花槓, hua gang) is worth 2 tai: you hold all four flowers of one set — Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter (the seasons), or Plum, Orchid, Bamboo and Chrysanthemum (the plants). It doesn't matter which seat you're in; your own flower within the set still scores as an own seat flower.
On this page
The rules for a Flower Set
- All of Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter, or all of Plum, Orchid, Bamboo and Chrysanthemum
- Mixing the sets doesn't count: Spring, Summer, Autumn + Plum is not a set
- Any seat wind counts
- Like other flowers, it only scores when you win
A Flower Set always includes your own flower
Each set of four has exactly one flower for each of East, South, West and North, so a complete set always contains one of yours. This site counts both: Flower Set 2 tai plus own seat flower 1 tai, at least 3 tai.
How a Flower Set is scored
The tai below are computed live by the same scoring code the game uses (dealer and dealer-streak tai are added on top).
Won on a discard
| Own seat flower (正花) ×1 | 1 |
| Four flowers of a set (花槓) ×1 | 2 |
| Total | 3 tai |
|---|
Dealer and dealer-streak tai are added on top.
Won on a discard
| Own seat flower (正花) ×1 | 1 |
| Four flowers of a set (花槓) ×1 | 2 |
| Total | 3 tai |
|---|
Dealer and dealer-streak tai are added on top.
Why there's at most one
Two Flower Sets means all eight flowers in your hand — and that's no longer a Flower Set: the moment the eighth arrives you win on the spot with Eight Flowers for 8 tai. So a normal win has at most one Flower Set.
Once you hold seven flowers, the eighth, if it's ever drawn, can only go one of two ways: you draw it for Eight Flowers, or someone else draws it and you rob it — Seven Rob One.
Flower Set odds
Four flowers of one set all landing with the same player is rare. In 12,000 hands of four normal-level computers on this site, 24 of 11,677 wins had a Flower Set, 0.21%; 32% had an own seat flower. Only 4.6% of players held 4 or more flowers when a hand ended.
| Flowers held when the hand ends | Chance |
|---|---|
| 0 | 22% |
| 1 | 35% |
| 2 | 26% |
| 3 | 12% |
| 4+ tiles | 4.6% |
Source: 12,000 hands of computer play on this site (normal level), counting each player's flowers when the hand ended.
Like own seat flowers, a Flower Set is down to the luck of the draw; you can't play for it.
Flower sets in other mahjong styles
- Hong Kong mahjong: "Flower set", 2 fan (Hong Kong mahjong fan list)
- Chinese Official (Guobiao): each flower is 1 fan, with no bonus for a full set (Guobiao fan list)
To see it in play, open a table of online Taiwanese mahjong — flower replacement and tai are handled for you.
FAQ
How many tai is a Flower Set?
In Taiwanese mahjong a Flower Set is 2 tai; this site also adds your own flower within it (own seat flower, 1 tai).
Are the seasons and the plants worth the same?
Yes, either complete set is a Flower Set for 2 tai.
Do you need to win for a Flower Set to count?
On this site, yes. Like other flowers it only scores together with the rest of your tai when you win.
How many tai are two Flower Sets?
All eight flowers with one player win on the spot as Eight Flowers — it's never scored as two Flower Sets.
Related hands
Own Seat Flower 1 tai
Each flower that matches your seat wind is 1 tai: a flower chart, and why any flower rules out Ping Hu.
Eight Flowers 8 tai
All eight flowers in your hand win on the spot for 8 tai: flower tai on top, who pays, and just how rare it is.
Seven Rob One 8 tai
Hold seven flowers and rob the eighth when someone draws it, for 8 tai: who pays and how it differs from Eight Flowers.
Try it at the table
Taiwanese Mahjong — Play authentic Taiwanese 16-tile mahjong free in your browser against three computer opponents. Flowers, chow, pung, kong, dealer streaks and automatic tai scoring. No sign-up, works on phone and desktop.