Imperial Harvest debuts $1.888m mahjong set for charity

Imperial Harvest, a Singapore-based Imperial Feng Shui consultancy, has unveiled a one-of-one bespoke mahjong set valued at US$1.888 million (approximately S$2.4 million). All proceeds from its sale will go to DIPG Foundation Singapore, funding research into diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma, a rare and aggressive childhood brain cancer.

The set ranks among the world’s most expensive mahjong sets ever created.

It combines rare materials, traditional craftsmanship, and Imperial Feng Shui principles into a collector’s piece that the company says channels cultural heritage into medical research.

A disease that’s long been considered incurable

Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma, or DIPG, primarily affects children between the ages of five and 11.

It has long been considered incurable.

In 2024, doctors reported the world’s first case of a child effectively cured of the disease, renewing momentum in the field — but research remains critically underfunded.

DIPG Foundation Singapore is the country’s first foundation dedicated to advancing research into DIPG and other pediatric brain cancers. It was founded by families who each lost a child to the disease. The foundation supports research, advocates for access to innovative therapies and clinical trials, and provides resources for affected families.

For Grand Master David Goh, founder of Imperial Harvest, donating the proceeds reflects a belief that prosperity carries its greatest meaning when it can be shared. The mahjong set celebrates abundance through symbolism and craftsmanship while directing that value into research.

A fading craft, reimagined in jade and crocodile leather

The piece arrives at a time when the traditional art of mahjong tile carving is fading worldwide. At its heart are 156 playing tiles — including Animal, Fei and Joker tiles — individually carved from untreated Burmese Grade A Black Jadeite. The stone has long been associated with protection, resilience and prosperity, and every tile retains its natural individuality.

The tiles sit inside a bespoke trunk wrapped in Himalayan Niloticus crocodile leather, prized for its naturally occurring gradient that resembles snow-capped mountain peaks. The leather comes from a tannery that supplies some of the world’s most prestigious luxury maisons. Inside, aerospace-grade Alcantara — the same material used in Ferrari and Lamborghini interiors — creates a soft, durable lining.

Feng Shui meets design in every tile

Guided by third-generation feng shui master Grand Master David Goh, every detail was considered not only for visual appeal but for symbolic significance. The conventional Singapore animal tiles have been replaced by the Four Celestial Guardians — the Azure Dragon, Vermilion Phoenix, White Tiger and Black Tortoise — mythical creatures rooted in Chinese cosmology that represent protection, balance and harmony.

The flower tiles have been redesigned to depict four auspicious creatures: the bat, deer, crane and magpie, collectively symbolizing fortune, prosperity, longevity and happiness.