Summary

Ever since arriving in the United States after World War II, four Chinese women have gathered weekly to play mah-jongg and to tell stories, giving each other a sense of hope and renewal in the midst of poverty and hardship. When one woman dies, her dauther is invited to take her place in the group, but has minimal interest in her rich cultural heritage. Eventually, the next generation of women begin to appreciate the struggles of their mothers to start their families in the optimistic promise of the United States.