Miniseries / In development

The Eyes of Sparrow 雀頭

A noir tale of mahjong, triads, and survival in 1950s Hong Kong

In mahjong, a “pair” (雀頭) refers to two identical tiles—essential to winning the game. In The Eyes of Sparrow, childhood friends Cheng Lap-ban and Chong Man-nin are opposites in personality yet inseparable, forming the pair at the heart of this story.

Set in 1950s Hong Kong—a time when East met West, law was still taking shape, and possibilities thrived in the gray areas—mahjong represented more than a game. It embodied the Chinese spirit: finding order in chaos through skill and psychological warfare. When both men face life-altering crises, they decide to run a mahjong parlor together, marking a turning point in their destinies.

As novice operators, they struggle to establish their business, only to face an unexpected government crackdown in 1955 when all mahjong parlors are suddenly banned. Through conviction and courage, they successfully lobby for legalization. Drawing on this dramatic historical event, one young parlor owner—with fluent English and remarkable boldness—negotiated with the British colonial government to issue exactly 144 licenses (matching the 144 tiles in mahjong), officially designated as “Mahjong Schools.”

The series combines mahjong—a Chinese cultural treasure—with Hong Kong history, weaving a uniquely entertaining saga of ambition, friendship, and survival against the backdrop of a transformative era. Today, around 50 legal mahjong parlors still operate across Hong Kong—a cultural phenomenon unique to the city.

Funding status: Awarded HK$600,000 (US$77,000) script development funding by the Hong Kong Film Development Fund. Finalist for the Content Development Scheme for Streaming Platforms.