Dominoes probably originated during the Xuanhe era of the Northern Song dynasty, which was why they were also called "Xuanhe Dominoes" or "Xuanhe Ivory Dominoes." Sichuan cards, popular in Sichuan, were a variation of dominoes. They were made of paper. Although mahjong resembled dominoes and also had "dots," its rules were completely different, it used far more tiles, and it required four players, making it rather inconvenient.
There were people in the palace who played pai gow as well, mainly eunuchs. Having learned the lesson of the previous Ming dynasty, the eunuchs of the Qing palace were basically illiterate. Other than eating, sleeping, and performing their duties, they had almost no other amusements. And because of Wei Zhongxian and Lady Ke, they could forget about pairing with palace maids, too.
Gambling not only passed the time, it also brought thrills and excitement. But gambling without money at stake was no fun. They started by betting small sums, then the stakes grew larger and larger, until debts began to appear.
Gambling in the palace was strictly regulated by the "Imperially Approved Current Palace Regulations." Eunuchs were not subject to state law; the department specifically responsible for handling them was the Palace Affairs Office, which fell under the Imperial Household Department. First offenders were put in the cangue for two months, severely caned with forty strokes, and sent to serve at the imperial mausoleums. Second offenders were sentenced to death by strangulation, pending execution. This was mainly because some palace servants borrowed usurious loans outside the palace, and debt collectors chased them all the way to the gates of the Forbidden City. Others secretly stole palace items and sold them outside. These were not things piled in storerooms and left to rot—they were items people were actively using. For instance, if an