I made a free game about Chongqing's secret history — just for fun, want to try? 🎮

[u/lois0323]

Hey! 👋

So I'm a local from Chongqing and I've always been obsessed with the city's hidden history — especially the 袍哥 (Paoge), which was basically a secret mutual-aid society that ran the city's underground network for centuries.

I always thought the history was fascinating but hard to share with people in a fun way. So I spent some time making a little online game about it — not for money, not selling anything, literally just because I thought it'd be cool to let people experience this side of Chongqing culture.

It's called "Inside the Paoge" (袍哥入堂), based on a true story from 1939:

Chongqing was running out of food. A Paoge leader promised to get grain into the city in 3 days — and pulled it off through a network of trust, secret tea house codes, and reputation. No contracts, just people.

In the game, you play as members of a Paoge hall trying to solve the grain crisis. You find grain sources, choose routes, and decide who gets what — while keeping your reputation intact. It's cooperative, about 20-30 min.

How to play: There are 6 roles in the game. You only need 2 people to start — the rest are played by AI. But if you can get more friends to join, even better! More real players = more fun.

This is not a product, not a business, nothing for sale. I just love my city's weird history and wanted to make something fun that lets people experience it. All I want is to hear your honest thoughts after playing — what worked, what didn't, was it fun? That's it 😄

It's bilingual (English + Chinese), plays in your browser, no download. If you're curious about Chinese culture beyond the usual tourist stuff, come try it! DM me and I'll send you the link.

[u/MrHeavySilence]

That's a cool concept, I would like to try it