Chuuren Poutou (Nine Gates) - The Ultimate Chinitsu Yakuman

What is Chuuren Poutou?

Chuuren Poutou (Nine Gates) is a yakuman requiring the specific shape 1112345678999 in a single suit, completed by adding one more tile of the same suit. Also written as “九連宝燈,” it’s considered the most beautiful yakuman and a dream for many players.

The pure 9-sided wait version is sometimes treated as double yakuman. With ~0.0003% occurrence, it’s legendary.

Requirements

Condition	Details	Notes
Base shape	1112345678999	13 tiles
Same suit	Man, pin, or sou only	No mixing
Menzen only	No calls allowed	No ankan either
14th tile	Any 1-9 of same suit	All work

The Pure 9-Sided Wait

Hand: 1112345678999m
Wait: All 1-9m (9-sided wait)
Feature: The most beautiful form

Formation Patterns

1m Wait Example

Hand: 112345678999m
Wait: 1m
Complete: 1112345678999m

5m Wait Example

Hand: 111234678999m
Wait: 5m
Complete: 1112345678999m

Why Any Tile Works

Waiting Tile	Interpretation	Meld Structure
1 or 9	Becomes triplet	111/999 + sequences
2-8	Joins sequence	Various patterns
5	Becomes head	55 + 4 melds

Building Towards Chuuren

Starting Hand Guidance

Same-Suit Count	Assessment	Reason
11+ tiles	Miraculous, go all in	Best start
9-10 tiles	Possible	Parallel with chinitsu
8 or fewer	Unrealistic	Aim for chinitsu

From Chinitsu

Going for chinitsu
↓
Start collecting 1-9
Many terminals accumulating
↓
Consider chuuren poutou

Construction Points

Ideal Flow

Starting hand: 10+ same suit
↓
Early: Secure 1s and 9s, collect 2-8
↓
Mid: Build connected shape
↓
Late: Wait for final tile

Key Priorities

Secure terminals
- Need three 1s and three 9s
- Top priority to keep
Build connection
- One each of 2-8
- Balance collection
Resist calling
- No matter how slow
- Never call

Probability

Rarity

Chuuren Poutou: ~0.0003%
Pure (9-sided): ~0.000002%
Among rarest yakuman

Rarity Ranking

Pure Chuuren (9-sided): ~0.000002%
Suukantsu: ~0.0001%
Tenhou: ~0.0003%
Chuuren Poutou: ~0.0003%

Why It’s Called Beautiful

Legends and Mystique

“Die after completing”
- Urban legend
- Just superstition
Once in a lifetime
- Statistically accurate
- Rare even for pros
Highest honor
- Peak of mahjong life
- Eternal bragging rights

Source of Beauty

Perfect form
- Uses all 1-9
- Mathematical elegance
Menzen purity
- Self-made
- No reliance on others
Chinitsu pinnacle
- Single-suit unity
- Ultimate harmony

Pure 9-Sided Wait

Special Value

Aspect	Regular	Pure (9-sided)
Wait	1 type	All 9 types
Probability	Ultra low	Infinitely low
Treatment	Yakuman	Double yakuman (some rules)

Advantages of 9-Sided

Easier to win
- Any same-suit tile
- Maximum acceptance
Hard to defend against
- Any discard dangerous
- Complete defense impossible
Legendary value
- Ultimate form
- Greatest achievement

Common Mistakes

Temptation to call
- Absolutely cannot call
- Menzen is mandatory
Ankan also invalid
- Shape breaks
- Must be pure 13-tile form
Mixing suits
- One suit only
- No man-pin-sou mix
Wrong shape
- Must be 1112345678999
- Other shapes invalid

Name Origin

Meaning

“九蓮” - Nine lotus flowers
“宝燈” - Precious lantern
Buddhist resonance

Cultural Significance

Artistic completion
- Beautiful form
- Mathematical harmony
Spiritual achievement
- Crystallized patience
- Effort realized
Eternal aspiration
- Every player’s dream
- Immortal goal

Chinitsu: Same-suit hand (6 han)
Menzen: Closed hand
Tamen-machi: Multi-sided wait
Yakuman: Highest tier hands

Summary

Chuuren Poutou is the yakuman requiring 1112345678999 in a single suit - considered the most beautiful hand in mahjong. Menzen only, no calls allowed, with ~0.0003% occurrence. The pure 9-sided wait is legendary. Beginners should remember “same suit, all 1-9” and if blessed with 10+ same-suit tiles, chase the dream. Chuuren Poutou represents the ultimate beauty of mahjong.