How was Mahjong invented?

Mahjong is a traditional Chinese table game with a long history dating back to the Ming Dynasty. There are many different stories about the invention of Mahjong, some of which are briefly described below.

One theory is that the invention of mahjong can be traced back to the Southern Song Dynasty. At that time, an official named Zhao Pu invented a game called "Bai Ban Zi", which is a game of tiles carved from cow bones with different patterns and numbers drawn on them, in order to pass time. This game was so popular that it became the prototype of mahjong.

Another theory is that the invention of mahjong can be traced back to the Kangxi period of the Qing Dynasty. At that time, officials were playing a game called "mahjong", which also used tiles carved from cow bones with different patterns and numbers painted on them. Later, this game spread to the people, and gradually evolved into the current mahjong game.

There is another theory that the invention of mahjong is related to Jinjiang in Fujian Province. According to legend, a man named Ruan Sanmu was playing mahjong at home, and since he had no tiles, he carved a deck of tiles out of cow bones. These tiles soon spread to others in the area and gradually developed into the current game of mahjong.

Either way, the invention of mahjong is inextricably linked to traditional Chinese culture. Mahjong is not only a recreational activity, but also a cultural heritage and historical memory. Nowadays, mahjong has become an important part of Chinese culture, and has gradually spread to all over the world, becoming a popular international competitive activity.