Where is the origin of mahjong?

There are four theories about the origin of mahjong, namely

1, mahjong is the most mainstream view of the origin of mahjong. Mahjong tiles, also known as sparrow tiles and sparrow tiles, were originally "grain protection tiles" in Taicang, Jiangsu. Moreover, in Taicang dialect, the pronunciation of "sparrow" and "mahjong" is similar. In Taicang dialect, what children say (/ng/), playing "sparrow" is naturally called playing "mahjong".

2. The theory of the origin of Ye Zige. In the Ming Dynasty, there was a man named Wan Bingtiao (or Wan Bingzhang) who created mahjong on the basis of Ye Zige Opera, with his own name "Wan Bingtiao" as the three basic colors.

3. The origin of horse brand. There is also a saying that mahjong tiles are evolved from horse tiles and tiles.

4. The origin of Zheng He's voyages to the West. When Zheng He went to the Western Ocean in the Ming Dynasty, there were no entertainment tools on board. In order to stabilize the military, Zheng He invented this entertainment tool.

Extended data

Mahjong originated in China and spread and developed in the United States.

Mahjong, which originated in China, was introduced to the United States in the 1920s, and now it has become a popular pastime for Americans. China traditional mahjong has 144 cards, and American mahjong also has 8 ghost cards (wild cards). Different from the inherent "touch", "bar" and "eat" of Chinese mahjong, the American Mahjong League changes mahjong rules cards every year and lists new mahjong combinations that can score and win cards to keep it interesting.

Culturally speaking, in the 1920s and 1930s, mahjong was very important in China and the United States, and became a "cultural link" between China people and native Americans. In the decades after World War II, mahjong became the foundation of Jewish women's community construction in the United States. Because many families moved out of the busy city center after the war, they felt isolated in the suburbs, and young Jewish mothers used mahjong as a way to establish a new social network.

Baidu encyclopedia-mahjong

People's Daily Online-Reporter's Note: Mahjong has become a popular pastime for Americans.