Mahjong, a very widespread, popular table game, originated in China long ago. The Chinese call it “ma que,” which means “sparrow.” It is played with 144 beautifully designed little ivory blocks, or “tiles.” Many compare these tiles to those of Dominoes. The game is played by four players, and their goal is to put together sets of like tiles, or what are called “winning hands.” The complete game set includes a pair of dice, tokens used for keeping score, and a rack for each player to stand the tiles upright for convenience and for keeping their faces hidden from other players.

The origin of Mahjong is unclear, but one myth suggests that Confucius created Mahjong in about 500 B.C., because the game appeared at the time when and in the places where he traveled while teaching his doctrines. The three dragon tiles coincide with the three cardinal virtues of benevolence, sincerity, and filial piety, bequeathed by Confucius. He was very fond of birds, which explains the name “sparrow.” Many historians, however, believe Mahjong is derived from a card game that began during the Ming dynasty. Still others credit its existence to a nobleman living in Shanghai during the 1800s.

Mahjong has spread to many Asian countries, such as Japan, Korea, and Vietnam. There, it is often played as a gambling game. American J. P. Babcock brought Mahjong to the West in 1920. As a result of Mr. Babcock taking the initiative to contrive a set of rules for Western play and devising a complete terminology, the game became a very entertaining pastime in America. It is interesting that its longevity has seen its entry into the world of technology, and one can now play it as a type of solitaire on the Internet.

In 1998, the China State Sports Commission produced a new set of rules for Mahjong, referred to as Chinese Official Rules or International Tournament Rules. This was to dissociate it from illegal gambling. The principles of this new, wholesome Mahjong are: no gambling, no drinking, and no smoking. The new rulebook contains 81 combinations based on patterns and scoring points that are familiar in both classic and modern Chinese variables. Players are often grouped in teams to emphasize that Mahjong is now considered to be a sport. The first World Mahjong Championship was held in November, 2007 with 144 participants from all over the world.

麻將發源於很久以前的中國，是一種非常普及且廣為流傳的桌上遊戲，中國人亦稱之為「麻雀」。一副麻將共有144 張「牌」，通常是設計精美的乳白小長方塊，樣貌和骨牌有點類似。麻將需要四位玩家，他們必須將一套套同性質的牌拿在手裡，也就是所謂的「贏牌」。一副完整的麻將包括一對骰子、可用來計分的籌碼，每位玩家還有一支牌尺，一方面使牌豎立以方便看牌，另一方面也可以避免其他玩家看到自己的牌。

沒有人確定麻將的起源，但有一種謠傳是孔子於西元前約500 年時創造了麻將。因為麻將出現的時間，剛好是孔子周遊列國，為人授業解惑之際。麻將中的三元牌，正好代表了孔子所提倡的三種美德：仁愛、真誠和孝心。孔子很喜歡鳥類，這也解釋了「麻雀」這個名字的由來。此外，也有很多歷史學家認為，麻將是從明朝的一種紙牌遊戲轉變而來的。還有很多人認為，麻將是在19 世紀時，由一位上海的貴族所發明的。

麻將盛行於許多亞洲國家，像是日本、韓國和越南。在這些地方，麻將常被用作賭博工具。1920 年，美國人巴布考克將麻將引入西方國家。由於巴布考克創造了西式玩法和各種術語，麻將在美國成了一種受歡迎的娛樂活動。麻將流傳久遠，甚至結合了今日的科技。現在，網路上已經出現可以單人玩的麻將。

1998 年，中國國家體育運動委員會頒佈新的麻將規則，稱之為中國官方規則或國際比賽規則，以和違法的賭博做區別。這些符合身心健康的新規則如下：禁止賭博、禁止飲酒且禁止吸菸。新的規則手冊結合傳統和現代麻將的組合，共有81種圖案和計分的組合。麻將的玩家開始以小組來參賽，所以麻將也開始被視為是一項運動。第一屆麻將大賽於2007 年11 月舉行，共有144 位來自世界各地的參賽者參賽。