Mahjong and Its Origins
Another gambling game that has origins which can be traced back to China is the Mahjong. Although not as popular as the slot machines or poker, mahjong still has its considerable number of gambling fans.
The exact origin of mahjong is still indefinite, up to now. There are two myths as to how this gambling game started. One of these myths tells that this gambling game was invented by Confucius, the famous philosopher from China.
There had been proofs as to why this gambling game can be attributed to Confucius. One of them is the existence of three dragon tiles in this gambling game. Now, what is the significance of these dragon tiles to Confucius? You see, Confucius' teachings are represented by the three dragons - white green and red dragons.
Another proof why Confucius could have created this gambling is the etymology of the word mahjong. Mahjong in Chinese means hemp bird, and Confucius was said to have a certain fondness of birds.
Some of the terms used in this gambling game can also support this Confucius theory. Example of these terms is Kong, which is the family name of Confucius. Another term is the Chee, which is a derivation of Confucius' wife Che.
On the other hand, some people believe that this gambling game evolved from a card game. This card game is called Madiao, and is played with forty cards. Madiao uses these forty cards which are numbered from one to nine, and are in varying suits. In addition to that, there are four cards which are flower cards. See, these cards are very similar to the tiles used in the gambling game mahjong.
Like many other gambling games which are old, mahjong's exact origin is hard to determine. That is the trouble with age and lack of proper record-keeping or documentation. Because of this, we are not fully sure as to whom to attribute this gambling game. Because of this, the person responsible for inventing this fabulous gambling game may not have been credited for enough. This is such a shame, for the gambling game that we call today as the mahjong is truly a historical and cultural landmark, which needs to be properly appreciated.
Even if its origin is unsure, the success of this gambling game is pretty much definite. The gambling game of mahjong is played in different parts of the world other than China, like America and the Philippines.
