Mahjong, Mah Jongg, Majiang – regardless of the spelling, mah jongg is a Chinese tile game of skill, strategy, and luck whose name translates roughly to “sparrow.” Some people say that the game was created around 500 BC but the earliest archeological evidence dates back to the 1880s. There are several legends as to the originators of the game including Taiping Rebellion soldiers, a Chinese princess, a Shanghai aristocrat, two Ningbo brothers, and even Confucius. We’ll never know but it’s fascinating just the same.

In 1923, travelers brought the game to Europe. Americans first saw the game in the early 1920s. It became a fad in the 1920s then wained until 1937 when a group of women enthusiasts met in New York, NY, to standardize the game so that everyone could follow the same rules and hands. It was at this meeting that the National Mah Jongg League, otherwise known as the NMJL, was formed by four women and the basis of the 152-tile game played today.  The National Mah Jongg League now has over 350,000 members and continues to dedicate its time to the creative and social aspects of the game.