ORIGIN OF MAH-JONGG

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LVI, 4 October 1924, Page 8

ORIGIN OF MAH-JONGG

About. 3,003 years ago a fisherman named Sze discovered that he could catch more fish from a boat than by standing on the shore. Having become' possessed of a'fleet of fishing-boats, he obtained the services of a hundred fishermen from neighbouring villages, but, being unaccustomed to tlie rolling of the sea, they became sick, says the Scotsman. Sze, being somewhat of a philosopher, decided that sea-sickness was only a matter of imagination, and could be prevented by giving the sufferer from mal-de-mer something to take his mind ” off the thoughts conducive to the complaint. Accordingly, he and his family devised a game called Mah Dian, which consisted of: 108 pieces of cardboard, and each of the four players held 18 cards, as is the case to-dav. So engrossed were the fishermen in this game that they forgot to be seasick, and the business .of Sze and Co. flourished exceedingly. The game was taken up by a General Chen-Y-u-Mun, ah officer' ofthc Chinese Imperial Army, whose chief job was to suppress, groups of bandits. Chen had his troubles,' for his soldiers would ■ not stay awake at nights, the bandits finding it quite easy to roam about and commit, their nefarious deeds without interruption. Chen, bearing of the game which so fascinated the fishermen that they forgot to be sick, obtained several sets, and soon Mah Dian became part, of the armycurriculum. For many years all -went well, and not a sentry was found asleep at his post. However, keenness waned, cases of sleepiness occurred, and the bandits once more pursued their evil ways. The general decided to brighten up the game by .introducing some new features in the play. He therefore . invented some new cards, bringing the total number of pieces up to 136, and never again was be troubled by his .soldiers being unable lo keep awake. Up to that time, gambling wish „yi indulged in. But, later on, the legend runs a Shanghai business man, Cliang-’shin-mo, introduced scoring among the solcfierS, who, in a short, space of time,' found that their wages vanished with the departure of Chang and his accomplices. From then on, the fame of this highly intellectual and speculative game spread throughout the celestial empire, 'and those who could not. gamble on a money basis used hags of rice as currency. Chang-shin-mo was able to interest the upper classes of Chinese, and soon Government officials and even mandarins were overcome with the fever, and for their benefit Chang introduced the re-1 maining eight cards, bringing the total to' 144, the number used at, the present'! day. l’lie game as now played was the' result of a, gradual development, and in ' its present form has been played .throughout, China lor at least 50 years. Probable no ot her -game had ever been devised that was so absolutely proof againstcheating.