Origin of Mahjong (MJ) / other Hu Pai Design

Mahjong and Hu-Pai Designs
(Relate to I-Ching & Taoism)

Introduction
Mahjong and other Hu Pais relate to I-Ching. (Yes. I mean I-Ching 易经).

I-Ching is also known as the “Book of Changes” . It is about change
and changeability of everything in the universe. In other words, I-
Ching is OBSERVATION OF CHANGES literally, just as the meaning for
“Book of Changes”.

I learned just recently from reading. I = 易 = change. Ching is 经 as in
经历 like chronicle of observations. The books and references I used are
listed separately.

To show how Mahjong and other Hu Pai game design could be based on
concepts and principles in I-hing, I compare the basic structure of
Mahjong with basic structure of I-Ching. I will also relate symbols in
I-Ching to symbols in Mahjong. Keep in mind that the central idea is
CHANGE and that the process of change is simple and cyclical, just as
explained in I-Ching (a term credited to Confucius).

First let me explain about the I-Ching trigram. It is a symbol of 3
lines which can be arranged in 8 different orders of yin and yang, one
line above another. These symbols were used as metaphors in place of
many words when the language was rudimentary. To illustrate, each
trigram starts from a bi-gram of 2 lines, yin and yang. Let yin = 0
and yang = 1. These 2 lines can make 4 bi-grams, such as O-1, 0-0,
1-0- 1-1. Then the interactions of the 4 bi-grams with yin and yang
beget 8 trigrams: 1-1-1, Heaven; 0-1-1, Lake; 1-0-1, Fire; 0-0-1,
Wind; 0-1-0 Thunder; 1-1-0, , Water; 1-0-0, Mountain; 0-0-0, Earth
(Living I-Ching by Deng Ming-Dao); they are usually shown in line-
symbols. A broken line is yin and a solid line is yang. Trigrams are
building-blocks of I-Ching divination system of hexagram.

Hexagrams are two trigrams in a stack; each has 6 lines Yin and Yang,
in 64 different configurations. Each configuration is a metaphor with
a message for interpretation. This is my basic knowledge of I-Ching.

In tracing the root of a game like Mahjong which has changed names, no
history in written authorship, undergone changes in symbols and cards
added, numerous versions of terms for symbols, even acquired new rules
of play, the core structure and concept of the game is more
significant than its superficial looks. As for any invention, the
uniqueness is not in the appearance but it is in the idea. That is the
essence and meaning of “intellectual property”. Intellectual property
is what I have here.




Reference List:

“The Living I-Ching”, by Deng Ming-Dao, copyright 2006.
“The I-Ching Book”, by Chris Marshall, ISBN 1 84442 634 3; 2004.
“Taoism, A Short Introduction”, by James Miller, copyright 2003.
“Wikipedia” on-line.
“Mah-Jongg from Shanghai to Miami Beach”, ISBN 0-8118-4733-0, 2005.
“The Happy Game of Mah-Jong”, by D.H. Li, ISBN 0-9637852-3-0, 1994.
“The Complete Book of Mah-Jongg”, by A.D. Millington, 1993
“The Paying-Card” articles by Michael Stanwick and Andrew Lo
“Sloperama” FAQ and NG discussions and emails from group members
“Chemistry for Dummies”, by John T. Moore,ISBN 0-7645-5430-1, 2003
“Ralph Waldo Emerson”, CD (CNIB library), 2007
“The History of Mahjong” NG Post by Cofa Tsui, January 2004
“The ZuiHu game” NG Post by ithinc, August 2007


Characteristics of Mahjong (MJ) and other Hu Pai with Parallels in I-
Ching

A pair in MJ is called “eyes”. A pair in I-Ching is yin and yang,
darkness and light.
Phoenix & Dragon are gender symbols in MJ; Yin &Yang are parallels in
I-Ching.
‘Dui’ a pair in Zui-Hu, literally meaning ‘opposed’; Y&Y are opposites
in I-Ching.
Directions, (East-South-West-North) in Mahjong; directions are
trigrams in I-Ching.
‘Wan’ is ‘Ten-thousand’ in MJ; means ‘ten-thousand-thing’ in Tai-Chi
and I-Ching.
‘Old-Thousand’ a card in Hu pai maybe fertility symbol like Mother
Earth in I-Ching.
Scores multiply stepwise in MJ by 2. Trigrams mutate to hexagrams in
steps by 2.
Seasons and Directions are MJ cards; Seasons & Directions are I-Ching
trigrams

Yin and yang, opposites in I-Ching, interact to make 2-line bi-grams &
3-line trigrams.
The goal in MJ is a symbols grouping, 2-3-3-3-3. A pair is ‘2’ , and
sub-groups of ‘3’.
An MJ hand, 13 cards, by D & D, change to a pair + 4 of 3’s,
(2-3-3-3-3 Hu-pattern.)
In I-Ching, ‘2’ = Y & Y, interact with each other; generate 8 groups
of 3’s (trigrams).

‘Kan’ is a MJ 3-card ‘run’, e.g. 1-2-3. ‘Kan’ in I-Ching is trigram-
water that flows.
Changes occur in each MJ hand by D&D; changes in I-Ching from Y&Y
interaction.
Hu, 和 in etymology = ‘eat rice together’; it is ‘unite together’ of
Y&Y in I-Ching.
MJ ‘Dead-wall’ is forbidden zone; I-Ching Tai-Chi, 太极 is primal
birthing place.

The ‘primal birthing place’ is the blank space, an inner circle of
‘Heaven-Eight trigram’.
‘Heaven-8 Trigrams’ express the “cyclical, seasonal and directional
nature of changes”.
MJ circles of King Wen trigrams represent cyclical changes of
everything in the universe.
MJ stick/string symbols are lines of yin-yang; they created all the
‘ten-thousand things’.

Yin and Yang exist in pair. They attract to a union like electron and
proton of atoms.
Yin or Yang can not exist alone; hence a bird, the sparrow is in place
of 1-stick/string.
The simplicity of symbols in MJ is like the simplicity of trigrams in
I-Ching.
E-S-W-N and the 4 Seasons in MJ are part of King Wen’s Trigram-circle.

The process of change affects every MJ-hand via the rules of ‘draw and
discard’.
Cycle of change affects everything in the universe in I-Ching by union
of Y&Y.
‘Draw and Discard’ create changes in MJ; combination and permutation
in I-Ching.
Fair and simple rules for all Hu games; ‘power of 2’ is formula for I-
Ching trigrams.

Mahjong and other Hu Pai have symbols and many metaphors.
I-Ching trigrams and hexagrams are metaphors and more.
MJ symbol called by different names; MJ rules can differ here and
there.
In Taoism wisdom “Name is not forever Name. Way is not the only Way”.

A case in point, Tai-Chi, 太极 by my interpretation, it mean ‘primal
birthing place’. (Every Chinese child by age 5 hears enough swearing
to know what 太 means. No need for etymology to analyze the word. The
dot is a sign of something came out between two legs. A birthing
occurred! Yet the use of V- word is still taboo. Medical description
and dictionary definition for the virgina is “shaded-passage”. I call
it here as ‘birthing place’.

In summary, connections between I-Ching and game design of Mahjong
include:

The circle symbol in Mahjong (Spare Coin) is trigram circle of King
Wen in I-Ching.

The stick/string/rope symbol (Suo Zi) in Mahjong is Yin-Yang line in I-
Ching.

The ‘wan’ symbol in Mahjong is referred to as “ten-thousand-thing’ in
I-Ching.

Seasons and Directions are part of I-Ching and part of Maahjong.

The ‘Pair’ has special significance in both Mahjong and I-Ching.

Parallel exists in I-Ching for the mahjong ‘dead-wall’, Tai-Chi (太极).

‘Kan,’ ‘Dui’ and ‘Qian’ have corresponding usage in Mahjong and I-
Ching.

“Why a Sparrow?” is answered; needed for non-existent half-Yin-Yang
pair.

Change by Yin-yang union in I-Ching; change by ‘peng & chow‘ in MJ.


Conclusion:

Mahjong and other Hu-game designs relates directly to I-Ching, 易经.
A coherent explanation is now possible for the symbols, structure and
rules of the game.

The concentric circles in MJ are King-Wen-Circles in I-Ching. The
Strings or Sticks in MJ are Yin-Yang-Lines in I-Ching. The Sparrow was
a substitute for a half-Yin-Yang-Line which can not exist without an
opposite. (Yin-Yang-Lines exist together at least in pair; that is
what ‘Hu’ (和) means in Hu-Pai. 和= together, Yin AND Yang.

A few key questions have been answered with evidence directly from I-
Ching. There was a design concept in Mahjong, after all.

My thanks and appreciation for the discussions with and assistance
from members of our group; I am glad to have contributed my little
bit. I hope someday somehow somebody will get the Mahjong/Sparrow
origin straight.

On Sep 27, 11:33 pm, al <a... RemoveThis @ntl.sympatico.ca> wrote:
> Mahjong and Hu-Pai Designs
> (Relate to I-Ching & Taoism)
>
> Introduction
> Mahjong and other Hu Pais relate to I-Ching. (Yes. I mean I-Ching 易经).
>
> I-Ching is also known as the “Book of Changes” . It is about change
> and changeability of everything in the universe. In other words, I-
> Ching is OBSERVATION OF CHANGES literally, just as the meaning for
> “Book of Changes”.
>
> I learned just recently from reading. I = 易 = change. Ching is 经 as in
> 经历 like chronicle of observations. The books and references I used are
> listed separately.
>
> To show how Mahjong and other Hu Pai game design could be based on
> concepts and principles in I-hing, I compare the basic structure of
> Mahjong with basic structure of I-Ching. I will also relate symbols in
> I-Ching to symbols in Mahjong. Keep in mind that the central idea is
> CHANGE and that the process of change is simple and cyclical, just as
> explained in I-Ching (a term credited to Confucius).
>
> First let me explain about the I-Ching trigram. It is a symbol of 3
> lines which can be arranged in 8 different orders of yin and yang, one
> line above another. These symbols were used as metaphors in place of
> many words when the language was rudimentary. To illustrate, each
> trigram starts from a bi-gram of 2 lines, yin and yang. Let yin = 0
> and yang = 1. These 2 lines can make 4 bi-grams, such as O-1, 0-0,
> 1-0- 1-1. Then the interactions of the 4 bi-grams with yin and yang
> beget 8 trigrams: 1-1-1, Heaven; 0-1-1, Lake; 1-0-1, Fire; 0-0-1,
> Wind; 0-1-0 Thunder; 1-1-0, , Water; 1-0-0, Mountain; 0-0-0, Earth
> (Living I-Ching by Deng Ming-Dao); they are usually shown in line-
> symbols. A broken line is yin and a solid line is yang. Trigrams are
> building-blocks of I-Ching divination system of hexagram.
>
> Hexagrams are two trigrams in a stack; each has 6 lines Yin and Yang,
> in 64 different configurations. Each configuration is a metaphor with
> a message for interpretation. This is my basic knowledge of I-Ching.
>
> In tracing the root of a game like Mahjong which has changed names, no
> history in written authorship, undergone changes in symbols and cards
> added, numerous versions of terms for symbols, even acquired new rules
> of play, the core structure and concept of the game is more
> significant than its superficial looks. As for any invention, the
> uniqueness is not in the appearance but it is in the idea. That is the
> essence and meaning of “intellectual property”. Intellectual property
> is what I have here.
>
> Reference List:
>
> “The Living I-Ching”, by Deng Ming-Dao, copyright 2006.
> “The I-Ching Book”, by Chris Marshall, ISBN 1 84442 634 3; 2004.
> “Taoism, A Short Introduction”, by James Miller, copyright 2003.
> “Wikipedia” on-line.
> “Mah-Jongg from Shanghai to Miami Beach”, ISBN 0-8118-4733-0, 2005.
> “The Happy Game of Mah-Jong”, by D.H. Li, ISBN 0-9637852-3-0, 1994.
> “The Complete Book of Mah-Jongg”, by A.D. Millington, 1993
> “The Paying-Card” articles by Michael Stanwick and Andrew Lo
> “Sloperama” FAQ and NG discussions and emails from group members
> “Chemistry for Dummies”, by John T. Moore,ISBN 0-7645-5430-1, 2003
> “Ralph Waldo Emerson”, CD (CNIB library), 2007
> “The History of Mahjong” NG Post by Cofa Tsui, January 2004
> “The ZuiHu game” NG Post by ithinc, August 2007
>
> Characteristics of Mahjong (MJ) and other Hu Pai with Parallels in I-
> Ching
>
> A pair in MJ is called “eyes”. A pair in I-Ching is yin and yang,
> darkness and light.
> Phoenix & Dragon are gender symbols in MJ; Yin &Yang are parallels in
> I-Ching.
> ‘Dui’ a pair in Zui-Hu, literally meaning ‘opposed’; Y&Y are opposites
> in I-Ching.
> Directions, (East-South-West-North) in Mahjong; directions are
> trigrams in I-Ching.
> ‘Wan’ is ‘Ten-thousand’ in MJ; means ‘ten-thousand-thing’ in Tai-Chi
> and I-Ching.
> ‘Old-Thousand’ a card in Hu pai maybe fertility symbol like Mother
> Earth in I-Ching.
> Scores multiply stepwise in MJ by 2. Trigrams mutate to hexagrams in
> steps by 2.
> Seasons and Directions are MJ cards; Seasons & Directions are I-Ching
> trigrams
>
> Yin and yang, opposites in I-Ching, interact to make 2-line bi-grams &
> 3-line trigrams.
> The goal in MJ is a symbols grouping, 2-3-3-3-3. A pair is ‘2’ , and
> sub-groups of ‘3’.
> An MJ hand, 13 cards, by D & D, change to a pair + 4 of 3’s,
> (2-3-3-3-3 Hu-pattern.)
> In I-Ching, ‘2’ = Y & Y, interact with each other; generate 8 groups
> of 3’s (trigrams).
>
> ‘Kan’ is a MJ 3-card ‘run’, e.g. 1-2-3. ‘Kan’ in I-Ching is trigram-
> water that flows.
> Changes occur in each MJ hand by D&D; changes in I-Ching from Y&Y
> interaction.
> Hu, 和 in etymology = ‘eat rice together’; it is ‘unite together’ of
> Y&Y in I-Ching.
> MJ ‘Dead-wall’ is forbidden zone; I-Ching Tai-Chi, 太极 is primal
> birthing place.
>
> The ‘primal birthing place’ is the blank space, an inner circle of
> ‘Heaven-Eight trigram’.
> ‘Heaven-8 Trigrams’ express the “cyclical, seasonal and directional
> nature of changes”.
> MJ circles of King Wen trigrams represent cyclical changes of
> everything in the universe.
> MJ stick/string symbols are lines of yin-yang; they created all the
> ‘ten-thousand things’.
>
> Yin and Yang exist in pair. They attract to a union like electron and
> proton of atoms.
> Yin or Yang can not exist alone; hence a bird, the sparrow is in place
> of 1-stick/string.
> The simplicity of symbols in MJ is like the simplicity of trigrams in
> I-Ching.
> E-S-W-N and the 4 Seasons in MJ are part of King Wen’s Trigram-circle.
>
> The process of change affects every MJ-hand via the rules of ‘draw and
> discard’.
> Cycle of change affects everything in the universe in I-Ching by union
> of Y&Y.
> ‘Draw and Discard’ create changes in MJ; combination and permutation
> in I-Ching.
> Fair and simple rules for all Hu games; ‘power of 2’ is formula for I-
> Ching trigrams.
>
> Mahjong and other Hu Pai have symbols and many metaphors.
> I-Ching trigrams and hexagrams are metaphors and more.
> MJ symbol called by different names; MJ rules can differ here and
> there.
> In Taoism wisdom “Name is not forever Name. Way is not the only Way”.
>
> A case in point, Tai-Chi, 太极 by my interpretation, it mean ‘primal
> birthing place’. (Every Chinese child by age 5 hears enough swearing
> to know what 太 means. No need for etymology to analyze the word. The
> dot is a sign of something came out between two legs. A birthing
> occurred! Yet the use of V- word is still taboo. Medical description
> and dictionary definition for the virgina is “shaded-passage”. I call
> it here as ‘birthing place’.
>
> In summary, connections between I-Ching and game design of Mahjong
> include:
>
> The circle symbol in Mahjong (Spare Coin) is trigram circle of King
> Wen in I-Ching.
>
> The stick/string/rope symbol (Suo Zi) in Mahjong is Yin-Yang line in I-
> Ching.
>
> The ‘wan’ symbol in Mahjong is referred to as “ten-thousand-thing’ in
> I-Ching.
>
> Seasons and Directions are part of I-Ching and part of Maahjong.
>
> The ‘Pair’ has special significance in both Mahjong and I-Ching.
>
> Parallel exists in I-Ching for the mahjong ‘dead-wall’, Tai-Chi (太极).
>
> ‘Kan,’ ‘Dui’ and ‘Qian’ have corresponding usage in Mahjong and I-
> Ching.
>
> “Why a Sparrow?” is answered; needed for non-existent half-Yin-Yang
> pair.
>
> Change by Yin-yang union in I-Ching; change by ‘peng & chow‘ in MJ.
>
> Conclusion:
>
> Mahjong and other Hu-game designs relates directly to I-Ching, 易经.
> A coherent explanation is now possible for the symbols, structure and
> rules of the game.
>
> The concentric circles in MJ are King-Wen-Circles in I-Ching. The
> Strings or Sticks in MJ are Yin-Yang-Lines in I-Ching. The Sparrow was
> a substitute for a half-Yin-Yang-Line which can not exist without an
> opposite. (Yin-Yang-Lines exist together at least in pair; that is
> what ‘Hu’ (和) means in Hu-Pai. 和= together, Yin AND Yang.
>
> A few key questions have been answered with evidence directly from I-
> Ching. There was a design concept in Mahjong, after all.
>
> My thanks and appreciation for the discussions with and assistance
> from members of our group; I am glad to have contributed my little
> bit. I hope someday somehow somebody will get the Mahjong/Sparrow
> origin straight.
++++++++++++++++

It seems unusual to see not one argument in response since my post
September 27, 2007, 14 days ago, especially when the connection is so
remote from the conventional view or standpoint and the
characteristics are so conceptual rather than concrete or tangible.

I know every one in this group can be vocal and direct at times when a
point is in dispute. Why the sudden silence? I can not believe that
there is no objection or question to my interpretation. After all I am
a neophyte in this game. The post is on the origin of the mahjong
design, a hefty topic indeed. The concept behind the game design, if
understood, can answer many questions that recurred time and again in
the history of this discussion group. Without a core idea for the
game, mahjong pieces do not hang together; symbols do not have uniform
names or meaning; rules do not have reason for being different here
and there. Scholarly discourse mostly focused on a word or a phrase or
pronunciation of this or that appeared so and so. The results led
often to nowhere near the origin of mahjong.

If I had made a mistake and readers recognized it in my post, I would
have heard it by now. My earlier post as a reply to What is Maque /
mahjong had detailed the same content in summary and conclusion. So
there have been two posts proposing that there was a discernable
connection between the design of mahjong and the elements and concepts
in the Book of Changes (I-Ching).

Since I heard not a word from any one anywhere, I am led to speculate
the possibilities of (1) readers are still in shock, like what was
once referred to as Culture Shock Resistance. Or (2) the concept of
creation by Yin and Yang is alien under scholarly scrutiny. Or (3) the
formation of yin-yang lines into configurations such as bi-grams,
trigrams and hexagrams is beyond easy comprehension; or (4) by
ignoring it to give an implication that (a) the post is unworthy of
attention; (b) no sign of culture shock or resistance and (c) being
unaware of this post but not being uninformed on Chinese classic. Or
perhaps (5) avoiding further discussion can keep the status quo. (The
money base preserved and prevails).

It is interesting to note. If educated people nowadays reacted to a
suggestion that the idea and structure of mahjong design relate to I-
Ching either as wacky, unthinkable, confusing or nonsensical, how do
you think people in olden days (whenever that was) responded if they
were told that mahjong was based on I-Ching concepts and not on money/
coins as they had been familiar with in other older games? Naturally
they would ignore anything different and unknown. It is easy to see
what names those folks would have assigned to any new symbols in their
circumstances. They called the new symbols of mahjong with old names
they knew. It was not important what the mahjong symbols really were
then, nor are they now except when it comes to the question of origin
of the game.

By the way, there might have been original mahjong instruction in
writing for scholars who could read. But that was useless to many
people who could not read and most of Chinese people learned only by
oral instruction in olden days. However, if the game was written
before 221 BC, the book-burning of the Chin dynasty (221-206 BC) would
have destroyed its records anyway.