Mahjong Origin Museum

Mahjong Origin Museum

The Mahjong Origin Museum was originally the ancestral hall of the family of Mr. Chen Zhengyao. It showcases the history of mahjong, its connection with Ningbo, and displays various types of mahjong tiles from around the world.

The museum is located within the Tianyi Pavilion scenic area in Haishu District, Ningbo, Zhejiang Province, China. The exhibition area covers more than 1,000 square meters. Centered around the developmental history of mahjong, it explores the life of Mr. Chen Yumen, the evolution of traditional Chinese gambling games, and the emergence and transformation of mahjong. By analyzing elements such as Ningbo dialect and nautical terminology, it provides ample evidence of the deep-rooted connection between mahjong and Ningbo. This makes it China’s first museum dedicated to mahjong culture.

Chen Yumen, a native of Ningbo, lived his entire life in the city, socializing with officials and foreigners alike and taking pleasure in playing card games. Cards were an ancient form of game originating in the Tang Dynasty, referred to as “leaf cards,” and called “Ma Diao” during the Ming Dynasty. After the Qianlong era of the Qing Dynasty, Ma Diao evolved into “Mo He Pai” and “Peng He Pai.” Chen Yumen, well-versed in the art of playing card games, found paper cards to be inconvenient and, in the third year of the Tongzhi reign (1864), replaced them with bamboo and bone materials. He also improved upon the content of the cards, eventually creating a new game—mahjong. It was formed by integrating Ma Diao cards, dice, and the thirty-two-card “Xuan He Pai” from the Song Dynasty. Its consolidation, dissemination, and development are all closely tied to Ningbo. The word “mahjong” originates from the Ningbo dialect term “ma que” (sparrow), and terms used at the mahjong table such as “he” (win), “ting” (ready hand), “qian” (sequence), “peng” (pong), “xiang gong” (false honor), and “cuo” (to shuffle) all evolved from the Ningbo dialect.

Location

No. 5 Tianyi Street, Haishu District, Ningbo City, Zhejiang Province, China