Mahjongg's origins are not fully known, but many theories have been put forth. One such theory says that Noah played Mahjongg on the ark because the East hand is dominant, presumably the direction the rains came, in the flood. Another theory says that the Chinese philosopher, Confucius, made the game. The three Cardinal tiles have the same names as his three Cardinal virtues, Chung (middle) the Red, Fa (prosperity) the Green, and Po (white) the White, corresponding with Benevolence, Sincerity, and Filial Piety. Still another theory says that Mahjongg is derived from other Chinese games. Ya Pei is played with 32 cards made of wood or ivory and have the same oblong shape as present day Mahjongg tiles. Ma Tiae is played with 40 paper cards, similar in appearance, numbering 1 to 9 in four different suits along with the flower cards. It has been suggested that two brothers made the game, around 1850 A.D., from a combination of these two games.
Mahjongg-en jatorria ez da ondo ezagutzen, baina hainbat teoria eman dira. Horietako teoria batek dio Noe-k Mahjongg-en jolastu zuela bere arkan, ezker eskua (ekialdekoa) nagusi delako eta, ustez, uholdean euriak norabide hori hartu zuelako. Beste teoria batek dio Confucius Txinako filosofoak asmatu zuela jokoa. Fitxa nagusiek hiru bertute nagusien izenak dituzte: Chung (erdia) gorria, Fa (oparotasuna) berdea eta Po (zuria) zuria; borondate ona, egiazaletasuna eta debozio zintzoa, hurrenez hurren. Beste teoria batek dio Mahjongg beste joko txinatar batzuetatik datorrela. Ya Pei zurezko edo marfilezko 32 kartarekin jolasten da, eta gaur egun Mahjongg-eko fitxek duten forma laukizuzen bera dute karta horiek. Ma Tiae paperezko 40 kartarekin jolasten da, itxuraz antzekoak, 1etik 9ra zenbakituak, loreen marrazkiekin eta lau koloretan banatuak. Esan izan da bi anaiak sortu zutela jokoa, K.o. 1850.urtean, bi joko horiek konbinatuz.