Mahjong, the world-famous card game, is considered by many to be one of the oldest card games in not only Taiwan, but the world. This game is believed to have originated in ancient China because the earliest form of Mahjong was found there and it was only played by the upper-class Chinese people. The game of Mahjong was traditionally played by four people and used 144 tiles which were composed of characters, symbols, and sometimes flowers.
In the Tao religions, Mahjong is believed to represent a philosophical concept. The game is believed to represent the search for knowledge and wisdom, as the board is built up and dismantled and the pieces are moved around. The game is said to bring the players in tune with the Tao, or the law governing the universe, leading to a deep understanding of the game and life itself.