The History of Rock Paper Scissors - Origin, Spread, and Variants

The earliest records trace to the Chinese Han Dynasty (206 BCE - 220 CE), where a hand game called "shoushiling (手勢令)" used three animals — frog, snake, slug — represented with hand shapes to decide winners. Ming Dynasty texts (1368-1644) describe similar games under the same name.

During the Edo period (17th-19th century), the Chinese hand game spread to Japan and evolved into "Janken (じゃんけん)". Multiple variants existed (fox-hunter-village headman, etc.), but by the late 19th century, the modern Rock-Scissors-Paper form was standardized as グー・チョキ・パー. The call "Jan-ken-pon (じゃんけんぽん)" also stabilized in this era.

Through Japanese immigrants and trade, RPS reached Western nations in the early 1900s. In Britain it was called "Roshambo" or "Rock Paper Scissors". A 1924 British newspaper first published the rules, popularizing the game. After WWII it spread rapidly across the US, used for everything from children's play to adult dispute resolution.

Korea adopted RPS via Japan, calling it "가위바위보" (Gawi-Bawi-Bo) — literally Scissors-Rock-Paper. The chant "안 내면 진다 가위바위보!" ("If you don't throw, you lose!") and the variant "Mukjjippa" are uniquely Korean. Mukjjippa starts with RPS, then the winner calls a hand and tries to match the opponent's next throw — a deeper psychological mind game than basic RPS.

• Rock Paper Scissors Lizard Spock: Created by US cartoonist Sam Kass, popularized by The Big Bang Theory. Adds two extra options for a 5-way game. • Indonesia "Suten": elephant (thumb), human (index), ant (pinky) • Malaysia "Ji-pa-pun": bird, water, stone • Vietnam "Oẳn tù tì": same as Korean but with different chant

Founded in Toronto, Canada in 2002, the World Rock Paper Scissors Society organized the annual World RPS Championship with thousands of dollars in prize money. This recognized RPS as more than children's play — a "skill-based mind sport" with strategic depth.