Why do historians reject the claim that Confucius invented mahjong?

Answer: Because the game only appears in records from the late Qing, long after Confucius

Because a Qing emperor banned the game and erased all records of its inventor — Wrong. No widely accepted historical record credits Confucius as mahjong's inventor, and there is no evidence of an erasure campaign; the stronger view is gradual development, not one named creator.

Because the game only appears in records from the late Qing, long after Confucius ✓ — Correct! The Confucius story is a famous legend, but historians generally trace mahjong to late Qing China, likely evolving from earlier card games rather than one known inventor.

Because Confucius wrote about games only in texts that were later proven forged — Wrong. There are no genuine or forged Confucian passages describing mahjong at all; the tale is memorable because it links the game to a famous thinker, but no solid evidence shows he designed it.