Tangram was invented by the ancient Chinese working people, and it can be traced back to at least the first century BC and matured till the Ming Dynasty. It was widespread in Ming and Qing Dynasty in the folk; the well-known American puzzle expert Sam Loyd said in his book that: "ccording to the Encyclopedia, Tangram has a very long history. It is a pastime in China, and its history can be traced back to 4000 ago..."Joseph Needham regarded it as one of the oldest Oriental entertainment.

Tangram has a very simple structure, easy to operate and clear to understand. It can be used to make more than 1,600 kinds of patterns. This is the charm of Tangram. Chinese "Picture of Swallow Table" was created in accordance with the puzzle, and the meaning of Swallow Table means the table to entertain guests with feast. Huang Bosi from the Northern Song Dynasty first designed six rectangular tables, which can adjust properly the position based on amount of guests at the banquet. Later, the table was added with a small table and then changed into a big rectangle after arranging with the former 6 rectangular tables, which has endless change by different combination and more or less equaled to the modern Tangram. 

Tangram Picture was popular overseas. American writer Edgar Allan Poe has specially use ivory to make a Tangram. Napoleon also used Tangram once as a pastime during his exile.