Doug Frye Bicycle Middle Kingdom (Black) Playing Cards Printed by US Playing Card Co

Description

The court cards use exquisitely detailed line art of Chinese deities and people, while the card back is a great freehand drawing with interpretations of Chinese lattice borders and of course, a dragon.China's vast history provides a rich palette of subjects for court cards.King of Hearts: Pangu, the first living being and creator of the Earth from chaosKing of Diamonds: Caishen, the main Chinese deity of prosperityKing of Clubs: Huangdi, the Yellow Emperor, creator of the centralized stateKing of Spades: Tai Di, the "Primordial Divinity" or "Utmost God"Queen of Hearts: He Xiangu, an immortal renowned for her selfless caring for othersQueen of Diamonds: Lan Caihe, an immortal portrayed sometimes as a man dressed as a woman and other times as a woman, Lan Caihe was said to have ridden to heaven on the back of a magical swan while in a drunken stuporQueen of Clubs: Xi Wangmu, Queen Mother of the West. She held court and allowed deities to meet in her perfect palaceQueen of Spades: Nuwa, humanity's creator along with her twin brother, FuxiJack of Hearts: Fuxi, humanity's creator along with his twin sister, NuwaJack of Diamonds: Luxing, a deity who made people happy through promotions and salary increasesJack of Clubs: Yu Shi, the rain deityJack of Spades: Zhan Yinbao, an army officerFantastic creatures play a large role in Chinese mythology, and they are honored representing the suits:Phoenix (Hearts) - Sun, warmth, and loveKui (Clubs) - A one-legged ox that would warn of coming storms. The Yellow Emperor (the King of Spades) used Kui's skin for a drum that could be heard hundreds of miles awayPixiu (Diamonds) - Brings in good luck and wealth and drives away evilDragon (Spades) - The most powerful creatureThe card back combines a dragon with another famous Chinese element, the Yin-Yang symbol.