EN (English)
The Tarot of Beijing
Seventy-eight arcana redrawn in the hutongs of old Beijing.
A 78-card tarot built on the Rider–Waite–Smith skeleton and reset in old Beijing, with suits of Kites, Teacups, Brushes, and Coins. Feng Zikai–style ink arcana by the Tarot Academy collective, led by Olena Zhukova and Volodymyr Zhukov.
- Cards
- 78
- Major Arcana
- 22
- Minor Arcana
- 56
TT
What makes it matter
- 78 cards: 22 major arcana and 56 minors, every RWS meaning preserved
- Four Beijing suits: Kites (Wands), Teacups (Cups), Brushes (Swords), Coins (Pentacles)
- Courts recast as Apprentice, Courier, Matron, and Master
- Strength sits at VIII as The Girl and the Lion, a New Year lion dance
- Feng Zikai–style ink sketches: gray washes, vermilion and teal accents, gold-flecked kraft paper, a red seal on every card
- 19 content sections per card, from keywords and significator to a guided meditation
About the deck
The Tarot of Beijing is a 78-card deck that keeps the complete Rider–Waite–Smith skeleton (22 major arcana, 56 minors, four suits with Apprentice-to-Master courts) and moves every scene into the hutongs, teahouses, temple fairs, and courtyards of old Beijing. The Fool becomes the Newcomer stepping out of Beijing Railway Station with a bedroll on his shoulder and a paper address in his fist; the Chariot is a rickshaw runner flying through evening rain between two swinging lanterns; the Tower is the dismantling of an old city gate, the open horizon appearing for the first time in five hundred years. Each traditional meaning stays intact under the new image, so anyone who reads RWS can read this deck on sight.
The suit system is the deck's central rewiring. Wands become Kites (风筝), the fire of will, ambition, and enterprise carried on the first wind of spring. Cups become Teacups (茶碗), water and feeling in a gaiwan offered with both hands across a threshold, because in Beijing an offered cup is an offered heart. Swords become Brushes (毛笔), the air of mind, words, and trials, where a single stroke of ink cannot be unmade. Pentacles become Coins (铜钱), the square-holed copper cash of work, body, and household: heaven round, earth square, opportunity exactly coin-sized. The court ranks are recast as Apprentice, Courier, Matron, and Master. Strength holds the RWS position at VIII as The Girl and the Lion, a New Year lion dance that lowers its huge head before a tiny child, because true strength is what makes strength kneel gladly. Justice keeps position XI as The Hand Scale.
The deck was created by the Tarot Academy collective, headed by Olena Zhukova and Volodymyr Zhukov, in the visual language of Feng Zikai: a handful of calm brush lines, muted black and gray washes with one or two accents of vermilion or teal, on warm aged kraft paper flecked with gold, and a small red seal in one corner of every card. There are no gods and thunderbolts here; the cosmic is always shown through the small and human. Every card carries the same 19-section content template, from keywords and topical spreads (money, business, work, romance, relationships, the physical self) to astrological and numerological correspondences and a guided meditation for connecting with the arcana's energy.
The deck at a glance
- Created by
- Tarot Academy collective, headed by Olena Zhukova and Volodymyr Zhukov
- Illustrated by
- Tarot Academy collective
- First published by
- Tarot Academy
- Year
- 2026
- Country
- China
- Tradition
- Tarot Academy collective
- Also known as
- Beijing Tarot, Tarot of Old Beijing
- Influences
- Rider–Waite–Smith Tarot, Feng Zikai
- Court ranks
- Apprentice · Courier · Matron · Master
- Reversals
- Read upright and reversed
- Recommended spreads
- Daily Card, Three Card, Celtic Cross, Yes No
- Best for
- Beginner
Esoteric correspondences
Astrology
Numerology
Elements
All 78 cards
Every card links to its full page: meanings upright and reversed, symbolism, and readings across love, career and more.
Major Arcana
The Newcomer
The Sugar-Figure Man
The Fortune-Teller Behind the Curtain
The Courtyard Grandmother
The Old Man on Jingshan
The Calligraphy Master
One Skewer of Tanghulu
The Rickshaw Runner
The Girl and the Lion
The Man Who Walks His Bird
The Pinwheel Seller
The Hand Scale
The Tianqiao Acrobat
The Character on the Wall
The Long-Spout Kettle
The Cricket Den
Dismantling the Gate
Lotus Lanterns on Houhai
The Rabbit Lord's Night
Morning at the Temple of Heaven
The Morning Bell
The View from the Hill
Kites
Ace of Kites
Two of Kites
Three of Kites
Four of Kites
Five of Kites
Six of Kites
Seven of Kites
Eight of Kites
Nine of Kites
Ten of Kites
Apprentice of Kites
Courier of Kites
Matron of Kites
Master of Kites
Teacups
Ace of Teacups
Two of Teacups
Three of Teacups
Four of Teacups
Five of Teacups
Six of Teacups
Seven of Teacups
Eight of Teacups
Nine of Teacups
Ten of Teacups
Apprentice of Teacups
Courier of Teacups
Matron of Teacups
Master of Teacups
Brushes
Ace of Brushes
Two of Brushes
Three of Brushes
Four of Brushes
Five of Brushes
Six of Brushes
Seven of Brushes
Eight of Brushes
Nine of Brushes
Ten of Brushes
Apprentice of Brushes
Courier of Brushes
Matron of Brushes
Master of Brushes
Coins
On every card page
Each of the deck's cards is described through the same set of lenses, so you can compare like with like.
Card at a glance
The card in each deck
Imagery and symbolism
Core meaning
Upright meaning
Reversed meaning
Historical notes
Correspondences
Psychological perspective
The card across decks
In combination and context
Questions for reflection
Frequently asked questions
More decks in the library
View all decksFrequently asked questions
Latest Posts
Discover the ancient wisdom of tarot cards and unlock the mysteries of your spiritual journey. Our blog is your gateway to understanding the rich symbolism, meanings, and practical applications of tarot reading.
