BEIJING OPERA
SHARING CHINESE CULTURE WITH THE WORLD
• PLAYING CARD • ILLUSTRATION • LAYOUT DESIGN
The set of playing cards is inspired by the classic Peking opera, recognized for its unique performances, make-up and costumes.
Each card is printed with a character dressed in dramatic costumes. In accordance with gender and disposition, characters are divided into four basic roles: Sheng (male character type), Dan (female character type), Jing (character with a painted face) and Chou (a clown). The original Joker card is replaced by Chou, the King is replaced by Sheng, the Queen is replaced by Dan, and finally, the Jack is replaced by Jing. The cards’ backsides are illustrations of Peking Opera facial make-up simplified in black and white. The illustrations depict the transformation between human form and the human when rotated upside-down. The background elements use Chinese-styled brushes in bold colours to represent calligraphy. The top left-hand corner has the basic roles in Chinese characters to represent the value of the card.
