So far in both the suit of Wands and suit of Cups, you’ll see the same exact background and similar use of space for the cards. Therefore color symbolism goes out the window in terms of what a practitioner might use for interpreting the pips. There is no use of background space to convey certain metaphysical attributions that each of the cards might have. Thus, the pip cards feel like an afterthought in putting together this tarot deck.
Moving on, the suit of Swords is depicted by bronze Chinese swords from China’s Bronze Age. In terms of reading tarot with this deck, I would rely heavily on recall of numerology and the elements. Western astrology would feel a bit off, given that this is the China Tarot and if any astrological system is to be used, it mind as well be Chinese astrology. Has anyone ever even reconciled Chinese astrology with the tarot? I don’t know.
For the suit of Pentacles, we have Shang Dynasty coins (I think). It’s also facing the side of the coin that’s traditionally associated with “tails” for I Ching divination, or yin. Yin, passive energy, works here, given the Earth attribution, which is a passive element. Not sure if that was intended or just a cool fluke. |
