"Middle Kingdom" was used to refer to civilizations around the Yellow River Valley before the empires leading to modern-day China began to form. 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. Fantastic creatures play a large role in Chinese mythology, and they are honored representing the suits: Phoenix (Hearts) - Sun, warmth, and love Kui (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 away. Pixiu (Diamonds) - Brings in good luck and wealth and drives away evil. Dragon (Spades) - The most powerful creature. The card back combines a dragon with another famous Chinese element, the Yin-Yang symbol. This symbol represents positive and negative, order and chaos, male and female.Combining elements of Chinese architecture, latticework, and dragon art, the tuck box is the perfect complement to the cardUS PLAYING CARD COMPANY