oRrGrNoF THE.SWISSNATIONAL CARP-PLAY ':JAS9" (ln variouslibrary archived research papers the following is recorded)

Playingcards were inventedin ancientChina. They were foundin Chinaas earlyas the 9th century duringthe Tang Dynasty (618-907)

The first referenceto card gamesin worldhistory dates from the 9th century,when the Collectionof Miscellaneaat Duyang,written by TangDynasty writer Su E, describedPrincess Tongchang (daughter of EmperorYizong of fang) playingthe "leafgame" in 868with members of theWei clan(the family of the princess'husband) The Song Dynasty(960-1279) scholar Ouyang Xiu (1007-1072)asserted that playingcards and card gamesexisted at leastsince the midTang Dynasty, and associated their invention with the simultaneous developmentof usingsheets or pagesinstead of paperrolls as a writingmedium. The firstknown book on cardscalled Yezi Gexi was allegedlywritten by a Tang era woman,and was commentedon by Chinesewriters of subsequentdynasties.

By the 11thcentury, playing cards could be foundthroughout the Asiancontinent. During the Ming Dynasty(1368-1 644), characters from popular novels such as theWater Margin were widely featured on thefaces of playingcards.

Playingcards first entered Europe in the late14th century, probably from Mamluk Egypt, with suits (sets of cardswith matching designs) very similar to the tarotsuits of Swords,Staves, Cups and Coins(also knownas disks),and pentacles,and whichare stillused in traditionalltalian, Spanish and Portuguese decks.The first documentary evidence is a banon theiruse in 1367,Bern, Switzerland. Theirpresence is attestedin Catalonrain 1371.Wide use of playingcards in Europecan, with some certainty,be tracedfrom 1377 onwards.

In the late 14th century,the use of playingcards spread rapidlythroughout Europe. Documents mentioningcards date from 1371 in Spain,1377 in Swrtzerland,and 1380in manylocations including Florenceand Paris.A 1369Paris ordinance (on gamingl?) does not mention cards, but its 1377update does ln theaccount books of Johanna,Duchess of Brabantand Wenceslausl, Dukeof Luxemburg,an entrydated May 14, 1379 reads:"Given to Monsieurand Madamefour peters,two forms,value eight and a half moutons, wherewithto buya packof cards".In his bookof accountsfor 1392or 1393,Charles or CharbotPoupart, treasurerof the householdof CharlesVl of France,recordspayment for the paintingof threesets of cards.

In Switzerland,the nationalgame is Jass. lt is played with decks of 36 cards. West of the Brunig-Napf-Reussline, a FrenCh-style36-card deck is used,with numbers from 6 to 10,Jacks, Queens, Kingsand Aces. The same kind of deckis usedin GraubUndenand in partsof Thurgau. In CentralSwitzerland, ZUrich, Schaffhausen and EasternSwitzerland, the prevalentdeck consists of 36 playingcards with the followingsuits: Roses, Bells, Acorns and Shields(in German:Rosen, Schellen, Eichelnund Schilten).The ranksof the alternatedeck, from low to high,are: 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 ("Banner"), Unter(lower jack), Ober (higher jack), King and Ace.

In Germanysuits may havedifferent appearances. Many Eastern and southernGermans prefer decks withHearts, Bells, Leaves, and Acorns (for Hearts, Diamonds, Spades, and Clubs), as mentionedabove. ln the game Skat, EastGerman players used the Germandeck, while playersin WesternGermany mainlyused the Frenchdeck. After the reunificationa compromisedeck was createdfor officialSkat tourniments,with French symbols but German colours (green Spades and yellow Diamonds).

Thereare of coursein manycountries in otherparts of theworld cards are nova days played, and the cardsof thesedecks are illustrated with a specialpicture series, usually on a themewith particular relationto the historicalbackground of thosecountries.

Compiledby HP Graber