The-Magician-Issue-58-July-2019-The-Tower

The Sixth sense calculating Tarot's rise in china

by Renee Gray Beaumont

“This article has been forwarded by Hunter Liu from the China Tarot Association who travelled to Australia and met with several members of our Committee in a spirit of sharing and networking.”

Down an alleyway off the beaten path of the bohemian Old Town in Changsha, Hunan Province, between a vape and a skate shop, hangs a circular sign bearing the Chinese characters for Tarot -It points deeper into the alley. Inside the shop sits a youthful Hunan girl, long black hair, dark makeup, crystal rings and a moon necklace. 

Perhaps to be expected of a central-southern China, considering the area’s vegan-friendly, slow living hippie ways. Yet it was not until this correspondent was strolling back from a visit to

The Bund in Shanghai recently and happened upon yet another shop offering Tarot that got underway an investigation as to China’s true interest in the

ancient Western technique of fortune telling. Tarot reading, Reiki healing, Rune reading and so

on are indeed more widespread in China than one would imagine. Not only are people across the country offering Tarot services on public APPs, as well as in their private WeChat accounts, but there so happens to be not one, but two, national Tarot

associations. China Tarot Association (CTA) founder, Mo Ran, to The Nanjinger:

“Most people find tarot mysterious and interesting. After all, it is a kind of culture. Like other modern disciplines such as the internet, psychology and philosophy, Tarot is constantly participating in our work, study and life.

As a tool of self-recognition and psychological application, Tarot is gradually becoming understood by many enterprises and schools. By understanding Tarot, it increases staff efficiencies and helps to release pressure.”

CTA began operating in 2005 and has as many as 270, 000 registered members. The association is one of the four major professional Tarot organisation worldwide- CTA China, ATA United States, TSP United Kingdom and TGA Australia. Although CTA’s representative office is in Tianjin, its Global Liaison Centre is located in Hong Kong where CTA is registered, and is subject to the supervision of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of China. Growing in popularity year-by-year, the CTA annually organises cultural exchange activities such as the China Tarot Competition.

Mo says that by joining the professional Tarot industry one receives the necessary training to

“Study and reveal human culture. By joining CTA, our humanistic exploration is no longer lonely. I [now] see the real relationship between ‘ego’ and ‘human’.”

In ancient times, the telling of one’s fortune was termed “solving (examining) doubts’. Considered by the mainstream as a quack profession and never to be taken seriously, it is generally assumed by nonbelievers that those who regularly seek the advice of astrologers, clairvoyants and or Tarot readers are somewhat desperate, overly anxious about the future, or control freaks.

In China however, the traditional role of a fortune teller was local psychotherapist or important life consultant. There was little to no disbelief in their powers to tap into the future and what they said was often taken as gospel.

“CTA data in recent years shows that the number of Tarot fans, professional researchers and people who want to help themselves through Tarot is of a large number and growing. The increasing trend is due to the growing recognition of Tarot culture and the increasingly obvious value of Tarot in human culture.

More and more people are benefiting from Tarot, and more and more people are identifying with this Culture.” Mo told the Nanjinger. Much akin to the Kings and Queens of Medieval

Europe, Emperors of China’s past were known to consult astrologers and fortune tellers before making any important decisions. Although skepticism is much more prevalent in a modern

society, seeking the advice of fortune tellers and clairvoyants remans an important practice, and those in the industry are considered of high social status, relied upon heavily by those in business and of people with ill health.

Scammers, such as those loitering outside Nanjing’s Timing Temple, are everywhere in China,

however, those who build a reputation of trust are highly rewarded.