"Long cards" 3:泸州大贰 -- Luzhou Da er

No. 189 " Big Two" [ Luzhou big two] , Binwang, 80c.
No, 189 《大贰》[泸州大贰]  宾王， 80副

Now we come to the another sort of Long cards, known to the West as the "Chinese character" cards. These cards distinguish themselves by the use of Chinese characters, instead of suit-symbols. Cards of this sort have featured before [ Four color cards, also ]. This post will show another sort, based on Chinese numerals.

The Chinese have two ways of writing numerals. One way is used for ordinary purposes. It is called "Small writing". Another way  called "Big writing" is used for financial purposes. The "Big writing" is much more complex. This prevents forgers from altering numbers, a thing that is easy with Small writing. The two forms are shown below.

The Big and small methods of writing form the two suits,  Their numbers for one to ten comprise the  ranks  There are four copies of each card in the two suits; the deck thus has 80 cards.

There are several varieties of cards that are based on such a principle. This particular example is used in Luzhou [ Luchow], a place in the South of Sichuan. Their chinese name, Da er, means "Big Two"

The cards in the "Small" suit. The cards of Two, Seven and Ten, are printed in red. The rest are printed in black. One of the cards of rank 1 possesses a QR code. 

The cards in the "big" suit. Like the small suit, the 2, 7 and 10 are in red. The maker's name is found in the center of each card. The letters are printed in a distinctly blobby font.

 The back of the box contains a rather pleasing announcement. 

Red Cross Society of China
Binwang Playing-card Co. Charitable fund

One box of Biwang poker-cards, Heaps of Love for Humanity 

When you purchase a box of Binwang Poker cards, or playing-cards, We will donate One Chinese Cent to the Red Cross Society of China, to show our Dedication to Society and love of Humanity

This donation resembles the situation in Russia, where the proceeds of the Playing-card tax went to the imperial orphanage. 

Games played with the deck 

The game played with these cards is similar to Rummy or mahjong, the latter bearing a closer resemblance. The Chinese Baidu article  article describes the game thus

 " It is loved by Young and Old, Male and Female alike. Playing it is a must at Festivals and Gatherings ...  It is far more lively and dynamic [than mahjong, ] "