Playing cards (Chinese traditional: 紙牌; simplified: 纸牌; pinyin: zhǐpái) were most likely invented in China during the Tang (618–907) or Song dynasty (960–1279). They were certainly in existence by the Mongol Yuan dynasty (1271-1368). Chinese use the word pái (牌), meaning "plaque", to refer to both playing cards and tiles. Many early sources are ambiguous if they don't specifically refer to paper pái (cards) or bone pái (tiles). In terms of game play, there is no difference; both serve to hide one face from the other players with identical backs. Card games are examples of imperfect information games as opposed to Chess or Go. Michael Dummett attributed to the Chinese the invention of gambling with cards, suits, and trick-taking games. Trick-taking games eventually became multi-trick games. These then evolved into the earliest type of rummy games during the early Qing dynasty (1644-1912). By the end of the monarchy, the vast majority of traditional Chinese card games were of the shedding or fishing variety. Chinese playing cards have proliferated into Southeast Asia by Chinese immigrants. They were also formerly known in Mongolia and Japan. The direction of deals and play is counter-clockwise.

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