The mysterious transformation of the Tao Oracle into Chinese Zen cards


Pirated Version	Original Tao Oracle

In 2004 I got an e-mail regarding a pirated version of the Tao Oracle, from a Singapore-based fan of the Osho Zen Tarot. While visiting the 2004 World Chinese Book Fair, held in Singapore, he came across a curious box that at first glance looked like my work.

He wrote, “I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw a beautiful box with pictures from the Tao Oracle cards outside. The title was like ‘Secret of the Zen cards’ all printed in Chinese. The author of that book even came out with a story of the origin of the cards!

The story says that these cards were actually 64 temple paintings created by a famous Zen Master in ancient China, who was an expert in Zen and I Ching. People went to the temple and would be attracted by one of the paintings because the painting actually reflected their current condition and from this the Zen Master was able to tell them the answer to their problems.

The story goes on that the paintings became famous and people started to reproduce them as cards for fortune telling. The temple was later destroyed by fire and the original paintings were lost. The author claims that his version of the cards is the most faithful to the original as he inherited them from his ancestor who was a good friend of the Zen Master!!!

I have refused to read further and I would not want to touch the fake cards again. I don’t know if there’s anything you can do to stop this illegal publisher but I still have to report this incident to you. Take care and stay happy always.”

My Singapore fan was willing to post that deck to me and upon receiving it there was no question that this Chinese version was pirated. I knew that a complex character version, being produced in Taiwan by Shenchi Tarot was packaged beautifully and was faithful to my interpretation of the I Ching.

Among other things the rip off was being sold for much less, was in simplified character and the quality of printing was not great.

We then took the pirated deck and the real Tao Oracle to the Chinese restaurant in town and met with the cook. And over an order of Dim Sum, he pointed out that the book was not at all the same as the Tao Oracle (although my artwork appears throughout the book). The cards, however, are exact reproductions of the entire Tao Oracle deck and in spite of the reproduction quality, my signature/seal is still visible on the lower right corner of many of the artworks!

Pirated fake Chinese Tao Oracle tarot cards

I was shocked to hear that the names of author and publisher could be fakes, as well as the publishers’ University connection. I then sent all this info to the Taiwanese publisher, to inform him of the fake. He responded with more input ... and the plot thickened.

“Dear Padma, From the material you e-mailed, I found the following: This is compiled by Mr. Su-Nan Lee. Publisher: San Xi (a province) Teacher’s University Publication (or San Xi Normal University Publication), in Xi An (a famous city in middle part of China), Publisher’s Address: P.O. Box 120, San Xi Teacher’s University, Xi An city, San Xi Province 710062, ChinaCover Design: Big Gray Wolf Studio Printer: Hwa Tsng Color Printing Factory in Peking Book number: SK3N0608China Library CIP Approved Number: (2004) No. 17285 Price: About US $4.60 Date of Publication: March, 2004
If there is anything I can do for you, please feel free to let me know.”

I then learned, from my US publisher that, ‘piracy is a rampant problem in that part of the world and, while some steps have been made towards enforcement in the past ten years, the problem remains’. After multiple attempts to ‘bite through’ I realized that for the moment there was little to be done ... so, for the time being, let the issue go.

Three years have passed and other friends have written to me of this fake. I’ve learned that the title is Chan Ka (Zen Cards). The preface reads, “When young people first walk into Huanglu Temple, their eyes are filled with wonder at the murals. These murals are not traditional paintings, but more realistic, more contemporary …The master is called Master Zhiguang (Wisdom Light), and there are about ten pages of his story... Padma would probably be transliterated as ‘Pa De Ma’ (in 3 characters) and Osho is usually written as ‘Ao Xiu’ in both the traditional and simplified books — Apparently neither name appears on the box or in the book."

Friends in China actually contacted San Xi Teacher’s University, in Xian City, in hopes of reaching Mr Su-Nan Lee (credited for the compilation) but, after several attempts to make appointments, they got nowhere.

That’s as far as the story goes for now and I welcome any further input. As the mystery of the Tao Oracle (that is, Zen Cards) unfolds I will update this site, so stay tuned!

Sample the Tao Oracle