Heck Yeah, Pony Scans!

So I was on Taobao and I found a listing for reprints of localized Chinese cards featuring Transformers, Mickey Mouse, and He-Man, as well as Chinese mythological and historical figures. Here is the explanation from the listing, which I found fascinating:

Foreign paintings, also known as cigarette cards, photo cards, picture cards, and paji, are actually small cards with characters printed on them. They became popular children's collectible toys in the 1980s. The original picture cards were made of rough paper and the patterns on them were blurry, but they were very popular at the time. They were usually best-selling in stores near schools. I remember that playing with picture cards was the most popular when I was in elementary school. At that time, whether it was elementary school students or kindergarten children, they all carried hundreds or hundreds of picture cards on them.

There are many ways to play cards. The most primitive way is to slap cards. One person takes a card and puts it on the ground with the front side facing up. Whoever flips the card over with his hand wins. Every time the get out of class is over, the classroom is full of people squatting and slapping cards except for the places without tables.

Another way to play is to see who is better, mainly the Three Kingdoms foreign painting, one Lu, two Zhao, three Dian Wei, four Guan, five Ma, six Zhang Fei, etc.

Although these games are very simple and a bit "rustic", they brought us endless joy and fun in our childhood, just like playing marbles, rolling copper coins, turning iron rings, and throwing water chestnuts. I just played with them for a while, and they were so real, so interesting, and so memorable.

The paper used for foreign paintings is mostly hard, thick and yellow horse manure paper. Especially on the reverse side of the foreign paintings, the ash mixed in the paper is vaguely visible, which adds to its "Chinese local product" temperament. Children from the 80s and 90s have a deep affection for foreign paintings. Who says there is no time machine in this world? The collection of foreign paintings is the best time machine to return to our beautiful childhood.

Ohhh, these are new to me! They're so cute!