Who invented 52 playing cards?

PLAYING cards were invented by the Chinese before AD1000. They reached Europe around 1360, not directly from China but from the Mameluke empire of Egypt. The history of suitmarks demonstrates a fascinating interplay between words, shapes and concepts.

Why are there 52 cards in a deck?

52 cards represent 52 weeks in a year. Red and Black symbolize night and day. The four suits represent the four seasons; there are 13 cards in a suit to match the number of lunar cycles and 12 court cards that represent the 12 months of the year. If you add up all the symbols in a deck they add up to 365.

What does each playing card represent?

The four playing card suits represent the four seasons/solstices, while other historians have said it may allude to the four phases of the moon. Suits may also parallel the four elements found in nature: hearts for water, clubs for fire, diamonds for earth and spades for air.