Jeng-zai

Hexarchate Tarot (Jeng-Zai Deck)

For jeng-zai divination spreads, see the Machineries of Tarot web app (cards/meanings by Yoon Ha Lee, programming/spreads by Stephanie G. Folse).

Major Arcana

1. The Novice Meaning: New beginnings. Innocence. Reversed: Ignorance. Walking into disaster.

2. The Poet Meaning: Praise. Finding the right words. The arts. Reversed: Lamentations. At a loss for words.

3. The Inquisitor Meaning: Adherence to law. Upright morals. Reversed: Weak-willed. Criminal temptations.

4. The Hexarch Meaning: Power. Mastery of those around you. Reversed: Falling short of your goals.

5. The Pyre Meaning: Destruction. Bad luck. Reversed: Self-sacrifice. Loyalty.

6. The Mathematician Meaning: The fundamental order of the universe. Power over the natural world. Reversed: Disorder. Natural disaster.

7. The Courtesan Meaning: Luxury and wealth. Romance. Pleasurable conversation. Reversed: Lack of social connection. Poverty. Loneliness.

8. The Drowned General: Meaning: Disaster. Failure through hubris. Reversed: Ambition. A high-risk, high-gain gamble.

9. The Soldier Meaning: Conquest. Success through physical strength. Reversed: Weakness. Ill health.

10. The Scholar Meaning: Meditation. Pursuit of knowledge. Reversed: Frivolity.

11. The Spinning Coin Meaning: Chance. Good luck. Reversed: Rigidity. Instability.

12. The Magistrate Meaning: Austerity. Determining the fate of others. Reversed: Self-indulgence. Lack of influence.

13. The Dragon-Horse Meaning: Travel to faraway place. Rapid movement. Reversed: Stagnation. Besieged.

14. Death Meaning: Transformation. The cycle of existence. Reversed: Decay. Festering.

15. The Heretic Meaning: Ruination. Heterodoxy. Reversed: Precarious situation. Proceed with caution.

16. The Empty Hand Meaning: Potential for advancement. New possibilities opening up. Reversed: Trapped in your current position. Misunderstandings.

17. The Feast Meaning: Success in material matters. An upcoming honor. Reversed: Lack of recognition for your work. Struggling to make ends meet.

18. The Star Meaning: Clarity. Hope. Reversed: Despair. Calamity. Confusion.

19. The Moon Meaning: Illusion. Self-deception. Wishful thinking. Reversed: Comfort. Self-knowledge.

20. The Fortress Meaning: Protection. Strength in numbers. Reversed: Isolation. Vulnerability.

21. Judgment Meaning: Remembrance. Reversed: Crisis.

22. The Wheel of Worlds Meaning: Completion. Harmony with your surroundings. Reversed: Emptiness. Disconnect. Lack of rapport.

Gears

G1. Ace of Gears Meaning: Change in the natural world. Reversed: Stagnation in the natural world. Lack of opportunity.

G2. Deuce of Gears Meaning: A cog in the machine. Pawn of powers beyond your control. Reversed: Devious plans. Breaking past the boundaries of what is thought possible.

G3. Three of Gears Meaning: Celebration of the world's riches. Reversed: Poverty. Turned away from something you want.

G4. Four of Gears Meaning: An opportunity has passed you by. Instability in the natural world. Reversed: The chance to build something concrete.

G5. Five of Gears Meaning: An opportunity at the cost of struggle. Colliding ambitions. Reversed: Conflict with peers.

G6. Six of Gears Meaning: Material gains. Wealth. Reversed: Bad investments. Poor planning.

G7. Seven of Gears Meaning: In danger of losing your wealth. Reversed: Risky investments.

G8. Eight of Gears Meaning: Obstacles to advancement. Hard work ahead. Reversed: Small reward for a lot of work.

G9. Nine of Gears Meaning: Recovery from hard work. Reversed: Working at a disadvantage.

G10. Ten of Gears Meaning: Too many burdens. Being taken advantage of by others. Reversed: Unexpected breakthrough.

G11. Page of Gears Meaning: Prosperity if you seize the opportunity. A reliable friend. Reversed: Lost chance. Unreliable partner.

G12. Knight of Gears Meaning: You must keep your world in balance to hold onto your gains. An engineer. Reversed: Plans thrown askew by an unexpected event.

G13. Master of Gears Meaning: Material wealth. Seeking balance. A student of the natural world. Reversed: Wealth slipping away. The envy of others.

G14. Book of Gears Meaning: Victory through precision. Calculated perfection. Reversed: Chaos. Lack of harmony. Poorly thought-out plans.

Doors

D1. Ace of Doors Meaning: A sudden change of position or action. Reversed: Refusal to consider the options.

D2. Deuce of Doors Meaning: At a crossroads. Two opposing possibilities. Reversed: Indecision. Stagnation. Trapped.

D3. Three of Doors Meaning: An opportunity to be remembered for your actions. Reversed: Ignominy. Being disregarded.

D4. Four of Doors Meaning: A path beyond which there is no returning. Being backed into a corner. Reversed: Separation from your allies.

D5. Five of Doors Meaning: Retreat. Fleeing the field of battle. Reversed: Finding shelter. Temporary respite.

D6. Six of Doors Meaning: Many fruitful opportunities. Reversed: Overwhelmed by possibilities.

D7. Seven of Doors Meaning: Labyrinth. Betrayal. Confusion. Reversed: Finding out more than you wanted to know.

D8. Eight of Doors Meaning: Victim. Many doors but no way out. Reversed: The compassion of a stranger. An unexpected rescue.

D9. Nine of Doors Meaning: Unwanted responsibility. You regret the path you took to get here. Reversed: Evading responsibility.

D10. Ten of Doors Meaning: From every door a death, from every mouth a maw. Utter defeat. Reversed: A narrow escape.

D11. Page of Doors Meaning: Exploration. An inquisitive friend. Reversed: Getting lost. A wrong turn taken.

D12. Knight of Doors Meaning: Charging ahead. A decisive person. Reversed: Wrong course of action. Impulsivity.

D13. Master of Doors Meaning: Avoidance of outright battle. A person who understands the entire situation. Reversed: Fatalism. Surrender.

D14. Book of Doors Meaning: Victory by understanding different paths to success. A map of the situation is at hand. Reversed: Fundamental misunderstanding of the situation. Obfuscation.

Roses

R1. Ace of Roses Meaning: A sudden change of heart. Reversed: Apathy.

R2. Deuce of Roses Meaning: Celebration. Happy memories. Reversed: Disappointment. Avoidance of the past.

R3. Three of Roses Meaning: Lovers or companions. Pleasure. Reversed: Divorce. Lack of rapport.

R4. Four of Roses Meaning: Depression. Lack of fulfillment. Reversed: Daydreaming. Lost in your hopes.

R5. Five of Roses Meaning: Temporary gloom. Reversed: Unstable mood.

R6. Six of Roses Meaning: Joy. Fulfillment. Reversed: Unhappiness. Lack of friends.

R7. Seven of Roses Meaning: Temptation. Risk without reward. Reversed: Caution. Second-guessing yourself.

R8. Eight of Roses Meaning: Bitter lessons. Reversed: Failure to learn better.

R9. Nine of Roses. Meaning: Self-indulgence. Complacency. Reversed: Lack of self-control.

R10. Ten of Roses Meaning: Community. Accomplishment. Reversed: Failure. Brooding.

R11. Page of Roses Meaning: Amusement. A friend who listens well. Reversed: Irony. Sarcasm. Someone who ignores you.

R12. Knight of Roses Meaning: Pride. An artisan. Reversed: Pride goes before a fall.

R13. Master of Roses Meaning: Emotional self-control. A calm person. Reversed: A manipulator.

R14. Book of Roses Meaning: An artistic performance. Good aesthetic judgment. Emotional responsiveness. Reversed: Tawdriness. Rigidity.

Eyes

E1. Ace of Eyes Meaning: A sudden change of opinion. Reversed: Stubbornness. Clinging to an outdated plan.

E2. Deuce of Eyes Meaning: Paradox. Confusion. Reversed: Insight. Wisdom.

E3. Three of Eyes Meaning: Illusion. You wonder about a difficult situation. Reversed: Harsh reality. No way out.

E4. Four of Eyes Meaning: Destructive obsession. Paralysis. Reversed: Focus. Intense concentration produces insight.

E5. Five of Eyes Meaning: Meditation. Generation of ideas. Reversed: Disorganized ideas. Distraction.

E6. Six of Eyes Meaning: Generosity. Collaboration. Reversed: Selfishness. Squandered opportunity.

E7. Seven of Eyes Meaning: Stuck in destructive patterns of thought. Lack of wisdom. Reversed: Constructive thinking. A plan comes clear.

E8. Eight of Eyes Meaning: The importance of being well-prepared. Reversed: Trying to prepare for the wrong things.

E9. Nine of Eyes Meaning: Prevailing through cunning. The wisdom that comes with age. Reversed: Too clever for your own good. Counterproductive scheming.

E10. Ten of Eyes Meaning: Knowledge. Inspiration. Reversed: Copying others' ideas. Lack of originality.

E11. Page of Eyes Meaning: Optimism. Keeping your eyes open. A knowledgeable friend. Reversed: Pessimism. Too much information or misinformation.

E12. Knight of Eyes Meaning: Working toward a goal. A strategist. Reversed: Your plans collapse under their own weight.

E13. Master of Eyes Meaning: Self-understanding. An expert in their field. Reversed: Self-deception.

E14. Book of Eyes Meaning: Supreme insight. Overcoming obstacles through knowledge. Reversed: Blindness. Lack of understanding. Obscurity.