"Like every culture, Hong Kong has its own card games, and the first one we as Chinese-American kids were taught was “choh dai di” or “Big Two,” a multi-hand poker game where the top card is the two of spades. My cousins taught me this game on my first visit to HK, and I loved it so much that I took the game back with me to the states, where it remained a staple of my youth.

This NFT pays homage to the game and its roots with a blend of classic Chinese history and modern HK gangster cinema. On one side is Guan Yu, a historical military figure idolized by both Triad gang members and the HK police. His mirror is a self-portrait surrounded by bullet casings and the enveloping arms of a leviathan.

There is significant numerical symbolism throughout the composition, with the numbers 13 and 4 appearing as quantities of several objects (bullet casings, tendons, flowers, etc.). Both numbers refer to the suits and cards in a standard poker deck, but are also considered unlucky numbers in both American and Chinese cultures, and are often used in tokens and charms by both HK gangsters and cops to strut their brazenness.

This message to gods of gambling, and degens, is simple: be bold, and dare the fates to call your bluff."