How I Got Into Card Magic, For Real

A few years ago, I came across some magic tutorials by Liu Qian on Bilibili. Liu Qian is, in my view, the greatest magician in China—arguably in all of Asia. I found his videos really interesting and often watched them for fun.

In the summer of 2023, while I was studying in Beijing, I happened to learn that Liu Qian had regular live performances in Qinhuangdao. If I remember correctly, the shows ran from July to October, with performances at least four days a week. Since Qinhuangdao isn’t too far from Beijing, I decided to make the trip and see one of the shows in person.

That night completely changed my perception of magic. When you see an object instantly teleport, a child levitating, or a magician accurately reveal someone’s thoughts—those moments are on a whole different level compared to watching a screen. I was amazed by the visual experience, and even more intrigued by the thinking and design behind each effect.

After that, I decided to explore magic more seriously in my spare time. I chose card magic as a starting point, hoping to uncover some of the hidden gems in this field—whether it’s learning the clever structure behind routines, or just having something fun to share with friends.