Chinese Pokemon cards come in two separate print lines: Simplified Chinese cards made for mainland China, and Traditional Chinese cards made for Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau. The official mainland site, pokemon.cn, published an article dated September 21, 2022 announcing the Simplified Chinese Pokémon Trading Card Game, and Bulbapedia (as of September 30, 2026) dates the first Simplified set to October 28, 2022.
The Traditional line is older: Bulbapedia dates its start to October 2019. The two lines use different set marks, different launch histories and different promo numbering, and the [CN] tag in a graded-card listing title covers both. Sorting a card into the right line comes before any price comparison.
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Simplified Chinese cards carry set marks such as CSM, CS and CSV; Traditional Chinese cards carry marks such as AC and AS. Collection 151 has 192 cards, and Bulbapedia says its four Pikachu AR cards, numbered 170 to 173 out of 151, are currently exclusive to the Simplified Chinese language. The Pikachu AR 170/151 is offered as a PSA 10 back order at ¥177,990 (~$1,156) — sourced to order; the product page shows the current terms.
Simplified Chinese cards are made for mainland China and Traditional Chinese cards for Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; Bulbapedia’s set tables and our back-order prices are as of September 30, 2026.
Who Announced the Simplified Chinese Pokemon TCG
Bulbapedia states that in September 2022 “Pokémon Shanghai Toy Limited (宝可梦（上海）玩具有限公司), The Pokémon Company’s subsidiary in mainland China, announced the upcoming release of the Pokémon Trading Card Game (宝可梦集换式卡牌游戏) in Simplified Chinese.” The official pokemon.cn article from that month does not name the company in its body; its footer carries the credit “©Pokémon. ©Nintendo/Creatures Inc./GAME FREAK inc.”, so the company name is Bulbapedia’s wording.
The same Bulbapedia page explains why the Simplified line starts so late. Before the Sun & Moon era, it says, “TCG products were introduced in Taiwan and Hong Kong during this period, [but] they were never officially released in mainland China nor were the cards printed in Simplified Chinese.” Taiwan and Hong Kong cards are Traditional Chinese.
For a buyer, the practical point is that “Chinese” names a script and a market, not one product. Simplified Chinese main expansions carry marks such as CSM, CS and CSV and Gem Packs carry CBB; Traditional Chinese region-specific sets carry marks such as AC and AS.
The 2022 Launch of the Simplified Chinese Line
The official mainland article is dated September 21, 2022 and is titled “宝可梦集换式卡牌游戏简体中文版即将发布!”. It announces an online launch event for the Simplified Chinese Pokémon TCG on September 28, 2022 at 20:00. Release dates for the sets are Bulbapedia’s; the official news hub prints no set-release table.
| Date | Event | Source |
|---|---|---|
| September 21, 2022 | Article announcing the Simplified Chinese TCG and its online launch event | pokemon.cn (official) |
| September 28, 2022 | Online launch event, 20:00, as announced in that article | pokemon.cn (official) |
| October 28, 2022 | First set, Storming Emergence, released; cards sourced from the Japanese sets Collection Sun and Collection Moon through GX Ultra Shiny | Bulbapedia, as of September 30, 2026 |
| November 11, 2022 | Lillie’s Support Box released (5 cards) | Bulbapedia, as of September 30, 2026 |
| January 17, 2025 | Ancient Times, Future Progress (CSV1), Gem Pack Vol. 1 and Collection 151 released | Bulbapedia, as of September 30, 2026 |
Bulbapedia lists the first set as Storming Emergence (横空出世), marked CSM1a, CSM1b and CSM1c, and says its cards were sourced from Japanese Sun & Moon sets. From January 17, 2025, the main expansions carry Scarlet & Violet marks CSV1 to CSV10.
The official mainland news hub, pokemon.cn/tcg, carries current news items for the line. A September 21, 2026 item on that hub announces a new combination product (嗨皮组合).
Simplified Chinese Main Expansions, CSM1a to CSV10
Bulbapedia’s page “Pokémon in mainland China” tabulates the main expansions. The English names are Bulbapedia’s translations of the Chinese titles, not official English names. The table follows that page as of September 30, 2026.
| Chinese name | English (Bulbapedia) | Series | Mark | Release |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 横空出世 | Storming Emergence | Sun & Moon | CSM1a / CSM1b / CSM1c | October 28, 2022 |
| 交相辉映 | Shining Synergy | Sun & Moon | CSM2a / CSM2b / CSM2c | January 18, 2023 |
| 极巨争锋 | Dynamax Clash | Sword & Shield | CS1a / CS1b | May 19, 2023 |
| 浓墨重彩 | Vivid Portrayals | Sword & Shield | CS2a / CS2b | August 18, 2023 |
| 洪荒演武 | Primordial Arts | Sword & Shield | CS3a / CS3b | November 17, 2023 |
| 九彩汇聚 | Polychromatic Gathering | Sword & Shield | CS4a / CS4b | March 1, 2024 |
| 勇魅群星 | Gallant Galaxy | Sword & Shield | CS5a / CS5b | June 18, 2024 |
| 碧海暗影 | Marine Shadow | Sword & Shield | CS6a / CS6b | September 20, 2024 |
| 亘古开来 | Ancient Times, Future Progress | Scarlet & Violet | CSV1 | January 17, 2025 |
| 奇迹启程 | Miracle Journey | Scarlet & Violet | CSV2 | March 21, 2025 |
| 无畏太晶 | Fearless Terastal | Scarlet & Violet | CSV3 | May 16, 2025 |
| 嘉奖回合 | Bonus Round | Scarlet & Violet | CSV4 | July 18, 2025 |
| 黑晶炽诚 | Ardent Obsidian | Scarlet & Violet | CSV5 | September 12, 2025 |
| 真实玄虚 | Arcane Truth | Scarlet & Violet | CSV6 | November 7, 2025 |
| 利刃猛醒 | Blade Awakening | Scarlet & Violet | CSV7 | January 16, 2026 |
| 璀璨诡幻 | Sparkling Fable | Scarlet & Violet | CSV8 | March 13, 2026 |
| 星彩晶璃 | Stellar Crystal | Scarlet & Violet | CSV9 | May 15, 2026 |
| 共逐荣光 | Together in Pursuit of Glory | Scarlet & Violet | CSV10 | July 16, 2026 |
Two things stand out in the marks. The Sun & Moon and Sword & Shield sets use paired letters (a and b, and for the first two sets a third, c), while every Scarlet & Violet set from CSV1 to CSV10 carries a single mark. A card’s printed mark is therefore a quick way to place it in the line: CSV3 is Fearless Terastal, released May 16, 2025, whereas CS3a and CS3b are Primordial Arts, released November 17, 2023.
The same Bulbapedia page also tabulates Booster Decks (CSM1.5 through CSV9.5), Starter Decks, Theme Packs (CSVL1 to CSVL3) and Happy Sets (CSVH1 to CSVH5). Those are separate product groups from the main expansions above.
Gem Packs: The Simplified Chinese Side Line
Gem Packs (宝石包) run beside the main expansions and use the CBB mark. Bulbapedia lists six volumes as of September 30, 2026.
| Gem Pack | Mark | Release (Bulbapedia) |
|---|---|---|
| 宝石包 第一弹 (Vol. 1) | CBB1 | January 17, 2025 |
| 第二弹 (Vol. 2) | CBB2 | May 16, 2025 |
| 第三弹 (Vol. 3) | CBB3 | September 26, 2025 |
| 第四弹 (Vol. 4) | CBB4 | February 6, 2026 |
| 第五弹 (Vol. 5) | CBB5 | April 24, 2026 |
| 第六弹 (Vol. 6) | CBB6 | August 7, 2026 |
Bulbapedia describes Gem Pack Vol. 1 as the “Simplified Chinese-exclusive Gem Pack series”, with 114 cards released on January 17, 2025 and a focus on Pokémon Horizons. It states that the key cards, “exclusive to Gem Pack Vol. 1 and not released in other languages”, feature Liko, Roy, Dot, Friede and Captain Pikachu. Its Captain Pikachu block runs from 07 01/09 to 07 09/09, and 07 09/09 is Captain Pikachu at the rarity Bulbapedia calls Gem RRR.
Gem Pack Vol. 3 is titled 朱&紫 Pokémon宝石包VOL.3 and, per Bulbapedia, has 136 cards and a September 26, 2025 release. Its Gengar block runs from 03 01/07 to 03 07/07 in the Darkness type, and 03 07/07 is Gengar at Gem RRR.
The Gem Pack back orders are titled with “AR”: the Gengar ¥64,831 (~$421) and the Captain Pikachu ¥92,820 (~$603). Bulbapedia’s rarity for both cards is Gem RRR, so the AR in the listing title is the listing’s wording, not Bulbapedia’s rarity name.
Collection 151: The 192-Card Simplified Chinese Set
Bulbapedia’s page for Collection 151 (Simplified Chinese: 收集啦151) gives the set 192 cards and calls it “the first subset of cards to be released in the Simplified Chinese Scarlet & Violet era”. It was revealed on December 22, 2024 and first released on January 17, 2025. The official special site, special.pokemon.cn/151, is titled 宝可梦卡牌 收集啦151 and names three packs: 收集啦151 望, 惊 and 聚.
The official site says that besides the C, U and R Pokémon, the packs contain RR Pokémon shown as the new Pokémon ex of the Scarlet & Violet series. It also says every C, U and R card comes in a version with a Poké Ball pattern and a version with a Master Ball pattern. Bulbapedia puts the same idea as “each of the 139 Common, Uncommon, and Rare cards in the expansion also comes in two Reverse Holofoil variants”, one Poké Ball motif and a rarer Master Ball motif.
Bulbapedia lists four boosters, each tied to one Pikachu:
| Card | Pack (Bulbapedia) | Pack date (Bulbapedia) | Our PSA 10 back order |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pikachu AR 170/151 | Journey (旅) | January 17, 2025 | ¥177,990 (~$1,156) |
| Pikachu AR 171/151 | Hope (望) | April 18, 2025 | ¥161,160 (~$1,046) |
| Pikachu AR 172/151 | Scare (惊) | not confirmed (see text) | ¥432,480 (~$2,808) |
| Pikachu AR 173/151 | Gather (聚) | October 17, 2025 | ¥151,368 (~$983) |
The Scare-pack date needs a caveat. Bulbapedia’s infobox prints the date as “July 18, 2015” while its body text says July 18, 2025, so the Scare date is not confirmed.
Bulbapedia also lists two pack configurations: 5-card booster packs in which one card is either Reverse Holofoil or Rare or higher, and 20-card booster packs in which seven cards are either Reverse Holofoil or Rare or higher. The four Pikachu numbers are rows 170/151 to 173/151, each a separate AR entry in the set list.
Traditional Chinese Cards: Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau
Bulbapedia’s Taiwan page states that in 2019 The Pokémon Company started localizing, manufacturing and releasing the TCG in several southeast Asian regions, including Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau. The Traditional Chinese game (寶可夢集換式卡牌遊戲) was made available under the new unified translation 寶可夢 in October 2019, starting with the All Stars Collection expansion.
The distributor changed over time. Bulbapedia says MTG Mint Card was authorized by The Pokémon Company and remained the Taiwan distributor until 2020, when Justan (傑仕登股份有限公司) took over; its Hong Kong page says MTG Mint Card is the main distributor that manages release and organized play in Hong Kong and Macau.
The first region-specific sets, from Bulbapedia’s Hong Kong page, run as follows.
| Chinese name | English | Mark | Release |
|---|---|---|---|
| 眾星雲集組合篇 | All Stars Collection | AC1a / AC1b | October 9, 2019 |
| 美夢成真組合篇 | Dreams Come True Collection | AC2a / AC2b | December 20, 2019 |
| 雙倍爆擊 | Double Burst | AS5a / AS5b | February 18, 2020 |
| 傳說交鋒 | Legendary Clash | AS6a / AS6b | April 10, 2020 |
Bulbapedia then describes a change of model: “Starting from Amazing Volt Tackle, The Pokémon Company switched to releasing Japanese sets in Traditional Chinese instead of sets exclusive to the language. New Traditional Chinese sets are now being released at a regular pace, with most sets released 2 weeks after the releases of corresponding Japanese sets.”
Bulbapedia’s Dreams Come True Collection page says the set was “exclusively available in Traditional Chinese”, released December 20, 2019 in Taiwan and Hong Kong, with 451 cards (226 in Set A and 225 in Set B) and seven cards per pack. The Lillie SR numbered 202/200 sits under the Set B table header; the marks on the Hong Kong page are AC2a for Set A and AC2b for Set B. The official Traditional Chinese sites are asia.pokemon-card.com/tw and asia.pokemon-card.com/hk.
Simplified vs Traditional Chinese at a Glance
Rows follow Bulbapedia as of September 30, 2026, and the official sites pokemon.cn/tcg and asia.pokemon-card.com.
| Script | Simplified Chinese | Traditional Chinese |
|---|---|---|
| Market | Mainland China | Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau |
| Line starts | Announced September 2022; first set October 28, 2022 | October 2019 (All Stars Collection, October 9, 2019) |
| Company named by Bulbapedia | Pokémon Shanghai Toy Limited | MTG Mint Card; Justan in Taiwan from 2020 |
| Official site | pokemon.cn/tcg | asia.pokemon-card.com/tw and /hk |
| Set marks | CSM, CS, CSV; Gem Packs CBB | AC and AS in the region-specific years |
| Set model | First set built from Japanese cards (Collection Sun/Moon to GX Ultra Shiny); later main expansions, Gem Packs and Collection 151 | Region-specific sets (AC, AS) first; from Amazing Volt Tackle, Japanese sets in Traditional Chinese |
| Promo series | SV-P series began August 3, 2024 | SV-P series began November 18, 2022 |
| SV-P 057 | Pawmi | Taipei’s Pikachu |
| SV-P 153 | TM Machine | Pikachu (Traditional Chinese 5th Anniversary Premium Card Set) |
The last two rows matter most for buyers. Bulbapedia’s Simplified Chinese SV-P list gives 057/SV-P as Pawmi and 153/SV-P as TM Machine, while its Traditional Chinese SV-P list gives 057/SV-P as Taipei’s Pikachu and 153/SV-P as Pikachu. Among Chinese-language cards, a Pikachu numbered SV-P 057 or SV-P 153 is therefore a Traditional Chinese promo, not a mainland promo, even though a listing tag reads [CN].
The two lines also differ in what Bulbapedia calls exclusive. Collection 151’s four Pikachu AR cards are described as currently exclusive to Simplified Chinese; Dreams Come True is described as exclusively available in Traditional Chinese. Neither claim covers the other line’s cards.
Simplified Chinese PSA 10 Back Orders
PSA 10 back orders are offered for these Simplified Chinese cards. The Journey-pack Pikachu 170/151 is offered as a PSA 10 back order at ¥177,990 (~$1,156).
The Hope-pack Pikachu 171/151 is offered as a PSA 10 back order at ¥161,160 (~$1,046), and the Scare-pack Pikachu 172/151 at ¥432,480 (~$2,808). Bulbapedia credits all four Pikachu cards to the illustrator Oswaldo KATO.
The Gather-pack Pikachu 173/151 is offered as a PSA 10 back order at ¥151,368 (~$983); the 172/151 card also appears as a PSA 10 at ¥436,720 (~$2,836).
From the Gem Pack line, the Gengar 03 07/07 from Vol. 3 is offered as a PSA 10 back order at ¥64,831 (~$421) and the Captain Pikachu 07 09/09 from Vol. 1 at ¥92,820 (~$603).
The Lillie card is the 005/005 full art from Lillie’s Support Box (莉莉艾的声援专属礼盒), which Bulbapedia dates to November 11, 2022 with five cards: Cosmog, Cosmoem, Lunala-GX, Solgaleo-GX and the Lillie full art. Bulbapedia adds that “due to high demand, a second print run was announced with orders shipping out on April 23, 2023.” The Ganba Lillie is offered as a PSA 10 back order at ¥41,575 (~$270).
Traditional Chinese PSA 10 Back Orders
These Pokémon back orders tagged [CN] are Traditional Chinese cards, per Bulbapedia’s Traditional Chinese lists. PSA 10 designates Gem Mint condition per PSA’s published grading standards; our article What Does PSA 10 Mean on a Pokemon Card? covers the grade itself.
The Taipei Open Commemoration Pikachu, numbered SV-P 057, is 臺北的皮卡丘 (Taipei’s Pikachu). Bulbapedia says it was given to customers who purchased any item from Pokémon Center Taipei in celebration of its opening on December 8, 2023, for as long as stocks lasted, and that the Pokémon Center Taipei logo is on the card. Its page credits the illustrator REOspikee, lists HP 60 and names the attacks 新開幕 (New Open) and 樂享伏特 (Enjoy the Volt, 30×). It is offered as a PSA 10 back order at ¥41,432 (~$269).
The 5th Anniversary Card, SV-P 153, is the Pikachu from the Traditional Chinese Pokémon TCG 5th Anniversary Premium Card Set, dated November 1, 2024 by Bulbapedia. It is offered as a PSA 10 back order at ¥405,960 (~$2,636).
The Lillie SR, AC2b 202/200, is from Dreams Come True Collection Set B. It is offered as a PSA 10 back order at ¥354,960 (~$2,305).
Reading a [CN] Listing Title Before You Buy
The tag [CN] in our listing titles marks Chinese-language cards without saying which script. These checks separate the two lines.
- Read the set mark in the brackets. CSM, CS, CSV and CBB belong to the Simplified line; AC and AS belong to the Traditional region-specific sets.
- For SV-P promos, read the number and the name together. SV-P 057 with Pikachu is Traditional Chinese; the Simplified 057/SV-P is Pawmi.
- For Gem Pack cards, use Bulbapedia’s rarity names (Gem RR, Gem RRR) alongside the listing’s AR wording.
- For Collection 151, match the pack to the number: 170 Journey, 171 Hope, 172 Scare, 173 Gather.
Our articles How to Spot Fake Japanese Pokemon Cards and Japanese vs English Pokemon Cards cover the wider checks for Japanese-language cards.
The Chinese Collection 151 Pikachu cards sit beside the Japanese set of the same name, which Chinese 151 vs Japanese Pokemon 151 (SV2a) compares side by side.
Where to Buy Chinese Pokemon Cards from Japan
The Journey-pack Pikachu 170/151 is offered as a PSA 10 back order at ¥177,990 (~$1,156), the Gather-pack Pikachu 173/151 at ¥151,368 (~$983), and the Gem Pack Gengar at ¥64,831 (~$421). The Traditional Chinese Taipei Pikachu SV-P 057 is offered as a PSA 10 back order at ¥41,432 (~$269).
Browse the PSA 10 collection or the PSA 10 card list for other graded singles. Sourcing requests for a specific card go through Quick Order. How a back order works is explained in PSA 10 back orders, and the ordering basics are in How to Buy Japanese Pokemon Cards from Japan. The Japanese set order is in Japanese Pokemon Card Sets in Order.
Frequently Asked Questions
When was the Simplified Chinese Pokemon TCG launched?
The official pokemon.cn article dated September 21, 2022 announced the Simplified Chinese Pokémon TCG and an online launch event on September 28, 2022. Bulbapedia, as of September 30, 2026, dates the first set, Storming Emergence, to October 28, 2022, and the Traditional Chinese line to October 2019.
What is the difference between Simplified and Traditional Chinese Pokemon cards?
Simplified Chinese cards are made for mainland China and use set marks such as CSM, CS and CSV. Traditional Chinese cards are made for Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau and, in the region-specific years, use marks such as AC and AS. Promo numbers such as SV-P 057 mean different cards in each line.
How many cards are in Collection 151?
Bulbapedia lists Collection 151 (收集啦151) at 192 cards; it was revealed on December 22, 2024 and first released on January 17, 2025. It has four boosters named Journey, Hope, Scare and Gather, and each of its 139 Common, Uncommon and Rare cards also comes in Poké Ball and Master Ball Reverse Holofoil variants.
Which Pikachu cards in Collection 151 are Simplified Chinese only?
Bulbapedia says the four Pikachu illustration rares, numbered 170/151 to 173/151 and illustrated by Oswaldo KATO, were added to this set and are currently exclusive to the Simplified Chinese language. The Journey pack includes 170, Hope 171, Scare 172 and Gather 173, per Bulbapedia.
Are Gem Pack cards AR or Gem RRR?
Bulbapedia gives the Gengar 03 07/07 from Gem Pack Vol. 3 and the Captain Pikachu 07 09/09 from Vol. 1 the rarity Gem RRR. Our listing titles for those two cards use “AR”, so the AR in the title is the listing’s wording rather than Bulbapedia’s rarity name.
How do I buy a PSA 10 Chinese Pokemon card from Japan?
Open the product page: the Pikachu 170/151 is offered as a PSA 10 back order at ¥177,990 (~$1,156), and the Traditional Chinese Taipei’s Pikachu SV-P 057 at ¥41,432 (~$269). Sourcing requests for other Chinese cards go through Quick Order, and our PSA 10 back orders article explains how back orders work.
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