Message #35999

[Wattana]

Dear YT,

I bought an agate bottle with a snake and tortoise theme around 20 years ago. I did some research into its symbolism at the time, and made the below notes. I have not checked any recent books on Chinese rebus and symbolism, so my comments may be off the mark.

"This bottle has an interesting and unusual subject. The combination of a black tortoise together with a snake symbolizes the North cardinal point, or 'lands to the North', and may be an oblique reference to the Manchu emperors, who descended from the North to overthrow the Ming dynasty and establish the Qing dynasty. The relevance of the second snake is not clear."

Maybe someone else can offer a better interpretation.

Tom