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Slithering into history: Legacy of snake artifacts
Slithering into history: Legacy of snake artifacts
Ancient silk painting depicting Fuxi and Nüwa with intertwined snake tails
Updated: Mar 27, 2025
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This stunning Tang Dynasty (618-907) silk painting of Fuxi and Nüwa embodies the ancient Chinese vision of the universe. The two deities are depicted with intertwined snake tails and flowing sleeves, symbolizing unity.
Fuxi holds a square and Nüwa holds a compass, representing the balance of heaven and earth. Around them, ink-drawn depictions of the sun, the moon and stars illustrate the continuous motion of the cosmos.
Unearthed in 1965 at Astana Cemetery in Turpan, Xinjiang, this masterpiece is in the collection of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region Museum.
