Painting description
- Material: Oil painting
- Size: 80 cm x 120 cm
- Creation year: 2023
The turtle is the only animal among the four spirits that exists in real life, living and existing alongside human life.
Turtles symbolize longevity, stability, and endurance. For minorities, the turtle is a symbol of a stilt house, the turtle's cupped shell symbolizes the sky (roof), its flat belly symbolizes the earth (floor), and its feet symbolize the pillars of the house. Living in a stilt house means living in the vitality flow of heaven and earth, yin and yang, so it is always associated with happiness.
The image of a turtle carrying a stele (at the Temple of Literature) in each period is very different. The turtles of the early period (Le So Dynasty) did not lie motionless on their stele - but they seemed to be swimming leisurely. As time went on, the turtle's head was no longer held high and proud. The turtle's legs now spread out its toes, clinging tightly to the ground, showing the weight of the stone stele on its back.
The Kim quy in the painting carries scriptures supporting the stone stele, symbolizing knowledge and wisdom, seeing through life.