Bronze sculpture with brown patina representing the Taoist deity Xuantian Shangdi, China , late Ming period, 17th centuryHere depicted seated, she is also known as Zhengwudadi, Emperor Zhenwu. In Taoist cosmology, he is a stellar god who governs the northern sky. He also has a military function and is assimilated to the Emperor of the North Bei Di. He is always represented with his foot on Xuanwu, a turtle embraced by a snake representing the north and winter, and one of the four symbols of the Chinese constellations. He usually holds in his right hand a sword (missing here). Height: 30 cm; weight: 5042 g