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Celebrating the Year of the Snake at CUHK Art Museum
The Art Museum of The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) is presenting the exhibition “Celebrating the Year of the Snake” until 21 June. Members of the public are welcome to visit.
Featuring 24 sets of snake-related artefacts from the Museum’s collection, the exhibition explores the diverse representations of this fascinating creature throughout history. Exhibit highlights include a Warring States bronze seal of snake-handling deity, a rubbing of an Eastern Han snake-handling shaman stone carving unearthed in Shandong, and two snake paintings by renowned Qing artists.
In China, the historical image of the snake is complex: it is associated with the creation myth, serves as a spiritual animal alongside shamans and is closely related to the dragon. Additionally, the snake is paired with the tortoise to symbolise the northern guardian, Xuanwu. The snake also embodies danger, as its lethal venom instils fear, and it is categorised among the “five poisonous creatures”. With its unique form, the snake is the inspiration for numerous works of art and design.
Exhibition details
Celebrating the Year of the Snake
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Period: |
From now until 21 June 2025 |
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Venue: |
Gallery II, CUHK Art Museum |
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Opening hours: |
Please visit the Art Museum’s website |
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Enquiries: |
3943 7416 |
Poster for the exhibition “Celebrating the Year of the Dragon”
Bronze seal with snake-handling bird-headed deity design (Seal)
Warring States Period
Anonymous gift
Acc. No.: 1993.0097
Bronze seal with snake-handling bird-headed deity design (Surface)
Warring States Period
Anonymous gift
Acc. No.: 1993.0097
Bronze seal with snake-handling bird-headed deity design (Impression)
Warring States Period
Anonymous gift
Acc. No.: 1993.0097
Bronze seal with snake-handling bird-headed deity design (Clay Impression)
Warring States Period
Anonymous gift
Acc. No.: 1993.0097
Rubbing of stone carvings unearthed from Hongfu Temple in Jiaxiang, Shandong Province
Stone: Eastern Han Dynasty; rubbing: 20th century
Gift of Huang Miaozi and Yu Feng
Acc. No.: 2002.0941
A leaf from the album Animals
Ju Lian (1828-1904)
Drawn in the 12th year of the Guangxu reign (1886), Qing dynasty
Gift of Bei Shan Tang
Acc. No.: 1996.0070
Twelve Animals of the Chinese Zodiac (Snake)
Wang Su (1794-1877)
Drawn in the 12th year of the Daoguang reign (1832), Qing dynasty
Gift of Anthony K. W. Cheung
Acc. No.: 2024.0574
