Minneapolis Institute of Art

Snuff bottle with scene from Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio

Ye Zhongsan

Date

1918

Medium

Crystal, coral

Department

Asian Art

Institution

Minneapolis Institute of Art

This snuff bottle illustrates a scene inspired by Huang Jiulang, a story from Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio by Pu Songling. During the Qing dynasty, horses and donkeys were common vehicles for daily travel and were used by women as well as men, as reflected in this ordinary roadside setting. In the story, however, the animal becomes the mount of a fox spirit, transforming a familiar means of transport into a vehicle of the supernatural. The narrative centers on a same-sex relationship between a scholar and the spirit, using their bond to explore desire, power, and moral compromise. Here, the animal signifies both physical mobility and passage between human and spirit worlds. China, Asia

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