Monkeys and Horses 

This is "Monkeys and Horses" painted by Han Gan during the Tang Dynasty. It depicts horses in the lower part of the composition, and monkeys in the upper part. The horse, a powerful symbol in Chinese art, embodies strength, vitality, and success, yet here it seems playful, almost infantile. Now, observe the monkeys. They often symbolize protection and are connected to imperial stables. But the monkey's character is complex. Think of the trickster figure, a motif found across cultures. The composition itself, with the juxtaposition of horses below and monkeys above, recalls the cyclical nature of symbols. These symbols evolve, much like the shifting meanings we see across time, echoing in different contexts, resonating within our collective memory, transforming through each telling.