kame (japanese): the turtle.
it symbolizes 10'000 years,
often paired with the crane (tsuru) for 1000 years.


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kame-san, kame-san,
doko kara kita no?

highlights of jml's
cultural history of the turtle

part 1 of 3:

tortoise (gui)
according to the Li Ji (book of rites), the tortoise,
together with the unicorn, the phoenix and the dragon,
is one of the four sacred animals:
it is a symbol of strength and perseverance.
in common usage, however,
the tortoise is a symbol of female infidelity and sexual activity.
in china, "son of a tortoise" means "illegitimate son",
while the tortoise's head is called the "glans".
the tortoise represents the north and the winter,
perhaps because it goes into hibernation during cold weather and falls into a deep sleep.
among many ancient peoples it is a symbol of the universe. according to these traditions,
the earth rests on the shell of one or more tortoises
bobbing up and down on the waters.