Antique sculpture "Jyurojin with a turtle with a fluffy tail." Bronze, patina, has the mark of the master. The entire composition is on a stand. Japan, 20th century

Jurojin is one of the seven Japanese deities who bring happiness. Its prototype is considered to be a hermit who was looking for the elixir of immortality and found it in the 11th century. His image is a reflection of traditional Chinese ideas about the great xian, Taoist sages, and immortals. Due to the fact that Jurojin has accumulated a large amount of qi energy, he has a large belly and an elongated head. Jurojin has a beard, its length corresponds to the number of years he has lived. The deity usually holds a staff in his hands, through which a scroll is threaded, in which all the wisdom of the world is concentrated. Sometimes a flask of dried gourd containing alcohol is attached to the staff. Deer, turtle, and crane often accompany the sage. All animals are a symbol of longevity, the deer is a symbol of prosperity, which will be for everyone who worships jurojin.

The bushy-tailed lamprey tortoise lives for 1,000 years. According to legend, a turtle “in a cloak of grass” or “a turtle with a fluffy tail” becomes a dragon or is a hybrid of it, and also represents motherhood and prosperity.