> This print illustrates one of the tales that helped establish the legitimacy of the reign of the first emperor of the Han dynasty, Gaozu (Japanese, Koso), who had risen from commoner origins. Here he kills a snake, which is later revealed to have been a form assumed by the son of the White Emperor. Gaozu learns that the killer of the snake is known as the Red Emperor, a sign that he will succeed, since according to Chinese cosmology, red succeeds white, the color associated with the previous Qin dynasty (221-206 B.C.E.).
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Liu Bang is depicted here with Ming dynasty-style armor and the Jian as his weapon.
[Source](https://asia-archive.si.edu/object/S2004.3.136/)
> This print illustrates one of the tales that helped establish the legitimacy of the reign of the first emperor of the Han dynasty, Gaozu (Japanese, Koso), who had risen from commoner origins. Here he kills a snake, which is later revealed to have been a form assumed by the son of the White Emperor. Gaozu learns that the killer of the snake is known as the Red Emperor, a sign that he will succeed, since according to Chinese cosmology, red succeeds white, the color associated with the previous Qin dynasty (221-206 B.C.E.).