| In Tibetan astrology, the Tortoise Wheel of Astrology, one of the four most known Yangchar Wheels, was used to determine the yearly events of any Kingdom, in relation to weather, wars, agriculture, the general health of the King and so on. The Cosmic Turtle, or the Celestial Tortoise, was very commonly used in Tibetan astrology. The tortoise is used to represent the Universe both in China and Tibet. The upper shell denotes the dome of Heaven, while the underside contains the essential elements of the universe. This contains a wheel with animal signs; the five elements including air, water, fire, earth and ether; the eight directions and their corresponding colors. Each good and bad element in the universe is given a particular color and shade on the Celestial Tortoise, based on the intensity of their quality. For instance, good is given various shades of green, the best element being in the darkest green. Similarly, bad is colored in red and the worst element is shaded in very deep red. This brilliant metal sculpture captures the entire essence of the Cosmic Turtle, showing all the aspects of good and bad in this universe!
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