The patron deity for soldiers and martial artists, Xuan Wu is distinguished by an iconic imagery: Full armour, with bare feet resting on the hard shell of a tortoise and the soft body of a serpent.

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In his right hand, he wields a beautiful sword representing the 7 stars of the Big Dipper. His right hand is contorted into a Three Mountains mudra. He sits on a craggy, mossy rock ledge of the Wudang mountains, loose hair sweeping down the back. His face is serene, yet resolute. 

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A​​ high-ranking Taoist deity placed in charge of exorcism, Xuan Wu has one of the most complex origin stories. Also known as Xuan Tian Shang Di (玄天上帝), Xuan Wu is believed by some to be the the anthropomorphism of the northern celestial quadrant, associated with winter and water.

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Others believe him to be a repented butcher-turned-ascetic who took his life on a river bank by disembowelment to save his honour. His stomach and intestines floated down the river, turning into a demonic tortoise and serpent respectively, terrorising villagers before Xuan Xu returned to subdue them,.