Animal figures are a brilliant example of art. They reveal the hard slog the craftsmen put in to turn bare piece into a work of art. In many cultures, animal symbolism of the cow is married to the concept of Mother Earth, and has been a symbol of fertility, nurturing, and power for centuries. This makes udder sense (pardon the pun), cows have been generous with their life force for aeons. They are closely associated with provision and very earth-associated in symbolism. The cow is also a lunar symbol, aligning itself with feminine (yin) qualities among the Chinese yin-yang energies.