Both Daoist and Buddhist subjects are found on the present bottle, the combination of which is not uncommon as both religions co-existed in China and are closely related in their aims.

On one side, a Daoist immortal is depicted in a log boat. The log boat represents the naturalness of the sage-immortal, who attained perfect harmony with the natural realm and hence everything would be provided by it: sustenance, shelter, clothing and transportation. The peaches growing from the branch of the tree-boat traditionally suggest immortality. The building, usually a palatial affair, rising out of clouds far above the ground is also a frequent Daoist symbol of an other-worldly paradise.

The subject of the other side is clearly Buddhist: a popular image of a Buddhist lion with a Central Asian attendant. Buddhism was introduced to China along the Central Asian trade routes (the Silk Road) in the post-Han era and was associated as much with the people who transmitted it as with its true northern Indian source. The Central Asian nomad became, by Tang times, a standardised image of the region and what it had to offer. He is frequently seen, with his ribbed conical hat, large nose and bushy beard, in association with the Buddhist lion, or as one of a group of tribute bearers, bringing the treasures of far-off lands to China.