👉 Potences are a type of visual metaphor used in Chinese literature to compare two things that seem similar but actually differ fundamentally. In the context of poetry, they often involve comparing two figures or characters from opposite sides of a scale or line, which may represent opposing forces, emotions, or ideas. A potence can be compared to a dragonfly (dragon) and a phoenix (Phoenix), representing different aspects of life that are both powerful yet delicate. For example, the dragonflies' wings are strong
