A lengthy discussion of the subject portrayed on the present bottle is featured in Ma Zengshan, Inside-Painted Snuff Bottle Artist Ma Shaoxuan 1867-1939: A Biography and Study, Hong Kong, 1997, pp. 39-45. According to the author, this group by Ma Shaoxuan 'constituted perhaps the most significant achievement of his early career. They signaled the culmination of the first period of his artistic development and anticipated his later series of snuff bottle portraits.' Moreover, despite great market demand for this subject, Ma insisted on not succumbing to producing great quantity over quality. 'All these portraits are not only meticulously executed, but most also differ slightly in composition and effect, and their complementary poems also differ. Evidently each time Ma worked on a new piece, he spent time to carefully plan out the compositional content.'

The poetic inscription on the present bottle can be translated as: 
'For the appraisal of respected second brother Jinchen

[Let's] talk about Huang Zhong among old veterans.
He played a vital role in the conquest of Sichuan province.
He [used to] put on a suit of glimmering chain-armor;
Holding in his hand a bow with an iron core.
His bravery frightened [those holding territories] north of the [Yellow] River.
His name was enough to keep [the inhabitants of] Shu in awe.'