The Four Mythological Symbols of China

In ancient Chinese astronomy, the sky ecliptic was divided into four sections. Each of these sections contained seven mansions, and together they formed the 28 Mansions.

The 28 Mansions may be considered to be equivalent to the zodiacal constellations in Western astronomy, although they reflect the movement of the Moon through a sidereal month rather than the Sun in a tropical year. This enabled the ancient Chinese to mark the traveling positions of the Sun and the Moon, as well as to determine the time and seasons.

Each section of the sky is assigned to a mythological creature, collectively known as the Four Symbols. These creatures are the Azure Dragon of the East, the White Tiger of the West, the Black Tortoise of the North, and the Vermillion Bird of the South.

Apart from their astronomical significance, each of the Four Symbols is surrounded by various mythological associations.

According to the archaeological evidence, the concept of the Four Symbols may have existed as early as China’s Neolithic period (some 6,000 years ago). This is based on some clam shells and bones forming the images of the Azure Dragon and the White Tiger that were found in a tomb in Henan. In addition, it is claimed that one of the artifacts from the tomb of the Marquis Yi of Zeng (c. 433 B.C.) is a lacquer-painted wardrobe with the patterns of the Four Symbols and 28 Mansions.

The Azure Dragon is the mythological creature in the East, as it is said that when the seven mansions in that area (Horn, Neck, Root, Room, Heart, Tail, and Winnowing Basket) are joined up, they form the shape of a dragon. The Azure Dragon corresponds to the season of spring. As the dragon is considered by the Chinese as the noblest of animals, it is the head of the Four Symbols.

Although Chinese dragons are commonly associated with water, the Azure Dragon is the exception, as its element is wood. In Chinese mythology, the dragon is regarded as a fearsome and mighty creature. Yet, unlike their Western counterparts, Chinese dragons are believed to be just, benevolent, and bringers of wealth and good fortune.

The Azure Dragon of the East. Image source.

The mythological creature in the West is the White Tiger, and its seven mansions are the Legs, Bond, Stomach, Hairy Head, Net, Turtle Beak and Three Stars. The White Tiger corresponds to the season of autumn.

The White Tiger’s element is metal, and it was held to be the God of War. In this capacity, the White Tiger was seen as a protector and defender, not just from mortal enemies, but also from evil spirits.

The White Tiger of the West. Image Source.

In the North, the mythological creature in the Black Tortoise, and its seven mansions are the Dipper, Ox, Girl, Emptiness, Rooftop, Encampment and Wall. The Black Tortoise corresponds to the season of winter.

The element of the Black Tortoise is water, and this mythological creature is commonly associated with longevity and wisdom (just as these virtues are traditionally attributed to ordinary tortoises in Chinese mythology).

  

The Black Tortoise of the North. Image Source.

The mythological creature in the South is the Vermillion Bird, and its seven mansions are the Well, Ghosts, Willow, Star, Extended Net, Wings and Chariot.

The Vermillion Bird corresponds to the season of summer. Interestingly, the Vermillion Bird has been considered to be identical to the phoenix.

The phoenix is traditionally associated with fire, and this is also the case with the Vermillion Bird. As a mythological creature, the phoenix is considered as a symbol of good luck.    

The Vermillion Bird of the South. Image source.

Within the Four Symbols of ancient China, astronomy and mythology co-existed side by side and may be seen as a harmonious fusion of science and art. By studying these mythological creatures, one is able not only to learn about the scientific advances of the ancient Chinese, but also their belief system and the way they perceived and explained the world they lived in.
Featured image: The Four Symbols. Photo source.
By Ḏḥwty

References

• cultural-china.com, 2010. The Azure Dragon. [Online]
• Available at: http://www.cultural-china.com/chinaWH/html/en/Traditions991bye1204.html
• cultural-china.com, 2010. The Black Tortoise. [Online]
• Available at: http://www.cultural-china.com/chinaWH/html/en/Traditions991bye1207.html
• cultural-china.com, 2010. The Four Symbols and Twenty-Eight Mansions. [Online]
• Available at: http://www.cultural-china.com/chinaWH/html/en/13Traditions991.html
• cultural-china.com, 2010. The Vermilion Bird. [Online]
• Available at: http://www.cultural-china.com/chinaWH/html/en/Traditions991bye1206.html
• cultural-china.com, 2010. The White Tiger. [Online]
• Available at: http://www.cultural-china.com/chinaWH/html/en/Traditions991bye1205.html
• Schumacher, M., 2014. Shijin (Shishin) - Four Legendary Chinese Creatures Protecting the Four Compass Directions. [Online]
• Available at: http://www.onmarkproductions.com/html/ssu-ling.shtml
• Wikipedia, 2014. Four Symbols (China). [Online]
• Available at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Symbols_(China)
• Wikipedia, 2014. Twenty-Eight Mansions. [Online]
• Available at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twenty-eight_mansions

Which bring me to this wonderful children book that I had the honor to review not long ago....

Title: Four Fiends (The Countdown), 2nd Edition

Author: Nikki Bennett

Publication Date: February 16, 2014 (2nd Edition)

Publisher: Independent: Firedrake Books LLC

Pages: 215

Recommended Ages: 8+


Summary: The Four Guardians of the world have gone missing. They’ve been kidnapped by some of the most diabolical fiends that ever existed. Now, four misfit kids from different parts of the world must band together to save the Guardians. Along the way, they learn to work together, as they confront and conquer their deepest fears.

Purchase

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My Review

LOL, I must start my review the same way as Dick Leonardo  from Bookroom Reviews  - When I first read the Title of this book I read it as Four Friends. So I started reading and looked back at the title again and realized it was actually FIENDS.....I guess it meant to be... but you will have to read the book to understand what i mean,

And now......Nikki Bennett has written a middle grade tale filled with magic and mythology from diverse cultures; interesting and engaging characters who teens can relate to and empathize with; and an interesting and engaging plot that will keep you glued to the pages until the very end. The plot very well written. Far from cliche and quire often unpredictable.

"Ages ago, before humans sailed the seven seas, before saber toothed tigers roamed ancient valleys, even before the dinosaurs stomped through history, a golden dragon lived on a small island in a vast sea This magical creature had one great limitation—it was bound to the island and could not leave it. However, it had four friends that traveled where they pleased, and using the dragon’s great wisdom these Four protected the world.

The Vermillion Bird roosted in the Southern lands, the Azure Dragon guarded the Eastern realms, the White Tiger prowled the Western wilds, and the Black Tortoise shared its knowledge with those in the North. Occasionally they visited the dragon to report the latest news and ask for advice. 

Suddenly, the Four vanished. Something terrible had happened to the dragon’s friends. They needed to be rescued. But the dragon could not leave its island.  It needed someone who could find the Guardians. And save the World......

The four guardians -In the Chinese mythology - They represent a four Symbols that were given human names after Daoism became popular. The Azure Dragon has the name Meng Zhang , the Vermilion Bird was called Ling Guang , the White Tiger Jian Bing , and the Black Turtle Zhi Ming . under the watchful eye and wisdom of the Golden Dragon, each protecting the four corners of the world

Jinjing Vesta Cook - Jinjing meant clear, like crystal, and Vesta was a Roman goddess. Cook came from her father, an Englishman who moved to Hong Kong, married a pretty lady from Kowloon. Jinjing was gigantic, chunky, shy and awkward all at once and others bully her. Only her grandfather(gon-gon)—loved her just the way she was. Gon-gon worked in an antique shop, and every day after school she took the escalator to his shop. There she learned about antiques —their history, how they were made, what they were worth. Jinjing loved the shop’s smells—the rich aroma of wood, the dry tang of paint on canvas, the dusty fragrance of objects crammed with ancient secrets and mysterious pasts.

One day, at a quiet garden untouched by Hong Kong’s hustle and bustle. A flash of blinding light pulsed out of the tunnel.

She used to think about dragons that they are mostly good especially Chinese dragons.

Pietro - Italy - Pietro loved taking dares and many times it got him into troubles. He also love to visit Chiesa di Santo Augusto—the Church of St. Augustus. The church sat on a promontory overlooking the emerald Adriatic Sea. Nobody went inside anymore—it was a crumbling structure almost a thousand years old. His father has an olive orchard which he help to harvest. in the church he found a glowing worm that nobody saw beside him. They though he was making up story, which he did from time to time. He kept in his room and even though he didn’t eat anything, he grew and grew.

Kate - USA -   She wasn’t afraid of boys—they were afraid of her. It had something to do with her wavy red hair and her perky smile and the fact that she thought all boys were morons who didn’t deserve the time of day. She found her replacement pet- Bo - on an “educational trip” to the Cape May lighthouse. He also he invisible to everyone except her and even though he didn’t eat anything, he grew and grew. Also he was hollow inside, its body contained no guts or brains or heart, or anything except a huge mouth on one end and a long hollow tube inside. It also had an electric charge.

One day, when a boy picked on her friend, her pet had completely covered her trough his mouth. She could move her arms and her legs easy enough, so she took a step towards the glowering boy, and send him back with electrifying shock.

She used to think about dragons that they are evil, breathe fire, capture maidens, charbroil knights

Saburo - Japan - Found Oni at a shrine perched on the mountain behind his village. In the Japanese mythology, the Oni were large, bulky, ogre-like demons with horns growing out of their heads. They carried heavy clubs and wore loincloths of tiger skins. Other kids thought they were scary. Saburo found them fascinating. His Oni wasn’t a demon, though. Saburo thought maybe he was a worm. A strange, green worm. When Saburo was little his mother ran their car off the road and Saburo’s hip and legs were broken. Several operations later he still limped and his legs always ached. He couldn’t run with the other kids or play sports very well, and his balance was so bad that he stopped riding his bike. Other kids teased him relentlessly because of that. His mother decided he should strengthen his legs, and so every weekend she made him climb the mountain. At first he only got a little way. Each time he got a little further, and soon he could trudge to the top. One day Oni shot with him off a cliff and plopped into the icy sea. Saburo didn’t feel the cold or the wetness. He was warm and toasty and dry and he could breathe.

The Yellow dragon - Very big it coiled around a rocky hill,  with whippy tail with a tuft of hair at the end. Has a fiery eyes and a blocky yellow head. Sharp horns protruded from the head, and two long whiskers snaked away from either side of the red nostrils. Its whiskers undulated in the air, moving as if on their own accord (Jinjing  thought that it is definitely a Chinese dragon. He looks just like the dragon statues in her grandfather shop). Every so often the tuft burst into a golden flame that traveled up its  spines, until  it entirely was ablaze.

The Four Fiends - “Gluttony, Chaos, Ignorance and Deviousness.

In fact a the story is about overcoming weaknesses and strengths and sometimes using them. It is also a story about friendship and the ways in which it can overcome barriers. As the story progresses, each child in turn must take the lead and conduct one rescue. And, to their surprise, it is not their strengths that they must use, but their weaknesses. How each discovers his or her weakness, and what they do with them, again....it is a part of the pleasure of reading the story.

The Buzz

• "This was one of the most entertaining reads for the whole family we have found in a long time. The characters are very believable, and I am always a sucker for heroes that have to find their way. The reading is very fluid and easily understood by the little kids when read aloud (sounds silly but anyone trying to do this will tell you it's not as easy a thing to achieve as it sounds) and the kids all seem to enjoy the story. The history is easily accessible even without a lot of research or background knowledge. The kids are very motivated to research and learn more on their own because this story has captured their interest. I already have many home learning lessons in mind using this book and have begun developing them with my kids. I think this is a book that will be found in classrooms very soon! Great job! I'm looking forward to more soon!!!" ~ 5 Star Review, Mariah W., Amazon

• "Excellent read in and of itself, and provides excellent, character-building source material for reading to youngsters. The characters are well written and realistic, and the storyline is cleverly written and intelligent." ~ 5 Star Review, Alia K., Amazon

• "Fantastic read. I loved the characters in this book so much that I re-read to my 9 year old after finishing it. I highly recommend this book for anyone that likes stories about adventure and believing in yourself." ~ 5 Star Review, Keith, Amazon

About the Author: Nikki Bennett

Nikki Bennett is an author and world traveler currently living in Japan. She loves traveling, and incorporates all the culture and folklore she can from the countries she visits into her stories.

Nikki has two books out right now. Her first book, FOUR FIENDS is a MG fantasy adventure and her newest book, MUKADE ISLAND is a YA adventure/fantasy (think Lord of the Flies meets LOST, it it was set on a different world!)

Find out all about Nikki's books at www.worldofnikki.com

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