Tortoise -north / Dragon -south And Phoenix / Unicorn

Mary Conceicao Coelho
2m ·


Tomb plaque marker on a tortoise base. Date: A.D. 219–316.
Medium: Limestone.
Source: Dallas Museum of Art.⁣

⁣Description: "This tomb marker consists of a central plaque
with Chinese writing that describes the deceased as a forty-five-year-old woman
who died in the early 4th century CE.

Chinese grave markers often include the tortoise,
like the one supporting the plaque here, and a dragon,
which you can see forming the top of the sculpture.⁣

The tortoise and dragon are two of the four ""spiritually endowed"" directional deities.

The other two deities are the phoenix and the unicorn.

The tortoise, which is a symbol of the north and winter,

was also important in Chinese Buddhist belief because it symbolized longevity.

Many Buddhist temples keep resident tortoises;
to feed one was a commendable act.

Thus early Chinese beliefs passed into Buddhism.

This example has a snake's head and a dragon's neck, indicating supernatural power."⁣

https://collections.dma.org/artwork/5343926⁣










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Losing 100 Podcast

 

The Four Symbols (Chinese: 四象; pinyin: Sì Xiàng, literally meaning "four images"),
are four mythological creatures appearing among the Chinese constellations
along the ecliptic, and viewed as the guardians of the four cardinal directions.

These four creatures are also referred to by a variety of other names,
including "Four Guardians", "Four Gods", and "Four Auspicious Beasts".

They are the Azure Dragon of the East,
the Vermilion Bird of the South,
the White Tiger of the West,
and the Black Tortoise (also called "Black Warrior") of the North.

 

Four Auspicious Beasts	Five directions	Five seasons	Times of day[9]	Five colors	Wuxing	Four Symbols	Yao	Five Gods
Azure Dragon	East	Spring	Dawn	Blue-green	Wood	Young yang	⚍	Goumang (句芒) / Chong (重)
Vermilion Bird	South	Summer	Midday	Red	Fire	Old yang	⚌	Zhurong (祝融) / Li (犁)
White Tiger	West	Autumn	Dusk	White	Metal	Young yin	⚎	Rushou (蓐收) / Gai (該)
Black Tortoise	North	Winter	Midnight	Black	Water	Old yin	⚏	Xuanming (玄冥) / Xiu & Xi (修 & 熙)
Yellow Dragon or Qilin	Central	Midsummer		Yellow	Earth			Houtu (后土) / Goulong (句龍)

 

THE FIVE GODS

1. Zuozhuan "Duke Zhao's 29th year - zhuan". quote:「夫物，物有其官，官修其方，朝夕思之。……故有五行之官，是謂五官，……木正曰句芒，火正曰祝融，金正曰蓐收，水正曰玄冥，土正曰后土。……少皞氏有四叔，曰重、曰該、曰修、曰熙，實能金、木及水。使重為句芒，該為蓐收，修及熙為玄冥，……此其三祀也。顓頊氏有子曰犁，為祝融；共工氏有子曰句龍，為后土，……」. Translation by Durrant, Li, & Schberg (2016)
2. "Every kind of thing has its official, who is charged with perfecting the methods for it
3. and keeping these in mind day and night. [...]
4. Thus, there were the officials of the Five Resources(/ Agents / Phases),
5. known as the Five Officials. [...]
6. The Director for Wood was known as Goumang, the Director for Fire was known as Zhurong,
7. the Director for Metal was known as Rushou,
8. the Director for Water was known as Xuanming,
9. and the Director for Earth was known as Houtu.[...] Shaohao had four younger brothers named
10. Chong, Gai, Xiu, and Xi, who were talented with metal, wood, and water.
11. He made Chong the Goumang, or Director for Wood; Gai the Rushou, or Director for Metal; and Xiu and Xi the Xuanming, or Director for Water.[...] Zhuanxu had a son named Li, who was the Zhurong, or Director for Fire. Gonggong had a son named Goulong, who was the Houtu, or Director for Earth. [...]"