What are the animal tattoos?

Animal prints are dragons, tigers, turtles, snakes, phoenixes, deer, fish, swallows and so on. Among them, the dragon, tiger, phoenix, tortoise and snake often form a set of four wadang, known as the four gods pattern is very popular in the Han Dynasty, in bronze mirrors, lacquer, stone carving and other crafts are also widely used. Because of these four patterns and direction, also known as the orientation of the gods, used on the wadang can be the town four directions, to achieve the role of warding off evil spirits and seek blessings, the four gods at the same time also represents the seasons, the general interpretation is that the green dragon on behalf of the east and the spring; white tiger on behalf of the west and the fall; Zhu Bird (i.e., phoenix) on behalf of the south and the summer; Xuanwu (i.e., tortoise and snake pattern) on behalf of the north and the winter. Cao Zhi's "Divine Turtle Fugue": "The four spirits of Jiande are each located on one side, the Canglong gnarled in the East Mountain, the White Tiger whistled in the West Gang, the Xuanwu gathered in the Cold Door, and the Vermilion Bird perched in the South". The four gods in the turtle and snake together called Xuanwu, according to the interpretation of ancient documents, Xuan that the north and the turtle and snake have scales and armor, so the day Wu. Typical works of Xi'an Western Han Dynasty architectural sites unearthed four god pattern tile, tile heart with column knob, the side wheel is wider, for the round, the dragon and tiger made a larger deformation, limbs and head and tail into a balanced distribution, deformation of the big counterfeiting vivid and natural; Vermilion Bird grain title bead proudly, Xuanwu grain entangled and do not mess up, the pattern are modeling vivid, healthy and powerful and rich in decorative interest.