Green Dragon, White Tiger, Vermilion Bird, Xuanwu Allegory and Symbolism

The Green Dragon, White Tiger, Vermilion Bird and Xuanwu are the four mythical beasts of ancient Chinese legend, each of which has its own unique meaning and symbolism.

1. Green Dragon: Allegory and Symbolism

The Green Dragon represents the east, spring and wood of the five elements in Chinese culture. It is regarded as a symbol of good luck and is often found in architecture, decoration and works of art. Often depicted as a huge green dragon with scales and flames, the Green Dragon represents majesty, power and mystery. In traditional beliefs, the Green Dragon is a sacred animal capable of dispelling evil and bringing good luck.

2. White Tiger: Allegory and Symbolism

The White Tiger represents the West, Autumn, and the Five Elements of Gold in Chinese culture. Although the white tiger is considered ominous in some cultures, in traditional Chinese beliefs it is believed to guard the home and ward off evil. Often depicted as a white tiger with black stripes, the white tiger represents strength, courage and majesty.

3. Vermilion Bird: Allegory and Symbolism

The Vermilion Bird represents the south, summer and the five elements of fire in Chinese culture. It is seen as a symbol of flame and passion and often appears in ancient myths and legends. Often depicted as a red bird with beautiful feathers and a golden halo, the Vermilion Bird represents beauty, love and passion. In traditional beliefs, the Vermilion Bird is known to bring happiness and prosperity.

4. Xuanwu: Allegory and Symbolism

Xuanwu represents the north, winter and the five elements of water in Chinese culture. It is seen as a symbol of hardness, stability and mystery and is often found in ancient architecture and sculpture. Often depicted as a black turtle or a turtle-snake amalgamation, Xuanwu represents longevity, wisdom and stability. In traditional beliefs, Genbu is known to bring longevity and good health.

Evaluation of the Image of Green Dragon

The Green Dragon is one of the most fearsome and powerful beasts in ancient China. In terms of the five elements, in the Oriental legend, the Green Dragon has a body resembling a long snake, with the head of a qilin and the tail of a carp, a long beard on its face, horns resembling those of a deer, and five claws, which makes it a formidable-looking beast.

The Green Dragon symbolizes something new or different: renewed through altered energy, the Green Dragon represents a continuous process of transformation, with an auspicious potential to transcend itself, it symbolizes efficacy or strategic effectiveness through mutation: the antithesis of rigid, mechanical practice.

The dragon is a deity worshipped by the Chinese people, so in the sky, there is also an asterism known as the "Green Dragon", which is truly a "flying dragon in the sky", and from the earliest surviving historical documents such as the Shangshu (Book of the Shang Dynasty) and the Zhouli (Rites of the Zhou Dynasty), terms such as the Green Dragon were already widely used. use.