The four great beasts in China are Qinglong, Baihu, Suzaku and Xuanwu.

1. Qinglong

Qinglong is one of the four spirits of heaven in ancient China mythology, which originated from the worship of ancient stars. It is the God of the East representing Tai Hao and the seven nights in the East. It is a shock in the gossip and a mourning in the five elements, symbolizing the shaoyang in the four elephants and the spring in the four seasons.

2, White Tiger

White Tiger is one of the four spirits of heaven in ancient China mythology, which originated from the worship of ancient stars. It is the western god who represents the seven nights in Shao Hao and the west. It is the gold of the five elements, symbolizing the lack of yin among the four elephants and the autumn in the four seasons.

3, Suzaku

Suzaku is one of the four spirits of heaven in ancient China mythology, which originated from the worship of ancient stars. It is the god of the south who represents Emperor Yan and the seven nights in the south. It is separated from the gossip and lit the fire in the five elements, symbolizing Lao Yang in the four elephants and summer in the four seasons.

4, Xuanwu

Xuanwu, one of the four spirits of heaven in China's ancient mythology, originated from the worship of ancient stars, which means that twenty-eight lodges are divided into seven lodges in the northern Xuanwu among the four elephants according to the southeast and northwest. In the traditional culture of China, the four elephants refer to Qinglong, Baihu, Suzaku and Xuanwu, representing the four directions of east, west, north and south respectively. Xuanwu in the north is based on the Eight Diagrams, and the five elements dominate the water, symbolizing the old yin in the four elephants and the winter in the four seasons.

Extended data

In ancient China, the stars in the sky were divided into seven star zones, namely "Three Walls" and "Four Elephants". The so-called "wall" means "city wall". Three walls are arranged in a triangle around Polaris. There are four elephants around the Three Walls: East black dragon, West White Tiger, South Suzaku and North Xuanwu.

that is to say, the stars in the east are like a dragon, the stars in the west are like a tiger, the stars in the south are like a big bird, and the stars in the north are like turtles and snakes. As the earth revolves around the sun, the stars in the sky change with the seasons. Every evening at the turn of winter and spring, black dragon appears; At the turn of spring and summer, Xuanwu rises; At the turn of summer and autumn, the white tiger emerges; At the turn of autumn and winter, Suzaku rises, which is always called "the four great beasts".

Baidu Encyclopedia-Four Great Beasts