Green Dragon White Tiger Star God Worship

 

Green Dragon White Tiger Star God Worship

 

In Chinese mythology, who is the strongest among the four mythical beasts: Qinglong, White Tiger, Suzaku, and Xuanwu that dominate the three realms?

Green Dragon and White Tiger are the God of the East and the God of the West respectively in ancient Chinese mythology, originating from the star god worship of the ancient Chinese people.

Qinglong, originally the God of the East in Chinese mythology, is one of the seven stars and four elephants in Taoism. It is the eastern seven constellations of the twenty-eight constellations (Jiao, Kang, Di, Fang, Xin, Wei, Ji). It looks like a dragon, is located in the east, belongs to wood, and is green in color. It is generally called Qinglong, also known as Canglong.

White Tiger, originally the God of the West in Chinese mythology, is one of the seven stars and four elephants in the Western Taoism. It is the seven western constellations of the twenty-eight constellations (Kui, Lou, Wei, Ang, Bi, Xi, and Shen). Its image is a tiger, located in the west, belonging to gold and white in color, and is generally called the white tiger.

In 1987, at the Yangshao Cultural Site on the west water slope of Puyang County, Henan Province, on the left and right sides of a mature male skeleton in the middle of a tomb chamber, there were dragon and tiger patterns carefully carved with clam shells. The dragon pattern was 1.78 meters long and 0.67 meters high. With its head held high, its body bowed, its tail long, its front paws raking and its back paws kicking, it looks like it is soaring. The tiger pattern is 1.39 meters long and 0.63 meters high. The tiger's head is slightly lowered, its round eyes are wide open, its mouth is open and its teeth are exposed, the tiger's tail is swinging down, and its limbs are alternating, as if walking, forming a fierce tiger descending the mountain. The dragon and tiger patterns carefully placed on both sides of the tomb owner are made of clam shells. They have a history of 6,000 years and can be called the prototype of the green dragon and white tiger.

 

cultural origin

 

Taoism has a saying that Qinglong, White Tiger, Suzaku, and Xuanwu are the guardians of the gods. However, these four gods actually come from the star god worship of ancient people. The ancients divided the stars in the ecliptic (the area of ​​the sky where the sun and moon pass) into twenty The eight constellations are called the "twenty-eight constellations", and these twenty-eight constellations are divided into four star fields, thus forming the terms "twenty-eight constellations" and "four images".

Among them, the Eastern Seven Constellations - Jiao, Kang, Shi, Fang, Xin, Wei and Ji. The ancients imagined it as the image of a dragon. Because it is located in the east, according to the theory of yin and yang, five elements and five directions, the east is green, so it is called "Qinglong". ". According to this theory, there are black basalts in the north, white tigers in the west, and red birds in the south. The green dragon, white tiger, red bird, and Xuanwu are collectively called the "Four Symbols", also known as the Forty Thousand Four Gods.

Generally speaking, the gods of the four directions are often used in military appearance and military formations, and become the protectors of marching and fighting. "Book of Rites·Qu Lishang" says: "Go. In front is a red bird (bird), then behind is Xuanwu, with a green dragon on the left and a white tiger on the right, swaggering on top. ." Chen Man noted: "Xing, the army is coming out. Zhuque, Xuanwu, Qinglong, and White Tiger are the names of the four directions." He also said: "All the 撒 (līú, streamers on the flag) are put out, and the dragon flag is Nine feathers, seven feathers for a bird, six feathers for a tiger, and four feathers for a tortoise and a snake." That is to say, the form of expression is to paint the "four images" on the banners respectively to indicate the military formations at the front, rear, left and right, and to boost morale. , to achieve the goal of being invincible.

"Commentaries on the Thirteen Classics·Book of Rites Qu Lishang" discusses its effect: "It is like the flight of a bird, like the poison of a tortoise and a snake, a dragon soaring and a tiger surging, but it is invincible against these four things." This shows its great effect.

After the rise of Taoism, Qinglong, White Tiger, Suzaku and Xuanwu were included in its pantheon as gods of protection and majesty. "Baopuzi·Zaying" describes the image of Taishang Laojun: "There are twelve green dragons on the left, twenty-six white tigers on the right, twenty-four red birds in front, and seventy-two Xuanwu in the back." It is very impressive and true. prestige. Later, the Four Symbols were gradually personified and given their titles: Qinglong was named "Mengzhang Divine Lord", White Tiger was named "Supervisor Divine Lord", Suzaku was named "Lingguang Divine Lord", and Xuanwu was named "Zhiming Divine Lord".