#shijin

Four Symbols 3/4 - 朱雀

Suzaku is the guardian that protects the southern direction of the Heavens. This connection originates from the theory of the Five Elements, assigning the red/fire to the south.

Four Symbols 4/4 - 青竜

Seiryu, the Azure Dragon, governs Spring and the East region of the sky. Since it is the guardian deity of the east where the sun rises, it brings the power to make things grow. It's depicted on the pedestal in Yakushiji Temple in Nara; a mural on the east side in the Takamatsuzuka Tumulus and on the east wall of the burial chamber of Gangseodaemyo Tomb in Pyeongyang.

I can let the watercolored bois out

Four Symbols 1/4 - 玄武

Genbu is one of the shijin, or siling, which are important mythological figures in Taoism. Genbu is the guardian of the north. He is associated with the Chinese element of water, the season of winter and the color black. He is enshrined in the Genbu Shrine, north of Kyoto’s Imperial Palace.

He spans seven of the twenty-eight Chinese constellations, taking up one quarter of the entire sky. The constellation which makes up the snake’s neck is located in Sagittarius. The constellations which makes up the tortoise’s shell are located in Capricornus, Aquarius, and Pegasus. The constellations which make up the snake’s tail are located in Pegasus and Andromeda.

Four Symbols 2/4 - 白虎

Byakko is one of the shijin, or siling, which are important mythological figures in Taoism. It's the guardian of the west and it's associated with the Chinese element of metal, the autumn season and the color white. He is enshrined in the Matsuo Taisha, located in the eastern region of Kyoto.

The white tiger is considered an auspicious creature because of its beautiful appearance. “A land suitable for the four gods” is a land where the four gods who control the four directions protect the north, south, east, and west, and means “the best land” where good energy gathers and stays. It is said that there is a clear stream to the east (Soryu), a wide open wetland to the south (Suzaku), a long road to the west (Byakko), and a towering mountain to the north (Genbu).