What Exactly Are the Four Symbols of Taoism?

Chiyang Daoren, Eastern Taoism

Among the many guardian deities of Taoism there is a group of heavenly gods devoted specifically to guarding the mountain gates of Taoist temples: the Azure Dragon, the White Tiger, the Vermilion Bird, and the Black Tortoise, known as the Four Symbols, or the Four Numinous Creatures.

At the Cave of the Celestial Master on Mount Qingcheng (anciently called the Changdao Temple), for example, a shrine hall stands on each side in front of the lofty mountain gate. The left hall holds a mighty statue of the Azure Dragon, named Divine Lord Mengzhang; the right hall holds a fierce statue of the White Tiger, named Divine Lord Jianbing.

The Azure Dragon, White Tiger, Vermilion Bird, and Black Tortoise arose from ancient Chinese belief in the lunar mansions. The ancient Chinese divided the sky into eastern, northern, western, and southern regions, calling the east the image of the Azure Dragon, the north the image of the Dark Warrior (a tortoise and snake), the west the image of the White Tiger, and the south the image of the Vermilion Bird: these are the Four Symbols. They are the images of four animals that the ancients imagined by linking together the seven lunar mansions of each direction. In the Azure Dragon of the east, for example, the Horn mansion resembles the dragon's horns, the Room mansion its body, and the Tail mansion its tail. In the Vermilion Bird of the south, the mansions from the Well to the Chariot form the bird: the Willow is its beak, the Star its neck, the Extended Net its crop, and the Wings its feathers.

Later the ancients matched them with yin and yang, the Five Phases, the five directions, and the five colors, giving rise to the Azure Dragon of the east, the White Tiger of the west, the Vermilion Bird of the south, and the Black Tortoise of the north. They were later applied to military formations and battle arrays and became protective deities of armies on campaign. The “Summary of the Rules of Propriety, Part One” of the Book of Rites says: “On the march, the Vermilion Bird is in front and the Dark Warrior behind; the Azure Dragon on the left and the White Tiger on the right; and Zhaoyao above.” Chen Hao's commentary says: “‘On the march’ refers to an army setting out. Vermilion Bird, Dark Warrior, Azure Dragon, and White Tiger are the names of the mansions of the four directions.” It also says: “The number of streamers (the pennants on a banner) all follow them: the dragon banner has nine streamers, the bird seven, the tiger six, and the tortoise-and-snake four.” That is, the Four Symbols were painted on banners to mark the front, rear, left, and right of the battle array, lifting the soldiers' morale so that they would win every battle. The Commentaries and Subcommentaries on the Thirteen Classics, discussing the “Summary of the Rules of Propriety, Part One” of the Book of Rites, says of their function: “Like the soaring of the bird, like the venom of the tortoise and snake, the dragon leaping and the tiger charging—nothing can withstand these four creatures.” This shows how great their role was.

After Taoism arose, it followed these ancient ideas and brought the Azure Dragon, White Tiger, Vermilion Bird, and Black Tortoise into its pantheon as guardian deities to enhance the majesty of its ceremonies.

The chapter “Miscellaneous Responses” of the Baopuzi, quoting the Classic of Immortals, describes Lord Lao the Most High (Taishang Laojun) as having twelve azure dragons on his left, twenty-six white tigers on his right, twenty-four vermilion birds in front, and seventy-two dark warriors behind—a truly grand and imposing retinue.

Later the Four Symbols were gradually personified and given titles. According to the Secret Instructions of the Purple Court of the Seven Primordials of the North Pole, the Azure Dragon is titled Divine Lord Mengzhang, the White Tiger Divine Lord Jianbing, the Vermilion Bird Divine Lord Lingguang, and the Black Tortoise Divine Lord Zhiming.

Before long, the cult of Xuanwu (that is, the Perfected Warrior, Zhenwu) grew steadily, rising above the Four Symbols to the exalted rank of Great Emperor, while the Azure Dragon and White Tiger were counted among the door gods, specifically guarding the mountain gates of Taoist temples.

Fan Zhineng of the Song dynasty writes in his Record of the Customs of Yueyang: “The shrine of Laozi has two divine statues, called the Azure Dragon and the White Tiger.” Yao Zongyi of the Ming writes in the chapter on temples of his Private Gazetteer of Changshu: “At the mountain gate of the Zhidao Temple are two great gods: on the left, the Azure Dragon, Divine Lord Mengzhang; on the right, the White Tiger, Divine Lord Jianbing.”

The Azure Dragon

The Azure Dragon was originally the god of the east in ancient myth, and in Taoism one of the Four Symbols, the star lords of the seven eastern mansions. It comprises the seven eastern mansions of the Twenty-Eight Lunar Mansions (Horn, Neck, Root, Room, Heart, Tail, and Winnowing Basket). Shaped like a dragon, located in the east, belonging to Wood, and azure in color, they are collectively called the Azure Dragon, also known as the Blue-Green Dragon.

Scroll 44 of the Most High Yellow Register Fast Liturgy names the star lords of the eastern Dipper of the Azure Dragon as: “the Star Lord of the Heavenly Gate of the Horn mansion, the Star Lord of the Heavenly Courtyard of the Neck mansion, the Star Lord of the Heavenly Treasury of the Root mansion, the Star Lord of the Heavenly Steeds of the Room mansion, the Star Lord of the Heavenly King of the Heart mansion, the Star Lord of the Heavenly Rooster of the Tail mansion, and the Star Lord of the Heavenly Statutes of the Winnowing Basket mansion.”

As to its form, scroll 7 of the Collection of Essentials for General Use in the Taoist Tradition says: “The essence of the Dragon's Horn and Neck of the east, breathing out clouds and dense vapors, roaring thunder and sending forth its voice, soaring to the eight extremities and roaming the four dark regions: come and stand on my left.”

Taoism also uses it as an alchemical term. Scroll 72 of the Seven Slips from the Cloudy Satchel (Yunji Qiqian), quoting the Ancient Classic on the elixir of the four spirits, says: The Azure Dragon is the mercury of Jia-Yi Wood of the east. Settle it and it does not clear; stir it and it does not muddy. Near, it cannot be grasped; far, it cannot be let go. It lies hidden and transforms without end; hence it is called the dragon.

The White Tiger

The White Tiger was originally the god of the west in ancient myth, and in Taoism one of the Four Symbols, the star lords of the seven western mansions. It comprises the seven western mansions of the Twenty-Eight Lunar Mansions (Legs, Bond, Stomach, Hairy Head, Net, Turtle Beak, and Three Stars). Shaped like a tiger, located in the west, belonging to Metal, and white in color, they are collectively called the White Tiger.

Scroll 44 of the Most High Yellow Register Fast Liturgy names the star lords of the western Dipper of the White Tiger as: “the Star Lord of the Heavenly General of the Legs mansion, the Star Lord of the Heavenly Prison of the Bond mansion, the Star Lord of the Heavenly Granary of the Stomach mansion, the Star Lord of the Heavenly Eye of the Hairy Head mansion, the Star Lord of the Heavenly Ear of the Net mansion, the Star Lord of the Heavenly Screen of the Turtle Beak mansion, and the Star Lord of the Heavenly Waters of the Three Stars mansion.”

As to its form, scroll 7 of the Collection of Essentials for General Use in the Taoist Tradition says: “The White Tiger of the west, corresponding above to the Turtle Beak mansion, of pure white substance and solemn, clear voice, awing the birds and beasts, its roar shaking the mountain forests: come and stand on my right.”

Likewise, Taoism uses it as an alchemical term. Scroll 72 of the Seven Slips from the Cloudy Satchel, quoting the Ancient Classic on the elixir of the four spirits, says: “The White Tiger is the white metal of Geng-Xin Metal of the west; it holds the position of the True One. The Classic says: If you attain the One, all things are accomplished. It is another name for the fair maiden, transformed through the interaction of the Five Phases, brought about by the utmost essence. It crouches without moving; hence it is called the tiger.”

The Vermilion Bird

The Vermilion Bird was originally the god of the south in ancient myth, and in Taoism one of the Four Symbols, the star lords of the seven southern mansions. It comprises the seven southern mansions of the Twenty-Eight Lunar Mansions (Well, Ghost, Willow, Star, Extended Net, Wings, and Chariot). Shaped like a bird, located in the south, belonging to Fire, and red in color, they are collectively called the Vermilion Bird, also known as the Red Bird.

Scroll 44 of the Most High Yellow Register Fast Liturgy names the star lords of the southern Vermilion Bird as: “the Star Lord of the Heavenly Well of the Well mansion, the Star Lord of the Heavenly Chest of the Ghost mansion, the Star Lord of the Heavenly Kitchen of the Willow mansion, the Star Lord of the Heavenly Storehouse of the Star mansion, the Star Lord of the Heavenly Scales of the Extended Net mansion, the Star Lord of the Heavenly Capital of the Wings mansion, and the Star Lord of the Heavenly Street of the Chariot mansion.”

As to its form, scroll 7 of the Collection of Essentials for General Use in the Taoist Tradition says: “The Vermilion Bird of the south, chief of all the birds, born by transformation in the Cinnabar Cave, its azure thunder echoing, its marvelous plumage of five colors, its divine bearing of six forms: come and lead before me.”

Likewise, Taoism uses it as an alchemical term. Scroll 72 of the Seven Slips from the Cloudy Satchel, quoting the “elixir of the four spirits” of the Ancient Classic, says: The Vermilion Bird is the cinnabar of Bing-Ding Fire of the south. Its liquid, drawn out, becomes the dragon; its qi, condensed, becomes the bird. Its qi rises to become heaven, and its substance settles to become earth; therefore it is the root of the Great Elixir. On meeting fire it flies off; hence it is called the Vermilion Bird.

The Black Tortoise

The Black Tortoise (Xuanwu, the Dark Warrior) was originally the god of the north in ancient myth, and in Taoism one of the Four Symbols, the star lords of the seven northern mansions. It comprises the seven northern mansions of the Twenty-Eight Lunar Mansions (Dipper, Ox, Girl, Emptiness, Rooftop, Encampment, and Wall). Shaped like a tortoise—also described as a tortoise and snake joined in one body—located in the north, belonging to Water, and black in color, they are collectively called Xuanwu.

Scroll 44 of the Most High Yellow Register Fast Liturgy names the star lords of the northern Black Tortoise as: “the Star Lord of the Heavenly Temple of the Dipper mansion, the Star Lord of the Heavenly Loom of the Ox mansion, the Star Lord of the Heavenly Maiden of the Girl mansion, the Star Lord of the Heavenly Minister of the Emptiness mansion, the Star Lord of the Heavenly Coins of the Rooftop mansion, the Star Lord of the Heavenly Granary of the Encampment mansion, and the Star Lord of the Heavenly Market of the Wall mansion.”

As to its form, scroll 7 of the Collection of Essentials for General Use in the Taoist Tradition says: “The Black Tortoise of the north, born by transformation of Great Yin, its substance displayed in the Emptiness and Rooftop mansions, tortoise and snake joined in form, coiling and roaming the nine earths, governing the myriad spirits: come and follow behind me.”

Likewise, Taoism uses it as an alchemical term. Scroll 72 of the Seven Slips from the Cloudy Satchel, quoting the Ancient Classic on the elixir of the four spirits, says: “Xuanwu is the black mercury of Ren-Gui Water of the north; it can be soft and it can be hard.” The Classic says: The highest good is like water. It is not lead, not tin, not any kind of stone; this water is the divine water of Hedong, born before heaven and earth, the supreme medicine that must not be set aside even for a moment. It can nourish the myriad things; hence it is called Xuanwu.