#the four auspicious beasts

[lu-zijing]

Soooooo, me and @cherllyio looked through some scenes in the ~ LMK S5 trailer ~ again, and stopped by this specifically scene yet again:

Credit to "@SimplyRemarkable" on YouTube for uploading the trailer

Who Is MK Attacking???

Cherrlyio (aka Cory) was like the first time we saw it and said again: "That kinda looks like Li Jing, you know, The one MK is attacking." And I was also like the first time we saw it and said again: "Hmm, are you sure?? I don't know, it could be, but who knows? It's so blurry." Cory: "Well, maybe.. I guess it could be something else, but still." Me: "Fair enough."

((I think they made a post about the whole thing- Go check out their channel, they got good stuff—))

*Us looking through the trailer again today-*

Imagine that whole conversation again- and THEN—

Me: "hm.. I'm still not sure... Waiiiiiittttt-- Dosn't it kinda look like the Black Tortoise? It's feet, I mean."

Me: "The one who was likely also present in the scene right before?~"

Cory: "....OHSHI——"

Me:"（￣︶￣）"

Cory: "SHIT YOU'RE RIGHT——!!! w(ﾟДﾟ)w"

So yeah... THIS MIGHT NOT BE LI JING AFTER ALL!!!??

Cory: "Ah damn, I just made a post about it being Li Jing...."

Yes, I'm bragging a little bit over for Cory—

It could just be that the angle turned after that first picture we see the Black Tortoise in, where it is behind the kneeling Mk.

Because, it is not behind MK any longer, in the scene where he is seemingly attacking it.

And it could even be in this scene too-!

Where - in that case - we see Sandy seemingly attacking it??

Credit to @deliveryboysomewhatequaltoheaven For pointing that detail out!

---

And here comes a theory: ~~

The Black Tortoise is one of Four Mythological Creatures that appear in Chinese Philosophy/Astrology.

Picture 1: http://www.ianridpath.com/startales/chinese.html

Picture 2: https://www.mapcompanion.org/constellations-song-dynasty/

It is usually represented with a snake coiled around it's body, but I mean - We haven't gotten one good look at it in the trailer, so that doesn't mean it can't be what we saw in LMK

Soo huuh~? Could it be that they are appearing in LMK??

If you wanna know more about them @deliveryboysomewhatequaltoheaven seems to have made some posts about it! I didn't know they had also noticed it, so go check that out if you can't wait!!

Because I am also currently making a video about it, hoping to be posted in the near future on YouTube, A continuation of my collab with @cherllyio "The ULTIMATE Breakdown of the Season 5 Trailer" (on YouTube)

So You might ask... Even if it actually is a black turtle, how do you know it's the one from the Four Mythological Creatures in Chinese Culture??

WELL, ma bud ~ Because there IS proof that ALL THE OTHER THREE CREATURES actually appeared in the trailer-!!!

You wanna know what~? []~(￣▽￣)~*

*Psssst* Then here-! Take a quick little sneak peak at the video in process~~

An Azure Dragon:

A White Tiger:

A Vermillion Bird:

AND the Black Tortoise:

As It seems very likely that we have seen three, if not ALL four of them . . .

-It would make quite a lot of sense that these four creatures who are appearing in the trailer IS INDEED the Four Auspicious Beasts Yes, they got many names, google it- from the Chinese Constellations.......!!!!?OAUFR）EKWNADOIFNKAAODNKFLF——！！？？?

But WAIT! I'm not done yet--

Here's ONE more detail that we're gonna cover in that video I mentioned~ :

These characters are wearing White Tiger accessories AND holding an Azure Dragon, instead of an red-gold Dragon that is usually held during Chinese Lunar New Year, which this could very well be..?

Even if it actually IS a thing to use Azure Dragons too, it IS a little suspicious they BOTH have an Azure Dragon and things that represents a WHITE TIGER..?

I'm pretty sure orange tigers is more usual too, just like red-gold Dragon is more common in China as well.

Sooooo~~~

What do you Think~?

If you're interested in that video, where me and Cory will be covering more details and some basic knowledge about these Four Creatures, Then keep an eye out on my Blog!

I will defintely Post an Update here. And Cory will do so too, as it is a Collab~

Well, that was all for now!

Just realised this is the first time ever I made a long theory post like this—

I like it

Cory: "...........*sighs in tiredness, after making so many long theory-posts at this point already...*"

Hope You found it interesting..!

[greatwyrmgold]

I've been thinking about Kaido's Fish-Fish Fruit: Model Azure Dragon. (Or Uo Uo no Mi, Model: Seiryu, if you don't like translating Devil Fruits.) I'm going to frame the thoughts I want to talk about most as an attempt to answer three questions.

A: Why is it a fish?

Traditionally, Chinese dragons are described as having the characteristics of (usually) nine other animals. One such list is: camel head, stag antlers, demon eyes, snek neck, clam belly, carp scales, eagle claws, tiger soles, and cow ears. Others include things like frog bellies and rabbit eyes and crocodile heads and goat goatees and tortoise viscera, but most include carp scales and no other fish features. Unless we count shellfish.

So, the Azure Dragon has some fishy characteristics. But even if we count the clam belly, it has far more resemblances to non-fish animals than fish ones. For instance, the camel head, stag antlers, and cow ears give it three ungulate, which could plausibly make the Azure Dragon fruit an Ox-Ox Fruit/Ushi-Ushi no Mi.

Of course, I'd still question why the Azure Dragon was classified as an ungulate. It has as few hooves as gills. But you could also call it a Snake-Snake Fruit, or you could invent a Liz-Liz Fruit. Or, you could use the Dragon-Dragon category that Kaido's dinosaur-fruit minions fall under. Surely Chinese dragons qualify as dragons?

Aside: The Japanese term for dinosaurs is kyōryū, which includes ryū, which means dragon.

B: Are there other fish?

The existence of a Fish-Fish Fruit: Azure Dragon Model implies the existence of other kinds of Fish-Fish Fruits. Carp or trout or sharks; judging by what kinds of animal get Fishmen, maybe even whales and cephalopods and the weird fishlike species on the Grand Line.

There aren't any non-dragon Fish-Fish Fruits. I don't find that surprising; the sea hates Devil Fruit users, hence their iconic weakness to seawater. Marine Zoan fruits would be a bit against theme. Also, the iconic abilities most fish have are swimming and breathing underwater; these powers obviously aren't much use if you get paralyzed when dunked in water, never mind if said powers get nullified while immersed.

Some fish (especially the broader definition that includes most marine animals) have other features that could be useful out of water. Archerfish and cephalopods and anglerfish and creatures big enough for their strength to rival or exceed an elephant's. But the existence of fish Devil Fruits raises questions that terrestrial Devil Fruits wouldn't.

Then again, a Fish-Fish Fruit that isn't a fish also raises those same questions, as well as others.

C: Are there Devil Fruits for the other Auspicious Beasts?

"Azure Dragon" is a very specific creature. The Azure Dragon is one of the Four Auspicious Beasts, mythological creatures and constellations from China. There's the Black Tortoise* of the North, the White Tiger of the West, the Vermilion Bird of the South, and the Azure Dragon of the East. And sometimes a Yellow Dragon or Qilin in the center.

*Sometimes a warrior or a turtle/snake

They're a thing, they seem pretty significant, and Kaido has the powers of one of them. What about the other three? (Or four.) You could probably equate the Vermilion Bird with Marco's Bird-Bird/Phoenix fruit, if his feathers weren't made of blue fire. But they are, which means that only one out of four (or five) Auspicious Beasts is represented.

To be fair, the Azure Dragon is by far the coolest Auspicious Beast. Sorry, west; a white tiger might be auspicious, but it's just a big albino cat. I guess the Yellow Dragon is also pretty cool (when it's included), but Azure is a way more mythic color name.

[cloud-somersault]

it's past midnight so no one will see this, but i'm also SUPER upset that the celestial beasts weren't more prominent and important in s5

like these are THE FOUR BEASTS!!! they are so, so prominent and well-known in east asian culture, but....nah, they get maybe 3 lines each and then they're gone?? WE COULDA HAD A WHOLE SEASON!! with just the celestial beasts bc there's so much lore for them, like holy shit.

i'm forever mad about it. I know it's nice that they gave MK their little tests (two of them, at least) but damn...damn what a missed opportunity

[udonnoodlz]

Qīnglóng | Cheongnyong | Seiryuu

I’ll probably end up drawing the other three. Idky but it’s giving me #Otome vibes 😂. Don’t be surprised if it leads to fake screenshots

[pseudowho]

Thinking about Takuma Ino, who becomes a father so young when you fall unexpectedly pregnant. Thinking about the fear in your eyes, the shaking hands going to hold each other's, the positive test clasped between them. The way Takuma reassures you; "it's okay, it's okay, I always wanted to be a dad...sure, not this soon-- but we'll be fine. Better than fine, we'll be great."

The way Takuma goes for a walk that night, after you've cried yourself to sleep, crouching down in an alleyway with his beanie'd head in his hands, wondering how he could possibly ever be a good father. Wanting to marry you, to do things 'right', but afraid you'd think he only wanted to marry you because of the pregnancy.

The way Takuma arrives on his mother's doorstep (the mother who raised him alone, young, single) in the dead of night, pale-faced. The way his mother holds him as he cries and apologises at the dining room table, his face in her robed chest. The way she cups his face, and stares into his eyes; "we can do this, together, the right way. You're a good boy. Now be a good man."

The way Takuma learns to be a father, from his mother, who was his whole world. The way Takuma works himself to the bone, squirrelling money away, booking in with estate agents to go and view your first home together in a way that makes your hormonal heart clench.

The way Takuma's head hits the pillow, weary after working all night, then comes straight up again as he hears you vomiting in the bathroom, kneeling behind you to stroke your hair back, holding you gently round the waist on the tiled floor; "attagirl...it'll be better soon, right? Toughest girl I know. Doin' such a great job."

The way Takuma takes up embroidery, buying cheap plain clothes for the baby, because he can't afford much, but adding small artistic touches of beauty; a frog with a toadstool hat, a little trailing succulent vine, a shooting star.

The way Takuma is bright and excited; there for every scan, every class, every milestone. The way Takuma puts on a brave face. The way Takuma hides in the staffroom at work, his head in his hands, creaking under the weight of responsibility. The way he feels a strong hand clasp his shoulder, a beige suit, a blue shirt, a leopard print tie at the corner of his eye; "I know you're going to say no...but I'd like to buy a gift. For both of you. For the baby."

The way Takuma feels so ashamed for accepting help; the way a crib, a beautiful buggy, a snug and safe car seat, all gradually arrive at your new home. The way he tries to insist on paying Nanami Kento back. Nanami naturally refuses, pretends to be inordinately interested in his newspaper.

The way Takuma can't help but buy the baby a few beanies. The way you retaliate by buying an outfit that looks just like Ino's. He is thrilled.

The way Takuma's embroidery has advanced so well, he makes four little Auspicious Beasts to hang from a mobile above the crib.

The way Takuma paints beautiful, geometric, zany black and white shapes on the wall in the baby's bedroom; "They only see black, white and red at first babe. Neat, right?"

The way Takuma is pale throughout your labour, his eyes feverish, your pain so much harder than any battle he's ever been to. The way his tears hit him in a huge whooshing breath, a head-holding groan of relief when his baby son is placed on your chest, wet and crying, a little angry clenched face. The way Takuma rests his cheek on his arm at the top of your bed, gazing down and sniffling as his son holds his finger.

The way Takuma takes you both home, proud, woefully in love, still wondering how he's ever going to grow up and be a man, without realising he's already so much more of a man than so many others in this world.

Thinking about young dad Takuma Ino.

[ryin-silverfish]

Ask/Writing Masterlist (irregularly updating)

Ryin(阿璎), 23. She/They. First Gen Chinese student. Ryin_Silverfish on AO3. Currently hyperfixating on old Chinese novels. casual Zhiguai tales and LMK enjoyer.

Investiture of the Gods/FSYY:

Why are the Daoist immortals fighting?

Did Yuanshi Tianzun manipulate Shen Gongbao?

Chan, Jie, and possible prejudice against yaoguai

Azure Lion and the other Bodhisattvas' steeds in FSYY

Daji's fox form in FSYY Pinghua

The historical Su Daji

Is Shen Gongbao a yaoguai?

Are all yaoguai irredeemable monsters in FSYY?

Ao Bing and the dragons Nezha fought

Does deification wipe your memory and personality?

Bi Gan and the Great Fox Massacre

More discussion about prejudice against yaoguai

How old was Su Daji the human when she died?

Differences between FSYY novel and Pinghua

Musing on FSYY's view of fate and its possible effects on Yang Jian

Master Yuding

The messy marriages of FSYY

Is Daji a goddess in the novel?

Names of immortal masters in FSYY

Just for fun: the FSYY drinking game

Nezha's age in FSYY

Nezha's death and resurrection in FSYY

What happened to the original Daji?

Lady Shiji aka the Rock Demoness

Chinese Fox Spirits:

Auspicious/Demonic Foxes

More on fox spirits

The inner core of foxes

Foxes and their association with Fire

Notable fox spirits

The foxes of 狐狸缘全传

Has Daji ever been worshipped as a goddess?

Fox masks

The foxes of Liaozhai

Weaknesses and abilities of fox spirits

Three resource collections on Chinese fox spirits: 1, 2, 3

Human-fox hybrids

Can foxes and their descendents magically know if someone's telling the truth?

The magical properties of fox saliva

Fox exams and Heavenly Foxes

Are male foxes more malicious?

More on fox exams

Offerings to fox spirits

The "Lady Fox Immortal"

Chinese Mythos in General:

The Precious Scroll of Erlang

Into the Erlang-verse: Li, Zhao, Yang

Can immortal masters romance their students?

Why we don't power-rank characters in God-Demon novels

A brief overview of Chang'e

On Chinese Religion and "Respect"

The 28 Lunar Mansions

Can the Heavenly Emperor be replaced + a primer on dynastic successions

A Guide to the Chinese Underworld (and what it isn't)

Is Nüwa JE's daughter?

Weaver Girl

Can yaoguais a/o their descendents enter the Celestial Bureaucracy?

Queen Mother of the West and her husband(s)

Bixia Yuanjun, Lady of Mt. Tai

Erlang's dad

The story that gives us the name "Yang Jian"

On the transformation of Erlang's image (and his relationship with JE in JTTW)

Erlang's mom, Lotus Lantern, and a neat little discovery

Erlang cameos in other stories and Zajus

Erlang's mom-saving story in Chinese operas

Child Manjushri, or: the absurdity of pinning a definitive age on gods

The strange modern ship of Mengpo/Yuelao, and Mengpo's myths

The half-beast form of QMoW

Does Erlang have a wife/love interest?

Nezha's mom

A overview of Gonggong and his mythos

Some introductory sources on the Chinese Underworld

A side-by-side comparison of Nezha's backstory in JTTW and FSYY

Mythos-inspired Worldbuilding:

Dragons of the Four Seas

LMK S5 and a possible "Celestial Council of Regents" AU

LMK S5 Fix-it: the Four Divine Beasts

Character/Story Analysis (JTTW + LMK)

Heart and Mind: Tripitaka

Local Lion Uncle enjoyer goes on a rant

On SWK and his fear of death

Why the Dead People Supreme Court?

No, seriously, why?

Chinese Underworld =/= Christian Hell

LMK S4, Havoc in Heaven, and revolutions

Why I dislike the "class warfare" reading of Havoc in Heaven

In Defence of Li Jing...ha, as fucking if

On Yin-Yang, Chaos/Order, and the Harbringer

JTTW's view on the Three Religions

Disjointed S5 Reactions

"Chaos doesn't work that way in traditional Chinese Cosmology"

Xiangliu, the Nine-headed Bird, and Jiutou Chong

Lotus Lantern: The Summaries

Part 1: Precious Scroll of Chenxiang

Part 2: The Epic of Prince Chenxiang

Part 3: Lotus Lantern 1.0 + 2.0

Part 4: Chenxiang and the Male-Female Swords

My Fanfics:

Climbing the Sky

The Wild Son

Bodhicitta

The Serpent and the Deluge

South Seas Sojourn

Journey of the Gods AU sideblog

[mxtxdiaspora-may]

MXTX Diaspora May is back for 2024!

MXTX Diaspora May is an event in which Chinese diaspora creators come together to share the diverse aspects of Chinese culture, as well as connect with each other over lived experiences.

Through the promotion and creation of these fanworks, we hope to encourage thoughtful self-reflection throughout the broader fandom, especially with regard to embracing cultural humility and dismantling structures and behaviors that allow racism to flourish, both in fandom and in real life.

Support of MXTX Diaspora May will go a long way towards creating a more inclusive and open climate in our shared online spaces, especially for creators who rarely get their voices heard in the English-speaking side of fandom. We aim to uplift the unique voices and stories of our participants, and we encourage anyone who enjoys works from this event to share in the celebration of Chinese culture from Chinese creators.

Any creator with Chinese heritage may participate in MXTX Diaspora May. Event rules and work requirements may be found at the link below.

Please note one major change from last year: all works must be complete at the time of posting. We will not accept works-in-progress into our collection.

Event Rules & FAQ

Our prompts this year are based on 四象, the Four Symbols, also known as the Four Guardians, Four Gods, or Four Auspicious Beasts. You can find an overview of the Four Symbols on wiki.

Sub-prompts for the event will be posted soon.

Are you a creator of Chinese heritage who's ready to sign up for this event? Please fill out the sign-up form below!

You will receive a discord link to the event server after you complete the form. Please make sure to join the discord server to connect with fellow event participants and receive event announcements and updates.

Sign-ups will run from March 17, 2024 to April 9, 2024.

Sign-Up Form

Signal Boost!

Reblogs and signal boosts for this event are welcome from both participants and non-participants. Please feel free to boost on bluesky and twitter as well.

Feel free to check out our collections from previous years. Comments and kudos are always appreciated by creators!

2021 (MDZS only)

2022

2023

We look forward to sharing and celebrating everyone's works from the 2024 event!

[la-muerta]

[莲花楼 Meta] Di Feisheng and the Three Kings

While looking through the cast list and end credits, I noticed that there had been actors cast as 炎帝白王 Yandi Bai Wang and 四象青尊 Sixiang Qingzun even though we don't get to see them in the final cut. Reading the original script, they appear in a deleted scene (unsure if it was actually filmed) in Episode 05, as a flashback during this scene with the robe in Jiao Liqiao's rooms.

It's explained in the script as Di Feisheng's old Alliance leader ceremonial robe, but in the final cut of the show, it seems to be implied as wedding robes Jiao Liqiao prepared for Di Feisheng.

Scene in original script:

FLASHBACK: Ten years ago, at the headquarters of the Jinyuan Alliance. DI FEISHENG is wearing that luxurious robe, sitting around drinking with the THREE KINGS. The TWELVE PHOENIXES are standing guard at one side. YANDI BAI WANG looks over at the TWELVE PHOENIXES and laughs.

YANDI BAI WANG: Each of our twelve beautiful protectors has her own charms, but we have never seen our Zunshang show any interest in any of them. Could it be… that Zunshang already has someone in his heart? 

SIXIANG QINGZUN (shaking his head): Romantic entanglements and ruling the world are not of interest to him. Our Zunshang is only obsessed with martial arts, and all he wants is to be number one in the martial world.

DI FEISHENG (raising his cup proudly): To have a worthy opponent to discuss martial practice and duel for life and death for a hundred battles without getting weary of it, that is the only life I wish for!

YANDI BAI WANG (realisation dawning): If so, the lady you marry must be the most trustworthy, so that she can handle the affairs of the Alliance wisely while Zunshang concentrates on his pursuit of martial arts.

DI FEISHENG (laughing in surprise): That would be ideal!

YANDI BAI WANG (laughingly): I wonder which lady will have the honour!

The TWELVE PHOENIXES continue to stand guard but cannot hide their reaction to the teasing. The THREE KINGS raise their cups and laugh, and from where she is hiding in a distance, JIAO LIQIAO shoots a venomous look at the other women.

END FLASHBACK.

--

This scene is a parallel to Li Xiangyi's 18th birthday celebration, where the Sigu Sect members were urging Li Xiangyi to formalise his engagement to Qiao Wanmian. (Di Feisheng would have been around the same age as well.)

--

Also an interesting point about the titles that Three Kings picked for themselves. Assuming that they were around the same age as Di Feisheng (perhaps with Sixiang Qingzun being the oldest since he was already married and might have been around the age of the other three Nanyin descendants), then their titles might seem rather overblown for a bunch of teenagers/young men in their early 20s lol.

There's however a connection between their titles and the Four Auspicious Beasts (四象) in Chinese mythology; in fact, it's even in one of their titles! (Yes, I know it's translated by iqiyi as Four-faced but I disagree with that translation and I'll get to that.)

1. 四象青尊 Sixiang Qingzun As mentioned, 四象 or Four Aspects/Images is another name for the Four Auspicious Beasts, and "青尊" (Azure Lord) is another name for the Azure Dragon 青龙 of the East. So his title actually translates more accurately to "Lord Azure Dragon of the Four Aspects". I'm pretty sure I'm right because his wife, 两仪仙子 Liangyi Xianzi, has a related name. In 《易经 I Ching》, there is a phrase "两仪生四象" (the two modes – yin and yang – results in the formation of the Four Aspects). And it just happens that she practices a skill that allows her to change her gender!

2. 炎帝白王 Yandi Bai Wang "炎帝 Yandi" is an honorific for the leader or king of a civilisation that dates back to the Neolithic age. Another civilisation from a similar era used "黄帝 huang di" (yellow emperor), and that's why Chinese also call ourselves 炎黄子孙, because we can trace our ancestry back to these two civilisations. So his title translates more accurately to "The Flame Emperor, the White King/Prince". One of the Four Auspicious Beasts is the White Tiger of the West, so it is possible that his title refers to that.

3. 阎王寻命 Yan Wang Xunming "阎王 Yan Wang" is a transcription of the Sanskrit name Yama Raja or King Yama, who is the Chinese god of death and ruler of the Ten Courts of the Underworld. 寻命 is a little more tricky to translate but I think in this context it means to find your fate/destiny and face the inevitable outcome. So his title translates to "King Yama Seeking Fate". Assuming he also represents one of the Four Auspicious Beasts, then he is likely to be the 玄武 Xuanwu of the North (literally "dark/mysterious warrior", usually depicted as a black tortoise intertwined with a snake).

But it's supposed to be four beasts, so who's the fourth? The obvious candidate seems to be Di Feisheng as 朱雀 Vermillion Bird of the South — his official Alliance leader robes are red. Perhaps the Three Kings asked him to pick a fancy title to match theirs, but Mr "Dao is a Dao" refused to participate XD Maybe it's Wuyan, who does have some red in his clothes, which would then make Di Feisheng 黄龙 Yellow Dragon or the symbol of the emperor, which doesn't really match imo.

(As an interesting aside, the original novel 吉祥纹莲花楼 Auspicious Pattern Lotus House is published as four volumes corresponding with the Four Auspicious Beasts.)

[kusanagihaku]

i will turn into clouds sanguine 

⭢ lyca and mc, 1.2k

q is for qilin. ˖⁺‧₊⟡ alphabet series | ao3

The front door of Obscuary creaks open under your touch. 

Rui must have left it unlocked for you after you texted him earlier today about leaving paperwork for some new missions – you step inside and let the heavy door groan closed behind you. You make a left turn into where you told Rui you’d leave the files…

…only to come face to face with Lyca and a huge, huge canvas. 

You blink. Woah. 

It lays flat on the Obscuary dining table, long and white and half-covered in fine, black pen strokes. If you had to guess, it’d be Lyca’s height when propped upright, with a width double that. 

“You’re here,” Lyca says. He flicks a glance at your shoes. “Did you get lost?” 

You flush. You did make a wrong turn or two in the forest but… you made it, didn’t you? “Um. No.”  

Lyca sniffs, frowning. “You smell like the soil from Rui’s garden. That’s not on the way in.” 

“…maybe?” You can’t help the sheepish grin that breaks onto your face, and are rewarded with Lyca’s triumphant snort. “Anyway, what’s this?” 

Lyca glances back down at the corner of the canvas he’s bent over. “Rui asked me to draw something we could hang in the bar. He promised he would buy me paints if I did it, so I did.” 

You walk closer to the canvas to get a better look. The fine lines coalesce into four large shapes under the dim dining room light, vaguely reminiscent of mythical creatures you might have read about once upon a time. “What are these?” 

Lyca points to his left. There is a small book propped open beside the pen he has just set down – comparing the yellowed page to his canvas, you realise he must have been using it as a reference for most of the details. “The idiot grandpa gave me this book and told me to do this. It was the only thing he suggested that Rui agreed to.” 

You wince; you don’t want to imagine what else Ed suggested to Rui. You turn your attention back to the tangle of black strokes on the white surface. 

Nearest to you is a completed tortoise, mouth open and claws pointed and sharp. It is seated atop a stone, and is angled to face a phoenix floating down from the top left. The phoenix, despite being only rendered in swift, short lines, is striking – its wings are outstretched and its glare fierce. Hidden under the furrow of its eyes is a desperate sort of determination you had no idea could be captured in pen. 

In the top right corner, snaking down from a hastily sketched set of clouds is a majestic beast, teeth bared and horns like fire. Scales slick off its back in flames, and its claws extend towards the foreground. It is lit in part by the warmth of the overhead light, but in part by the soft moonlight streaming in through a nearby window; the silver of moonlight makes the creature almost glow. 

You let out a low whistle, impressed. “Is that a dragon?” 

Lyca nods. “They’re supposed to be the four is- es- suspicious beasts.” 

You pause for a moment. “…auspicious?” 

Lyca scrunches his nose. “Yeah. Anyway, Ed says Rui is supposed to be the dragon.” 

You wrack your brain for mentions of the Four Auspicious Beasts – you know you studied something similar for a class two or three months back. “Isn’t it supposed to symbolise power or strength, or something like that?” 

“Yeah.” Lyca scratches the back of his neck. “Rui has the most power out of all of us. Given his curse and all.” 

You half-smile. Once upon a time you’d have said Ed was the strongest in Obscuary – knowing him now and thinking about the dynamics of the house, it makes more sense that their harried and lively vice-captain would be their dragon. 

“What about the tortoise?” 

Lyca frowns, as if it is obvious. He picks up his pen. “It’s that moth-eaten Casanova, of course. Slow and can’t do anything but make gross jokes.” 

Well. You can’t refute that.

“Also, he said it was supposed to represent longevity and stability,” Lyca adds, adding a few pen strokes, “and he’s supposed to live forever, so.” 

You look carefully at what Lyca is sketching. It is half-complete, details on its face yet to be finished. “Is that you?” 

He nods. “Rui said this was a…” he squints back at the tiny reference book, “a Qilin.” 

Makes sense. From what you remember, the qilin symbolised righteousness and integrity, both qualities Lyca possesses in bounds. 

You hum, watching his hands work. “Did you know that qilin are said to be so gentle and respectful of life they don’t step on blades of grass?” 

Lyca looks up at you, briefly. “I step on grass.”

It pulls a laugh out of you. “Yeah, well, but you’re still one of the most respectful ghouls I know.” 

You feel Lyca straighten a little at that, almost like he’s holding back a beam. He lets out a small huff. “Well. That’s what Suba told me to do.” 

If his tail was out it’d be wagging. You bite back a smile. “That’s good!” 

A silence lapses over the both of you for a few minutes as you watch his pen glide across the canvas. Your eyes wander back, again, to the eyes of the phoenix. 

Come to think of it, aren’t there only three occupants in Obscuary? You know that the set needs all four to be complete, but if Rui was the dragon, Ed the tortoise and Lyca the qilin, who was the phoenix? 

“Lyca, who’s that supposed to be then? Since there are only three of you.” 

Lyca slides a glance at you, brows furrowed as if he cannot fathom why you would be asking. “Isn’t it obvious? That’s you.” 

You blink. 

He taps the back of his pen on the reference book. The little taps are heavy on the lump growing in your throat. “The old man said phoenixes mean rebirth. After you’re cured, you’re gonna have your second life, right?”

His tone is so matter-of-fact, as if he has never had a doubt that you’d be cured, that whatever response you might have had swells in your lungs and stays there. 

The weight of his conviction sinks into the surface of your mind. You know the Mortkranken ghouls have been working overtime for you, you know the Hotarubi ghouls have been poring over dusty old tomes for more information, you know the rest of the ghouls have been working on your curse in their own ways and yet… 

And yet some part of you has never dared to hope for the success of a cure. 

You swallow. 

But here they are, holding a torch you have never dared to light – you will break your curse before the year is up. You will be cured. You will get to return to normal, life irrevocably changed by your time at Darkwick and bound to the ghouls that you’ve helped and been helped by, for better or for worse. You will get to live. 

Your nose burns. 

Lyca looks at you curiously. 

“Nothing,” you say, quickly. You cough to cover up the thick in your voice. “The fact that you’d accept me into Obscuary… that’s really nice to hear.” 

Lyca snorts. “Of course you’ll be with us. Where else would you be?” 

You grin. It comes out watery, probably, but you don’t care. “There’s nowhere else I’d rather be.”

[digitalagepulao]

Prodigal son terror

Li Jing in a fury grabbed his halberd, leapt on his horse and galloped out of the headquarters. He was astonished to see Nezha with his Wind-Fire Wheels and Fire-Tipped Spear. He swore loudly, "You damned beast! You caused us endless suffering before your death, and now that you've been reborn, you're troubling us again!"

"Li Jing! I've returned my flesh and bones to you, and there's no longer any relation between us. Why did you smash my golden idol with your whip and burn down my temple? Today I must take my revenge!"

since I'm on a Nezha streak, might as well do my design for him on the Expedition AU! given that i've chosen to give characters a closer likeness to their region, it's only fitting i do the same with import deities like Guanyin, Subodhi and Nezha.

he's a complicated figure to place in the timeline because he gained popularity as a deity much after, only really arriving in China by the time the Journey would have been set. FSYY was written closer to when JTTW was written down, and he was retroactively inserted on the Zhou Dynasty period.

so deciding what to even do with him is dicey. but then i said fuck it, mythological rules apply here, he was around for the events of FSYY, and it and JTTW are set in the same universe. and for the sake of having some fun, i decided to get funky with his concept.

Nezha had the likeness of his family when he was alive, as described in FSYY, but once he was reborn with a lotus body he gained Indian traits instead. this is to be a nod to his status as an import deity and his origin as Nalakubara, and as the centuries roll by he may present himself to mortals closer to the locals' appearance wise.

as for his looks, i drew inspiration from multiple sources. read more for my rambles <3

his armor is closer to reconstructions of Zhou dynasty-period armor, skipping over extra parts simply because his lotus body is so indestructible, there's no need for a full set;

there are two red Chinese knots with jade beads dangling from the armor ties. they are said to ward off evil spirits, which felt like a good fit for a guy known to banish demons. i picked a six-petal flower pattern, which represents reunion, unity and a bright future;

i included lotus petals and leaves on his outfit as they are common in Beijing Opera outfits for him, and his makeup is a call to it as well;

The pink from the cheeks and eyeshadow seeps into his ear shell, as to convey the way sometimes, you get so angry even your ears blush;

Another thing i referenced from Opera is the two red ribbons on his sidelocks, though I changed them to two bulbs of lotus roots;

Four petals drawn close to his urna as both to make it look like a lotus but also form five petals, which is an auspicious number;

His hair crown is a fancy princely [knot] with a lotus motif and a pearl in the center, as he was the Pearl Spirit before becoming Nezha;

I was going to go with elf-like ears but I thought I could do better, so I went for stretched earlobes instead. you can't see it that well but hopefully the very large golden earrings imply it well enough xvx;

His cheek dimples are common sight on religious images of him and it was a cute touch imo;

Younger Nezha wears a golden robe because of his title as General of the Central Altar in Daoist belief, and the center direction is connected to yellow or gold, and yellow robes are usually meant for emperors and their sons, which is a minor nod to his self-assureness and boldness;

The Cosmic Ring has spiralling grooves on it both to catch blades on it for defense but also as a callback to Opera props;

On his waist is the embroidered ball weapon he was attributed with in earlier myths, he was also meant to have the leopard skin bag Taiyi Zhenren gave him, bjt it was going to be obscured by the text so i omitted it;

A few depictions of him gave him a halo of fire, which was real cool so i added it as well.

[tranquilskies2]

KFP Characters as the five celestial guardians Intro

(NOTE: Designs shown are NOT final)

If you're a longtime Kung fu Panda fan, you may know about the existence of Paws of Destiny. It's a Netflix animated show that only lasted for one season. To summarize the show, it centers on Po being a mentor to four panda cubs who gained chi of the four celestial guardians.

For those unfamiliar with the four heavenly beasts (Also known as "Four Gods", "Four Guardians" "Four Heavenly Creatures" & "Four Auspicious Beasts), the five celestial guardians are five mythical animals who serve as guardians & protectors of the world and four directions. These five creatures also represent constellations, seasons & elements. For thousands of years, they remained an integral piece to Chinese culture & mythology.

A few months ago I came across a blog post (unfortunately, I can't find the blog post). This blog post proposes a theory that Po & the four movie villains we have so far represent the five heavenly beasts. Although OP did not invent the theory (nor could I find out who originally invented the theory), I still remained intrigued by it.

The four heavenly beasts consists of: Azure Dragon of the East, Black Tortoise (sometimes known as Black Warrior) of the North, Vermilion Bird of the South & finally, White Tiger of the West. You may be wondering:Five heavenly beasts? Weren't there four? Believe it or not, there is indeed a fifth (and often forgotten but yet most important) heavenly beast. The fifth heavenly beast is the Yellow Dragon of the Center.

According to (insert username of person who made the og post here), the representatives of the five celestial guardians is as followed:

Po- Yellow Dragon of the Center

Chameleon- Azure Dragon of the East

Kai: Black Tortoise of the North

Lord Shen: Vermilion Bird of the South

Tai Lung: White Tiger of the West

In the next following weeks, I'll be posting fan-made designs of each along with text explaining why I have them assigned to those roles.

Chameleon as the Azure Dragon of the East>>

Sources:

https://www.localiiz.com/post/culture-local-stories-chinese-mythology-101-four-symbols

https://www.ancient-origins.net/myths-legends-asia/four-mythological-symbols-china-001792

https://www.onmarkproductions.com/html/ssu-ling.shtml

https://www.bigstrawmagazine.com/home/four-symbols-of-eastern-mythology

https://www.cits.net/china-travel-guide/four-mythological-creatures-in-china.html

[quitealotofsodapop]

Sounds like we are going to get more lore about Wukong and MK's origins with those stone comments and the stuff about the Pillars. Maybe the Staff will be put back?

Seeing how it seems to be The Flood + Nüwa Patching the Sky part deux; its likely that the Staff might need to be used in some way non-violent. Like say, acting as an impromtu pillar and/or measuring the flood waters.

The two beings we see just for a second in the trailer (a blue dragon + a white tiger) are references to the Major Star Gods in chinese mythos - the Four Auspicious Beasts. Its possible that each Heavenly Stone comes from them - likely an extension of their powers over the universe. Of them are Azure Dragon of the East, White Tiger of the West, Vermillion Bird of the South (who I believe we also see for a glance), and Black Tortoise of the North.

The only one that may be missing is the representive of the Centre, the Golden/Yellow Dragon or Qilin. The entity that embodies Earth and is the boss of Houtu.

And unfortunatly we do know a certain yellow-themed lad made of earth...

My theory is that MK *is* the fifth stone/Qilin.

A Qilin you see; "is said to appear with the imminent arrival or passing of a sage or illustrious ruler."

Like say... the death of the ruler of the Universe.

Male Qilin's also have names beginning with "Qi" - example; Qi Xiaotian.

In short: MK was likely created to be universal flex tape. But something changed him - like say a certain creation goddess who thought that the universe needed a little positive chaos in the form of a monkey.

[legendary-cookies]

!!! Slight Stormbringer Story Spoilers !!!

Okay so the update like just came out and I haven't finished the story yet but I need to talk about something lmao

There aren't any plot spoilers, but I do show the other 3 Legends'(?) designs

Although they're also shown in a loading screen, but I'll put it under a cut to be safe lol

I didn't get a screenshot of it but ??? is Cloud Deity Cookie

I could be wrong because I don't know a huge amount about other Asian cultures, but I'm pretty sure these four are based on the Auspicious Beasts from Chinese culture

I don't know the full legend, but they're four celestial beasts that represent different elements, directions, and seasons

The four beasts are the White Tiger (metal), Black Tortoise (water), Azure Dragon (wood), and Vermillion Bird (fire)

Now, obviously the colors and elements don't align but design wise I think the beasts do

Stormbringer has buns on her head that look similar to ears that could be tiger ears and she also has stripes all over her and a little tooth

Cloud Deity has pauldrons that kind of look like tortoise shells and they have that cloud bag that's reminiscent of a shell on the back, although that one's a bit of a stretch

Wind Deity obviously has very bird-like aspects like wings for arms/wing looking sleeves, a feather in her hair and a feathered fan

Rain Deity is significantly less obvious and arguably doesn't have any dragon-like features, but their hair and/or dress could be reminiscent of an Eastern dragon and their color palette is blue which aligns with the Azure Dragon

This theory doesn't add anything to anything and is purely just me analyzing their designs lmao

[melanie-the-artful]

Genshin Character Names' Meanings Pt.2

Well, since we've got an announcement of our crane mom Cloud Retainer (or it's Xianyun now, I guess) and Gaming (no, not gaming Gaming, but like Ga Ming Gaming, you see), I thought it would be a great reason to sit down and make a compilation of all Liyue characters' names. Once again, I'll be glad if you tell me whether there are some mistakes, and have fun!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Xiangling | From Chinese 香 (xiāng) meaning «Fragrant» and 菱 (líng) meaning «Water Caltrop» - Chinese Name

Xingqiu | From Chinese 行 (xíng) meaning «Carry Out», «Execute» or «Travel» and 秋 (qiū) meaning «Autumn» - Chinese Name 

Chongyun | From Chinese 重 (chóng) meaning «Layer» and 雲, 云 (yún) meaning «Cloud» - Chinese Name 

Hu Tao | Hu (胡, her surname) can mean «Doing things out of order or recklessly»; it's also present in «Butterfly» (蝴) and Tao (桃) is «Peach Tree» in Chinese, associated with longevity, immortality, and a sacred object - Chinese Surname and Name

Qiqi | From 七 (qī) meaning «Seven» - Chinese Name 

Baizhu | From Chinese 白 (bái) meaning «White», «Pure» and 朮, 术 (zhú) meaning «Glutinous Millet» - Chinese Name 

Yaoyao | From 瑶 (yáo) meaning «Jade», «Precious Stone» or «Beautiful» - Chinese Name

Yanfei | From Chinese 烟 (yàn) meaning «Smoke», «Vapor» and 绯 (fēi) which is for «Crimson», «Scarlet» - Chinese Name 

Yelan | Literally «Night Orchid» in Chinese

Beidou | Named after the Big Dipper asterism, which is known in Chinese as ��斗 (Běidǒu). The name literally means «Northern Dipper». Interesting how it is also referred to as 北斗七星 (Běidǒu Qīxīng), lit. "Seven Stars of the Big Dipper" in Chinese. The North Star, Polaris, is located within this asterism and is used by sailors to navigate at sea. Yes, the name of the organization Qixing also consists of the same hieroglyphs, and the titles of the members of the Qixing are the same as the Chinese names for the stars in the Big Dipper

Xinyan | From 辛 (xīn) which is «Spicy» and 焱 (yàn) meaning «Fire», «Flame» - Chinese Name 

Yun Jin | Yun (云) means «Cloud», and Jin (堇) means «Violet (plant)» - Chinese Surname and Name

Gaming | From 嘉 (jiā) «Praise», «Joyful» or «Auspicious» and 明 (míng) meaning «Bright», «Clear-sighted» or «Honest» - Chinese Name

Xiao | 魈 (Xiāo), which derived from a chinese legend "魑魅魍魉” in which there is a group of demons. although its mainly four demons

Alatus | Literally «Winged» in Latin

Shenhe | Most likely from 申 (shēn) meaning «State» and 鹤 (hè) meaning «Crane» - Chinese Name 

Xianyun | 闲云 (xián yún), comes from a four word idiom 闲云野鹤 - «Drifting clouds and wild crane» It means people who are footloose and fancy-free

Ganyu | From Chinese 甘 (gān) meaning «Sweet» and 雨 (yǔ) meaning «Rain» - Chinese Name 

Keqing | From 刻 (kè) «To Carve» and «Clear/Sunny» (qíng) - Chinese Name

Ningguang | Literally «Frozen Light» or «Concentrated Light» in Chinese

Zhongli | 钟 (zhōng) translates to clock and 離, 离 (lí) - «To leave», yet together they form 送钟 (sòng zhōng /song jong), which sounds exactly like the Chinese words for «Attending a funeral ritual» (送终 -sòng zhōng) and thus it is bad luck to gift clocks or watches - Chinese Name (and an interesting game of words)

Morax | Comes from Duke and Governor Morax, the 21st of Goetia Demons 

Ping | 萍 (píng), means «Tender», «Natural» and «Friendly» - Chinese Name

Guizhong | From Chinese 歸, 归 (guī) meaning «To return» and 終, 终 (zhōng) meaning «To end» - Chinese Name 

Osial | May be a portmanteau of Ose, the 57th of Goetia Demons

Beisht | Is likely derived from the Beisht Kione Dhoo (Manx: "Beast With the Black Head"), a creature from Isle of Man folklore, where "Beisht" means «Beast» or «Worm» in Manx.

Marchosias | Comes from Marquis Marchosias, the 35th of Goetia Demons

Havria | Could possibly be a form of Havres, another name of the 64th of Goetia Demons, Duke Flauros.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Phew, that was probably the hardest one. There is still Inazuma up ahead, yet I at least have some knowledge in Japanese, while with Chinese names I had to look up every single one (I mean, I will double-check Inazuman names of course, it's just that I'm more sure about the meanings of some of them).

'Till next time!

[jedineedlove]

The Four Symbols

"According to the archaeological evidence, the concept of the Four Symbols may have existed as early as China’s Neolithic period (some 6,000 years ago). This is based on some clam shells and bones forming the images of the Azure Dragon and the White Tiger that were found in a tomb in Henan." "I Ching (易經), a Chinese divination text also known as the Book of Changes, traces the roots of the Four Symbols back to the beginnings of the world. It alleges that they were bred from the famous ring of yin-yang (陰陽), which instils order upon the chaotic spirit of Taiji (太極)."

Four Guardians, Four Gods, Four Auspicious Beast

Each corresponds to a quadrant in the sky, with each quadrant containing seven seishuku, or star constellations (also called the 28 lunar mansions or lodges; for charts, see this outside site). Each of the four groups of seven is associated with one of the four celestial creatures. There was a fifth direction -- the center, representing China itself -- which carried its own seishuku.

The four Symbols hold significant symbolic meaning in cosmology and culture. They represent harmony and balance od the universe. The represent the harmony and balance of the universe. Each symbol governing a specific direct , season and set of elements. The symbols are associated with the five elements theory, which is crucial in traditional medicine , Feng Shui, and astrology. The also represent the cyclical nature of time, as they are closely tied to the Chines zodiac and the twelve Earthy branches.

The Four symbols paly a significant role in Shines astrology particularly in the Chinese zodiac, each symbol is associated with the specific year within the 12-year zodiac cycle, along with the five elements (wood, fire, earth, metal, and water) The combination of the symbol and the element determines the characteristics and destiny of individuals born in the particular year. The four symbol also influence their astrological systems, such as the Eight Characters (BaZi) and the Four Pillars of Destiny.

I thought I compare the LMK versions of them to the real mythology.

Vermilion Bird: Symbol of the South

Vermilion Bird aka Phoenix or Zhuniao, is the symbol of the southern direction. It is associated with the season of summer and represents the element of fire. It is the symbol of rebirth, immortality, and prosperity. It is also often associated with love, beauty, and passion.

Color- Red

Time of Day - Midady

Appearance: said to have chicken’s head, swallow’s chin, snake’s neck, fish’s tail, and five-color feather. ;or A mythical bird with colorful plumage and radiant feathers.

Its seven mansions are the Well, Ghosts, Willow, Star, Extended Net, Wings and Chario

Black Tortoise: The Symbol of the North

The Black Tortoise aka Black Warrior, Xuanwu is the symbol of the northern direction. Associated with the season of winter and element of water. Believed to bring protection and longevity. It is also associated with knowledge and wisdom and the control of water.

Color- Black

Time of Day- Midnight

Appearance: A giant tortoise with a snake wrapped around its back

 Its seven mansions are the Dipper, Ox, Girl, Emptiness, Rooftop, Encampment and Wall.

Azure Dragon: Symbol of the East

Azure Dragon aka Blue Dragon or Qinglong, representing the easter direction. The ruler of the sky and is associated with the season of spring, the element of wood and is believed to being harmony and good fortune to those who embrace its energy.

Color: Blue- green

Time of Day - Dawn

Looks – serpent like body, deer-like antlers, fish-like scales and eagle-like claws.

The Azure Dragon as it is said that when the seven mansions in that area (Horn, Neck, Root, Room, Heart, Tail, and Winnowing Basket) are joined up, they form the shape of a dragon

White Tiger: The Symbol of the West

White tiger aka Baihu, is the guardian of the western direction. Associated with the season of autumn and the element of metal. Believed to represent strength, courage, and protection. Its is also associated with the celestial guardian of the west a powerful deity known as Xuanwu

Color- White

Time of Day- Dusk

Appearance: a creature with a tiger's body and lions' mane.

the White Tiger, and its seven mansions are the Legs, Bond, Stomach, Hairy Head, Net, Turtle Beak and Three Stars.

it was held to be the God of War. In this capacity, the White Tiger was seen as a protector and defender, not just from mortal enemies, but also from evil spirits.

A symbol of force and army, and so many things entitled White Tiger in ancient China are related to military affairs. For instance, the white tiger banner in the ancient army and the white tiger image on the Commander’s Tally. In the Han Dynasty, the White Tiger was usually carved on the stone relief of a tomb door, or on the lintel of a tomb passage with the Azure Dragon, to ward off evil spirits.

This puts a lot together and I'm impressed with the details that the show animators and designers put into their character designs.

Also..

Yellow Dragon: Symbol of Central

Yellow Dragon aka Qilin the symbol if the Central direction, and is associated with the season Midsummer and the element earth.

Color: Yellow

--

Comparing them they share the colors with the stones and the yellow dragon (central) seems to correspond with the jade emperor's yellow stone. Once again love the show details.

Nearly forgot about this and left it in the drafts wanted to post this then completely forget them.

[11ofcrows]

Four Auspicious Beasts wood burning I did for class