The Black Tortoise

The Black Tortoise Xuanwu of the Four Divine Beasts  

The four great mythical beasts in ancient China are the green dragon, the white tiger, the vermillion bird, and the tortoise. In ancient times, the four beasts were also called the four images and the four spirits, and they belonged to the worship of the ancient stars.  

In ancient Chinese astronomy, the many stars of the Zhoutian were divided into twenty-eight constellations, formed by connecting the seven main constellations in each part, and named after their shapes. The seven constellations in the north, Dou, Niu, Nu, Xu, Wei, Shi and Bi, are shaped like tortoises and snakes fighting, so the North Palace is called Xuanwu. 

Image 

Xuanwu, also known as turtle snake, has scales and black color. 

Symbolic meaning 

Xuanwu is a combination of turtles and snakes. It is the god of water, living in the North Sea, and the turtle has a long life. Xuanwu has become a symbol of immortality and the god of the north. 

In addition to being known as the northern water god, Xuanwu also symbolizes the god of reproduction and the god of life. Because the snake itself is a symbol of reproduction, Xuanwu appears in the shape of a combination of turtles and snakes, which was regarded by the ancients as a symbol of male and female mating reproduction. The turtle was a symbol of longevity and immortality in ancient times, so Xuanwu was also known as the god of life. 

Xuanwu is different from the other three spirits in that, in addition to being one of the four divine beasts, Xuanwu is also a god worshipped by Taoism. The meaning of Xuanwu in Feng Shui is to gather wealth, attract wealth, and live a long life without disasters.