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lu-zijing · 9 days

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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..!

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quitealotofsodapop · 26 days

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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.

#lmk #lego monkie kid #lmk s5 theories #qi xiaotian #lmk mk

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chaobunnyarts · 1 year

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Creatures from Chinese mythology - Four Symbols addition (Black Tortoise, Azure Dragon, White Tiger, Vermillion Bird, Yellow Dragon) (2/3)

Black Tortoise: The Black tortoise of the North is connected to water and winter. It is associated with longevity and wisdom and is often depicted with a snake coiled around it, or as a tortoise-snake chimera.

Azure Dragon: The Azure Dragon guards the East. While most Chinese dragons are associated with water, the Azure Dragon is tied to the element of wood and the spring season.

White Tiger: The White Tiger of the West is associated with the element of metal and the autumn season. It fights against threats from both the mortal and spirit world.

Vermilion Bird: The Vermilion Bird of the South is associated with the element of fire and summer. It is a symbol of good luck and is often equated with the phoenix.

Yellow Dragon: The Yellow Dragon of the Center is the fifth member of the Four Symbols. It is associated with the element of earth and the changing of seasons.

#mythology #folklore #chinese mythology #azure dragon #dragon #yellow dragon #black tortoise #white tiger #vermilion bird

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deliveryboysomewhatequaltoheaven · 25 days

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so i think these are the Azure Dragon of the East, White Tiger of the West, and Vermillion Bird of the South, three of the Four Symbols, the guardians of the cardinal directions in the 28 Mansions, from the Chinese constellation system. I wonder where the fourth, the Black Tortoise of the North, is.

Kui Mulang from Season 4 was one of the Mansions, the Wood Wolf of Legs, under the White Tiger.

And I suppose it makes sense that the star gods are being harmed by the heavens tearing apart... that is not good...

#lego monkie kid #lmk #monkie kid #lmk season 5

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ninjago-x-lmk · 10 months

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I’m gonna put this theory over here, and it’s a theory that’s been long long long long, pretty much VERY old and probably not everyone is still on board with this theory anymore…

It’s how Morro might have a reason he wasn’t the Green Ninja.

Or at least, the many many many many MANY facts/speculations that could have a reason why he wasn’t chosen…without further ado, here it is…

1.) He’s the Master of Wind.

-Wu has told us that the First Spinjitsu Master had control over Four Elements but two, Water and Wind

-This fact wasn’t told through vague statements that Wu would make, rather Wu told what was being told in the scroll, with the Wind Amulet being on the Island.

-Because Morro already had an Element, and it WASNT and element the First Spinjitsu Master wielded, Morro wasn’t chosen because the 4 Weapons weren’t familiar with the Element Morro had.

-Wu only thought that Morro would be the Green Ninia, because he wielded a power he ‘Never had seen before’ meaning that he’s either never encountered other Elemental Masters prior. (Which sounds impossible considering he was old enough to see a past when pyramids were around) or He’s never seen a Master of Wind before. Solidifying the fact that FSM never wielded those two powers.

-It also clears up the reason Chen doesn’t need Water nor Wind in the spells, though there were specific elements he needed and he just added more, most of them seem to derive from Elements that came from the Original Four.

2.) This Guardian Theory.

-Second Reason is that the Original 4 Ninjas weren’t born yet.

-There’s a legend in Japan, China and Korea that speaks of 4 guardians.

-The Azure Dragon of the East, The Vermillion Bird of the South, The White Tiger of the West and the Black Tortoise of the North.

(I might be leaning a bit, don’t take this too seriously, since the colors might be coincidental)

-These 4 represent, the Four Seasons, Cardinal Directions and even ensure the harmony of Yin and Yang.

-The Four Ninja might be at least representative of this, acting out as guardians and protectors of Ninjago as well as its balance…

-They also have another task entirely.

-The Four Ninjas tasked is to not only be lead by the Green Ninja but also protect them. Something that Kai said way back in Season 2, which is how he unlocked his True Potential.

-Since Morro was born in the age before the Ninjas were born he couldn’t have had been the Green Ninja because the Green Ninja needs its Four Guardians.

3.) To be the Green Ninja, you need to wield FSM’s powers.

-A common theory and speculation with Lloyd is that he has his grandfather’s powers unlike Garmadon and Wu who both control one side of the Balance.

-Meanwhile FSM has been told to control both.

-And that’s something Lloyd can control, as his energy can create shields, and blasts that can harm the enemy.

-And once more, prior to giving the ninja their powers, Lloyd could wield all Four Elements.

-Which might be the true reason why the Ninja didn’t get their powers from the beginning and why the Golden Weapons reacted with Lloyd.

-Since Morro didn’t have all 4 powers, he couldn’t be the Green Ninja.

#ninjago #ninjago au #ninjago lloyd #ninjago kai #ninjago wu #ninjago morro #ninjago fsm #ninjago garmadon

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mxtxdiaspora-may · 2 months

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MXTX Diaspora May 2024: 1 week left to sign up!

There's one week left to sign up for MXTX Diaspora May 2024!

Sign-ups are open until April 9, 2024. Any creator with Chinese heritage may participate.

Event Rules & FAQ

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.

2024 prompts and links to past collections can be found below the cut. We look forward to celebrating and sharing the works for 2024!

MXTX Diaspora May 2024 Prompts, week-by-week

Week 1 (May 01 - May 05): free week

Week 2 (May 06 - May 12): azure dragon / 青龙 Sub-prompts: east, springtime, dawn, wood, blue-green

Week 3 (May 13 - May 19): vermillion bird / 朱雀 Sub-prompts: south, summer, midday, fire, red

Week 4 (May 20 - May 26): white tiger / 白虎 Sub-prompts: west, autumn, dusk, metal, white

Week 5 (May 27 - May 31): black tortoise / 玄武 Sub-prompts: north, winter, midnight, water, black

Past collections:

2021 (MDZS only)

2022

2023

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draconesmundi · 3 months

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Happy Dracones Monday! Azure Dragon

Today's dragon is an azure dragon from East Asia, a qinglong in China or a cheongnyong in North and South Korea. The azure dragon is one of the four celestial beings in East Asian cosmology; the black turtle of te north, the azure dragon of the east, the vermillion bird of the south and the white tiger of the west.

In Dracones Mundi the azure dragon is a mid-sized predator; not a heavyweight like the yellow dragon, not a small prey specialist like the dancing dragon, but a formiddable predator nontheless. They have a varied diet, as they can live in a variety of habitats from the mountains to the coast.

Follow for a dragon design posted on every monday on @draconesmundi

#Dragons #Dracones Mundi #Dracones Monday

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cybxr-nem3sis · 2 months

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CALL OF DUTY; OC; Morphine and Somno

The Vermillion Bird and The White Tiger

Meet Yan Hong ying( 颜红英) and Bai Laohu(白老虎) aka "Morphine" and "Somno" , A half chinese men who worked as CIA Agents like Doberman and now worked in Task Force 141.

In Chinese Mythology, they're based on Vermillion Bird of the South and White Tiger of the West.

For the real information about the Task Force TFHB[The Five Heavenly Beasts] Team based on;

Doberman: Black Tortoise of The North

Morphine: Vermillion Bird of The South

Somno: White Tiger of The West

Horkos: Blue Dragon of The East

Iris: Yellow Dragon of The Center

I hope you like this two guys already ⊂⁠(⁠´⁠･⁠◡⁠･⁠⊂⁠ ⁠)⁠∘⁠˚⁠˳⁠°

#call of duty #call of duty oc #cod mw2 #cod oc #oc art #original art #original character #cod oc: Sgt. Yan “Morphine” HongYing #cod oc: Sgt. Bai “Somno” Laohu

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lu-zijing · 4 days

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The ULTIMATE Season 5 Lego Monkie Kid Trailer Breakdown/Analysis Part 2 - Collab with @cherllyio

FINALLY MADE IT!

Go check out Part Two of me and Cory’s Breakdown/analysis on YouTube now!

This time - Going more into details~!

More specifically, we are talking a lot about something called the Four Constellations. If You are interested in more, go check out that video!

Shoutout to @deliveryboysomewhatequaltoheaven - they had also noticed these Four Constellations! And made some posts about it, go check them out-!

And Shoutout to @tyrasanege for making me and Cory see that the black Tortoise was in the Trailer! (We hadn’t even noticed it before (￣▽￣)")

Here’s the Link: https://www.tumblr.com/lu-zijing/751030767424077824/heavy-gasp-proceeds-to-make-an-extra-recording?source=share

You are both mentioned in the video! (^▽^)

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raxistaicho · 6 months

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Fantasy Invader: Master of all five elements!

Wake up losers, Fantasy Invader is analyzing symbolism again!

So to give a bit of backstory, this all began with Ezralahm making a joking post comparing the four saints to the Four Holy Beasts.

I wouldn't at all be surprised if IS drew from them for Macuil and Indech - Eastern media LOVES using the four beats for symbolism - but it just kinda crumbles to pieces with anything more than a basic examination.

For instance, the Black Tortoise is associated with the cardinal direction of north, but Indech is to the west, and the Vermillion Bird is associated with the south but Macuil is to the north. All the Nabateans are dragons so they're all kinda the Azure Dragon, and none of them have tiger-like traits so who is the White Tiger? But she was mostly just joking around with how Flayn's latest Heroes skin (at least at the time) had her dressing as a cat, so I'm not gonna fuss.

But then Fantasy Invader took a crack at analyzing it more seriously. And I can't pass up the opportunity to demonstrate why his analytical ability is both underdeveloped and extremely motivated.

Another thing is the Yellow Dragon connects to the story of the Yellow Emperor as when he died, the Yellow Emperor is said to have transformed into the yellow dragon and ascended to the heavens (which, in turn, is why dragons are a symbol of enlightenment). Now, why is this important? Because the Yellow Emperor was the one who defeated the FLAME EMPEROR.

The problem, because of course there is one, is that the Yellow Emperor was associated with water, in contrast to the Yan Emperor being associated with fire. Byleth is associated with fire, not water.

Byleth doesn't have any water imagery associated with them at all.

Also, as Ezralahm pointed out, the Yellow Dragon would be Rhea, not Byleth, but the issue there is that the Yellow Dragon is associated with earth, and... well.

The Nabatean Earth Dragon is not Rhea, but Seteth. Rhea was a Sky Dragon.

Also, bringing in further issues, the Vermillion Bird is associated with Fire, but Macuil was a Wind Dragon, and the White Tiger and the Azure Dragon were Metal and Wood, respectively, but Seteth and Flayn are Earth and Light, respectively.

Like I said, there are relations to the four beasts, but they're very very surface-level.

Anyways, moving on,

Not only that, but the Yellow Dragon is tied to the element of earth as well as the Chinese version of quintessence (ergo, heaven and Earth), and changing of the seasons (as well as late summer). Changing of the seasons, in a game with each route tied on one season.

Okay, but the problem is Byleth and Sothis are associated with fire and the stars, not earth. And Byleth's route, Silver Snow, is associated with winter, not all four seasons.

The Chinese element of fire begets the earth Element, as fire reduces everything to ashes where they become part of the earth again. While fire can be positive, in excess it is said to represent hatred, impatience and impulsive behavior. Or, in other words, this can also be tied to how Edelgard brings about Byleth being the leader of Fodlan as Byleth succeeds Rhea as the leader of the Church in the center of Fodlan.

Then who's the wood person that got Edelgard to where she was? Wood begets Fire, as Fire begets Earth. You can't just stop partway with your symbolism, FI.

Hmm, the Eastern Church is in the Alliance. The direction of East is represented by the Azure Dragon, which would make it appear as though it's blue. But the ancient Chinese treated blue and green as simply different shades of the same color, much like how pink used to be just a very light red. Green is also used in relation to Almrya and Claude's route is Verdant (read Green) Wind.

And the Azure Dragon is associated with wood. Okay, so Claude got Edelgard to where she is? Well, no. In Verdant Wind, Claude doesn't create but defeats Edelgard, which reverses the wheel.

And, obviously, Claude is not ever associated with wood. He's associated with the wind, which doesn't fit any of the five elements.

Oh, and also, while he was right that blue and green are kinda confusingly synonymous in eastern cultures, Claude is associated with yellow. Not green.

Does this mean Ignatz is the true Azure Dragon!?

Considering it uses the banner of victory symbolism as Silver Snow does

The banner which looks nothing like the Buddhist banner of victory, mind you. And it uses that scene because VW is SS with Claude clumsily inserted.

the route is not just Byleth having obtained Enlightenment but Claude obtaining it as well. Claude doesn't give into his poison and remain a snake, he gets on the same level as a motherfucking dragon.

Which is changing the story as he so often says you do when you play CF over SS. In the "normal" story, SS, Claude does not join with the church and tries to go his own way.

So really, Golden Wildfire Claude really is more in line with his "canon" 3H self. At least, if you follow FI's logic and be consistent with it, which he never ever is.

And yes, he does call SS the "canon" route in this very post.

It would also put his route as the true Spring route, as that's what the Azure Dragon is tied to, tying in to how he accomplishes what Edelgard said she would except through proper means.

What blooms in spring, FI?

The fact the azure Dragon is tied to the Element of wood ties into how Byleth is supposed to be “a great tree that kindly embraces (the Golden Deer) and watches over (them) as (they) perch on its branches.”

But that's Byleth being the tree, not Claude. I thought Byleth was supposed to be earth, not wood? In that very quote FI grabbed, Marianne compares Claude to the wind, not the tree.

And Claude is like the wind, pushing us forward as we soar across the open sky…

Claude is associated with the wind, FI. Both games are very consistent about this.

While there is no Northern Church yet, the North is linked to the Black Tortoise (sometimes called the Black Warrior) intertwined with a snake (TWSITD and the damage they've done to his life and his country). It represents Winter. It wouldn't be hard to think of this as Dimitri in his black armor.

And winter, as I mentioned earlier, is Byleth's route. Snow. Autumn is Dimitri's.

But the Kingdom does have the Western Church,

The Western Church are Dimitri's enemies. Consistently.

linking it to the White Tiger. Dimitri ditches his black outfit for a white one as he becomes the good king, leader of the Blue Lions.

Heheh, NOPE. Dimitri unlocks the Great Lord class at the start of chapter 16, a full two chapters before he snaps out of Boar Mode.

So while Dimitri starts in Winter, he ends up in Autumn which corresponds to the Moon part of the game's Japanese title. This could also mean that Dimitri represents both the elements of water (which is tied to the moon, hence Azure Moon) and metal.

Except that Dimitri's not really associated with any element. Three Hopes made him associated with lightning, but eh, typical Fire Emblem trio with Edelgard and Claude had no remaining things to use but lightning. In any case, he's definitely not associated with water.

Metal can be beaten by flame (Edelgard) but water can beat fire, hinting at how the battle between the two can go either way. Earth though gives rise to metal (hence Byleth helping Dimitri succeed) while Metal beats wood (Claude, who hands over the Alliance)

So the good Dimitri will lose to Edelgard while Boar Dimitri won't? But that's not how it goes. Also, Water begets Wood and Wood begets Fire. So Dimitri created Claude created Edelgard created Byleth created Dimitri?

(Chinese, how does Metal beget Water? That doesn't make any sense!)

Also, how does metal beat wood? Metal's not adjacent to it, and your previous line of reasoning was that the earlier element in the wheel begets the next one. If metal coming before wood "beats" it, then wouldn't Edelgard beat Byleth? And also also, Dimitri doesn't kick Claude's ass and take his lands, Edelgard almost does!

If you're getting confused trying to follow along, I am too lol. This whole Pokemon-esque type advantage symbolism is a gigantic mess.

South is the Vermilion Bird, linking it to Edelgard (who wears red), her many bird-themed elements and her Southern Church. It's also linked to fire, indicating she's the Flame Emperor, as well as the season of summer.

Except Crimson Flower and Scarlet Blaze are the seasons of spring, not summer. Flowers bloom in spring.

Fire is also very, very destructive. Fire can melt metal or be defeated by water (again, how Dimitri can either defeat her or lose to her),

Except, again, he's got which Dimitri beats her reversed. By his own logic, Boar Dimitri is water, while Savior King Dimitri is metal, but SK Dimitri is the only time he can win against her.

it uses wood as a fuel (her invading the Alliance to fix her totalling the Empire's economy with the war)

FI just pulled that one completely out of his ass.

but creates earth in turn (Byleth ending up as Fodlan's ruler after defeating her in VW/SS).

But I thought Byleth was the tree!?

That's the end of that post (more or less, he rambles a bit but it's nothing important), and while I'd like to just stop here because following along with FI's train of thought is giving me a headache, but he had another post! Luckily this'll be a lot shorter.

Houses tries to link Claude to wind, but wind isn't one of the Chinese elements. Those are fire, water, earth, metal and wood unlike the western elements of earth, wind, fire, and water (no heart though). Ergo, Claude being wind makes him an outsider to this.

Well shoot, it seems like you analysis doesn't really work, does it?

Again with the blue-green stuff, this would also make Byleth a blue-haired lord/player character (the only real outliers in this regard are Corrin. Eliwood, Leif and Roy) But this would also denote that Rhea, Seteth and Flayn are trustworthy by hinting at the connection. Meanwhile, Edelgard's associated with red and black, villainous colors.

Red sure is an evil color in this series!

Edelgard's not associated with black herself. The Empire uses black for its armor, but the Black Eagles, aside from Hubert, are not associated with black. Edelgard herself wears mostly red, white, and gold in her Armored Lord and Emperor clothes.

And meanwhile,

If anyone's associated with black, it's Dimitri.

(Also fuck you for forgetting Celica and Micaiah, sexist asshole)

When you think about the game's usage of flowers, Edelgard's intendedred flower being the safflower would indicate it's a route of attraction (only revealed post-timeskip and altered to a rose in the English text),

Safflowers symbolize good luck and attracting love and marriage.

whereas the white lily Rhea wears would symbolize purity.

Very pure. Bountifully, bouncily pure.

Also wait, does this mean Rhea is a lesbian?

Whatever you have with Edelgard is meant to be superficial,

Love and marriage are superficial? Man, and I thought I was jaded.

whereas Byleth's real connection is meant to be with Rhea. That's the pure relationship.

You sound like a damn conservative, lol. Yeah, nothing purer than dating the woman who delivered you, tried to indoctrinate you, tried to eliminate your personality to get her mom back, and then called you by her mother's name during a tender moment.

Well,that's enough for now. There's only so much Fantasy Invader a man can stand. So, as usual, his symbolic analysis isn't consistent or well-researched, and it crumbles like a shitty jenga tower under the slightest scrutiny.

#fire emblem three houses #edelgard discourse #edelgard von hresvelg #edelgard positive #rhea #symbolism gone wild #fantasy invader

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rggtattoos · 2 years

Photo

桐生一馬, Kiryū Kazuma 応龍 - Oryu, “Responsive Dragon” (Yinglong)

Type: Traditional

Artist: Utabori

Features: Ascending Black Oryu (Yellow/Yinglong "Responsive Dragon") holding a Pearl with Sanskrit for Dainichi Nyorai/ Vairocana (the Buddhist guardian of the year of the monkey- 1968. Kiryu’s birthday.)

Oryu - Depictions of dragons in Japan are greatly influenced by the Chinese dragon, though Japan does have its own native dragon myths. While in China dragons are primarily associated with the element of wood, in Japan dragons are also associated with water and rain. Japanese myth tells of a coral Dragon Palace in the ocean. Eastern dragons are powerful and fearsome, but mostly benevolent creatures known to protect temples and help and reward virtuous people. One of the 4 Guardians of Kyoto is the Azure Dragon, who protects the east. (The others are The White Tiger to the west, Black Turtle to the north, and Vermillion Bird to the south)

"Oryu" is the Japanese name for the Chinese "Responsive Dragon" or "Yinglong." It is a rain deity, and lends its power to The Emperor, in one case pointing out where channels should be dug to divert flood water.

Black - Black is associated with death in Japan, but is also used in formal settings like weddings and is considered a masculine color. Black dragons are associated with experience and wisdom.

Pearl - Eastern Dragons are often depicted carrying a pearl, sometimes clutched in its claws or beneath the neck. While the exact origin of the pearl is unknown, it has come to represent the dragon’s authority, the moon, the sun, and control of water.

In Buddhism the years are assigned guardian deities, with the year of the Sheep and the Monkey being overseen by Dainichi Buddha (known as Vairocana in India) Dainichi is called the “Cosmic Buddha” and represents the center, light and the sun.

(Being born in 1968, Kiryu is an Earth Monkey, who are characterized as being intelligent, frank, optimistic, fearless and lovers of practical jokes.)

Flames - Passion, Energy, desire, movement

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dorothygale123 · 4 months

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Raise your hand if you've heard of the 4 Guardian Beasts before. Anyone? If you don't, it's cool. That's what learning is for!

Now, anime fans like myself may be more than a little familiar with these guys as they've shown up in more than a few properties (ex. Fushigi Yuugi) but the concept, like many things in Asian culture, was originally Chinese. Also called the 4 Symbols, the 4 Gods, and the 4 Cardinal Creatures in English, the 4 Guardian Beasts are very popular in East Asia. We'll be calling them by their Chinese name, the Sixiang, because it's much shorter than any of their English titles because it's shorter. Do excuse me if I call the beasts themselves by their Japanese names, as it's what I know them best by.

The Sixiang are an astrological concept, with each one governing a portion of the sky. Each of these 4 sections had 7 constellations consisting of parts of the beast that when looked at together shows the beast as a whole. Pretty different from Greek constellations, huh? Anyways, these 28 total constellations were very important to Chinese cosmology as each one was seen as housing a different part of the Heavens, where the gods did their business. Let's take a closer look, shall we?

Azure Dragon/Canglong/Seiryuu, Guardian of the East

Fun fact: back in ye olden days azure was used to describe a shade of green, so while there are many depictions of Seiryuu as a blue dragon a lot of really ancient art paints him green. Surprisingly, he's associates with the element of wood rather than water. His constellations house the Heavenly Gates and several parts of the Jade Emperor's palace (including the stables where a certain naughty monkey did a stint). He's generally seen as the most important member of the group as a result.

White Tiger/Baihu/Byakko, Guardian of the West

As the name suggests, Byakko is a massive white tiger that rules over all other beasts with a terrifying roar. He's said to be in tune with all 5 elements (water, fire, earth, wood, metal) but is most associated with metal. He carries the 'essence of heroes' and means business. His constellations mostly have to do with the Heavenly army, with the prison, garrison, and granary all falling under his purview.

Vermillion Bird/Zhuque/Duzaku, Guardian of the South

Often confused with a Phoenix, Suzaku is actually a distinct creature. The fact that Eastern and Western Phoenix's are very different in concept doesn't help matters, especially since cultural osmosis has led to the Eastern Phoenix becoming more and more similar to it's Western counterpart. Suzaku himself is very similar to a Western Phoenix, being associated with fire and elixirs of immortality. His constellations are very functional, housing heavenly the wells, wardrobes, kitchens, and other such things.

Black Turtle/Xuanwu/Genbu, Guardian of the North

Now I say turtle, but Genbu is a bit more of a dual creature. Sometimes they're 2 animals, a turtle with a serpent on it's back, and others it's a turtle with a long snake-like neck. Sometimes it goes full chimera and is a turtle with a snake for a tail, head included. No matter which way you slice it though, Genbu is some mix of snake and turtle. Naturally, it gets associated with the element of water. Sometimes it's even credited as once having been the turtle that carried the floating city of Penglai (which I'll get to eventually). Genbu's constellations seem to be wealth-based, as it presides over the temples, treasury, and non-military granary.

Okay, so I know I said 4 beasts, but the Sixiang are sometimes shown with a 5th member that takes it's place in the center of the group. Occasionally it's a yellow dragon to represent the Yellow Emperor, but personally I prefer when it's the qilin/kirin, the Chinese Unicorn. Now it's called a unicorn, but like many Chinese creatures it's a bit of a chimera. With the head of a ram, the hooves of a horse, legs of a wolf, body of a deer, scales of a snake, tail of an ox, and horns of a dragon. Calm and intelligent, it is often seen as a symbol of nobility and scholars. Another fun fact: the Japanese word for giraffe is kirin because of their remarkable resemblance to the mythical beast.

This was a bit of a long one, but I had fun! What about you guys?

Sh*tpost Masterlist

#mythology sh*tposting #chinese mythology #chinese dragons #the 4 guardian beasts #sixiang #canglong #seiryuu #baihu #byakko #zhuque #suzaku #xuanwu #genbu #qilin #kirin

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mxtxdiaspora-may · 3 months

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MXTX Diaspora May 2024: Prompts

Prompts for MXTX Diaspora May 2024 are based on 四象, the Four Symbols. See below for sub-prompts!

Sign-ups for MXTX Diaspora May 2024 are open until April 9, 2024. Any creator with Chinese heritage may participate.

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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.

Text-only version of the prompts are below the cut.

MXTX Diaspora May 2024 Prompts, week-by-week

Week 1 (May 01 - May 05): free week

Week 2 (May 06 - May 12): azure dragon / 青龙 Sub-prompts: east, springtime, dawn, wood, blue-green

Week 3 (May 13 - May 19): vermillion bird / 朱雀 Sub-prompts: south, summer, midday, fire, red

Week 4 (May 20 - May 26): white tiger / 白虎 Sub-prompts: west, autumn, dusk, metal, white

Week 5 (May 27 - May 31): black tortoise / 玄武 Sub-prompts: north, winter, midnight, water, black

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midnightactual · 11 months

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Hey, so, what do these banners on the walls mean?

Well these aren't real kanji. You don't have to take it from me:

Q: BLEACH の中央四十六室が斬殺されている場面に書いてある四つの漢字何て書いてあるのでしょうか？ A: 作者の創作漢字です東西南北と青龍朱雀玄武白虎の頭文字からとり一つの漢字として組み合わせたものです意味はまぁ東西南北あらゆるものから世界を護るような感じでしょうか四方と守護神なので

Or rather, via Google Translate with some cleanup:

Q: What are the four kanji characters written in the scene where the central 46 rooms of Bleach are being killed? A: It is a kanji created by the author. It is a combination of the initials of east, west, north, south, and blue dragon, vermillion bird, black tortoise, and white tiger as one kanji.

That is to say, they're an allusion to the Four Symbols of Chinese mythology. So you know how I said it made sense that Chinese be known by the elites? Yeah. You know how I also said it made sense that Central 46 exist as a rival institution to the Four Great Noble Houses? These appeals to heavenly authority are essentially in direct opposition to similar claims from the Four Great Noble Houses! Let's review. Tokinada says in CFYOW vol. I:

"But that’s the Soul Society. The Central 46 are the five noble clan’s yes-men, especially when it comes to the powerful Tsunayashiro house.”

Tokinada is obviously trying to mess with Kaname, and this happened over 100 years prior. Later we get:

The Central 46 was the acting voice of the Soul King and so led the Soul Reapers. Occasionally they acted as the supreme judiciary body and meted out judgments. Nayura Amakado was the youngest member of that body—a girl who appeared to be just ten years old. But both Kyoraku and Nanao recognized that the girl had a sharpness that came from living many years longer than her looks suggested, and that she had initiated steady changes in the Central 46, which had on principle previously served the aristocrats foremost.

(This incidentally confirms my statements about how soul growth slows down sometime after five years of age.) Later we get this:

“So, about that. The higher-ups have something they want announced directly in the Bulletin. I thought I’d at least tell you about it, since you’re the captain.” “They want something announced? By ‘higher-ups,’ do you mean Squad Zero?” “No, the Central 46. Or the aristocrats behind the scenes, to be exact.” Kyoraku turned to Hisagi for just a moment before he continued.

We also get told:

Kyoraku didn’t smile back. He simply asked flatly, “And so? What business brought you all the way up here? If you have complaints about the Court Guard, I’d rather you send those through the Gilded Seal Aristocratic Assembly or the Central 46.” “Oh, it’s a simple matter. I want you to get in touch with some people for me. Yoruichi Shihoin doesn’t seem to receive communications through the aristocratic network. Even the Gilded Seal Aristocratic Assembly don’t know where she is. Kuchiki is another matter entirely, but you should at least know how to get in touch with that shrew, am I right?” Tokinada handed Kyoraku a paper with a message for Yoruichi

Later still we get this:

“I want to get the five families on my side, and if I can obtain the formal consent of the Reio, I want to make the Five Great Noble Clans as a body equal in rank to the king. Then the clans would surpass the Central 46 in power as a decision-making body. In fact, I suspect the reason the Central 46 crushed the Shiba house was to make sure something like this never happened.” Tokinada chuckled as he continued. “Haven’t you had your doubts? Why did the Shiba family get such a cold reception from the Five Great Noble Clans? Officially, the Shiba set up in the Rukongai in order to build their secret fortifications. But even before they were stripped of their noble position, the Shiba were treated like they were lower than the poorest of the lower aristocracy. Doesn’t it bother you that the Shiba family allowed that?”

In CFYOW vol. III, we get this:

It was clearly a problem that a man like this was the head of the Four Great Noble Clans, a position within the Soul Society that was on equal footing with the Central 46.

Okay, so let's bring it all together. There are at least four major bodies in the government of Soul Society:

The Soul King and Royal Family: figurehead; ostensibly head of state and highest authority, but in truth essentially fiction.

The Four Great Noble Houses (formerly Five Great Noble Houses): functionally the executive branch; the Shōichī or First Rank nobility who hold the ranks of Dukes, having sealed the Soul King originally and established the system. Nominally safeguard the system.

Central 46: functionally the judicial branch, a court made up of 6 judges and 40 sages on par with the Four Great Noble Houses, was formerly under their sway when they were the Five Great Noble Houses but has now tilted to the Gilded Seal Aristocratic Assembly and is under their sway. Nominally speak on behalf of the Soul King.

Gilded Seal Aristocratic Assembly: functionally the legislative branch; ostensibly composed of lesser nobles below the rank of Shōichī and by process of elimination now currently actually in charge.

I've been back and forth over this before (see here and here) with some different terminology and framing, but I think it's easy to see that, as I've said before, Soul Society is fundamentally defined by political infighting among different political classes, chiefly the Great Nobles versus the Nobles.

We can understand that Central 46 used to be the tool of the Five Great Noble Houses, but the demotion of House Shiba and its reduction to Four Great Noble Houses was functionally a coup d'état that realigned Central 46 to serving the interests of the comparatively mysterious Gilded Seal Aristocratic Assembly. Tokinada is truly only attempting to cause chaos and anarchy, but doing so under the guise of restoring the Five Great Noble Houses to their former primacy. What Nayura Amakado is doing is effectively trying to make Central 46 independent of either group rather than their cat's paw.

In other words, Soul Society is what happens when separation of powers goes bad and is not regulated by anything except self-interest and violence-making ability:

According to the principle of checks and balances, each of the branches of the state should have the power to limit or check the other two, creating a balance between the three separate powers of the state. Each branch's efforts to prevent either of the other branches becoming supreme form part of an eternal conflict, which leaves the people free from government abuses. Immanuel Kant was an advocate of this, noting that "the problem of setting up a state can be solved even by a nation of devils" so long as they possess an appropriate constitution to pit opposing factions against each other.

You can also take it as a warning about the perils of a judiciary which isn't independent of and separate from political concerns, which, uh, topical.

#Out Of Character #Bleach #Meta #Long Post #Blood TW #Death TW #[ this isn't as rigorous as I'd like ]#[ but writing about imaginary sociopolitical arrangements ]#[ takes a lot of effort for little actual return ]#[ so just deal with these kinda more rambling remarks ig ]

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