Among the Taoist guardians, Qinglong, Baihu, Suzaku and Xuanwu specialize in guarding the gates, which are called "Four Elephants" and "Four Spirits". Qinglong, Baihu, Suzaku and Xuanwu originated from the belief in the stars in ancient China. In ancient China, the sky was divided into four regions: east, north, west and south, which were called "four elephants", namely, the black dragon in the east, the Xuanwu (tortoise and snake) in the north, the white tiger in the west and the suzaku in the south. This "four elephants" is the image of four animals imagined by the ancients by connecting seven nights in each direction. For example, in the Oriental Black Dragon, the horns are like dragon horns, the rafters are like dragons, and the tails are like dragon tails. The southern rosefinch is like a bird of hibiscus, with a beak, a star for its neck, a piece of zinc and a feather purlin for its wings. Later, the ancients matched it with yin and yang, five elements, five parties and five colors, so there were Oriental Dragon, Western White Tiger, Southern Suzaku and Northern Xuanwu. Later, it was applied to military pits and ranks and became the patron saint of marching and fighting. For example, in the Book of Rites Quli, "OK, the former Zhu bird (sparrow) and then Xuanwu, the left Qinglong and the right white tiger, shaking in the building." Hao Chen wrote, "Yes, the army will leave. Suzaku, Xuanwu, Qinglong, Tiger, the name of the Quartet. " Then he said, "Liu, the flags are flying, all of them are flying, dragon flag nine, sparrow seven, tiger six, tortoise and snake four." In other words, its manifestation is to draw "four elephants" on the standard to show the front, back, left and right military formations, boost morale and achieve invincible goals. On its function, The Thirteen Classics, Book of Rites, Quli and Shang Notes says: "It is like a bird flying, like the poison of a tortoise and a snake, and the prosperity of a dragon and a tiger is incomparable with these four things." It can be seen that its role is great. After the rise of Taoism, following the old saying, Qinglong, Baihu, Suzaku and Xuanwu were brought into the spiritual system, and as the guardian gods, they were extremely majestic. Bao Puzi Miscellaneous English quoted the Immortal Classic to describe the image of the old gentleman in Taishang, saying that there were twelve green dragons on the left, twenty-six white tigers on the right, twenty-four suzaku in front and seventy-two Xuanwu in the back. Very imposing, really imposing. Later, the four elephants were gradually personified and had their titles. According to the Secret of the Seven Yuan Purple Extension in the Arctic, the name of Qinglong is Meng Zhang Shen Jun, the name of White Tiger is Shen Jun, the name of Suzaku is Ling Shen Guang Jun, and the name of Xuanwu is Meiji Shen Jun. Soon, the belief in Xuanwu (Zhenwu) gradually expanded, and it stood out from the four elephants and became the "Great Emperor". Qinglong and Baihu are included in the list of door gods, specifically guarding the Taoist temple gate. Fan Zhineng's "Yueyang Geography" in the Song Dynasty said: "There are two gods in Laozi Temple, called Qinglong and Baihu." Yao Ming's "Shu Guan, a Private Record of Changshu" said: "The two great gods who came to the entrance of the Taoist Temple, on the left, were the gods of Qinglong, and on the right, were the gods of White Tiger.
Qinglong was originally the God of the East in ancient mythology, and one of the Seven Hosts and Four Elephants in the East in Taoism. Twenty-eight lodging houses, and seven lodging houses in the East (Jiao, Kang, Bian, Fang, Xin, Wei and Fan) have the image of dragons, which are located in the East, belong to wood and are blue in color, collectively called Qinglong, also known as Black Dragon. The forty-four volumes of Taizhi call Qinglong Dongdou as follows: "Jiao Su Tianmen, Kang Su Ting, Chang Su Tianfu, Su Fang Tian Yi Xing Jun, Xin Su Uranus Jun, Wei Su Tian Ji Xing Jun, Ji Su Tian Lu Xing Jun." As for its image, there are seven clouds in The Collection of Doors and Tongjiao: "Oriental Dragon Horn, full of pride, spits clouds and glows, thunders, flies to octupole, walks around the four ghosts and stands on my left. In addition, Taoism also uses it in alchemy. For example, Volume 72 of "Seven Chapters of Clouds" quotes the Dan of the four ancient gods, saying: The dragon is a dragon, and the oriental wood is also mercury. It is clear and unwilling, not turbid, not desirable, far away, and infinitely hidden, so it is called dragon.
The white tiger was originally the western god in ancient mythology, and it was one of the four images of the seven Pleiades in Taoism. The seven western lodgings (Kui, Lou, Stomach, Ang, Bi, tapir and Shen) in the twenty-eight lodgings are elephant tigers, located in the west, belonging to gold and white in color, which are collectively called white tigers. The emperor's father is like a vegetarian. Volume 44 says that the White Tiger Xi fights Xing Jun: "Xing Jun, a heavenly general in Su Kui, Xing Jun, a heavenly prison in Lousu, Xing Jun, Xing Jun, a star gentleman in Bi Su Tian, a star gentleman in Li Su Tianping, and a star gentleman in Shen Su Tianshui." As for its image, there are seven clouds in the book "The Collection of Daomen's General Education": "The West should be a tiger, with the quality of Yingying, and the tone should be fixed. At the same time, Taoism also uses it in alchemy. For example, Volume 72 of Yun Qi Tanabata quoted the Dan of the Four Gods in ancient books and said: "White tiger, western gold, also get a real position." "Jing" says: if a son succeeds, his wife's synonym and five elements are born together, which is also caused by essence. It can't move, so it's called a tiger.
Suzaku was originally the god of the south in ancient mythology, and one of the seven stars and four elephants in southern Taoism. The seven hotels in the south (Jing, Gui, Liu, Xing, Zhang, Yi and Zhu) are 28 hotels, with a dark image, located in the south, belonging to fire and red in color. They are collectively called Suzaku, also known as "Suzaku". In Volume 44 of Emperor Taizong Zhai Yi, the southern Cui surnames are: "Su Jing Tianjing Xing Jun belongs to Su Tiankui Xing Jun, Liu Su Chutian Xing Jun, Su Xingtian Kuxing Army, Su Zhang Libra Xingjun, Yisu Tiandu Xingjun and Jisu Tianjie Xingjun." As for its image, there are seven clouds in "Jiao Tong's Must-Use Collection": "Nan Zhu Cui, guide me from the length of birds, the change of Dan's points, the sound of blue thunder, the colorful colors and the six images of artifacts." At the same time, Taoism also uses it in alchemy. For example, Volume 72 of Seven Chapters and Yunzhi quoted the "Dan of the Four Gods" in the ancient classics, saying that Zhu Cui was the founder of Zhu Cui, and Nanding Binghuo Cinnabar was also a dragon, and it became a bird. Its qi rises to heaven, and its mass array is the ground, so it is the foundation of the Great Dan, and it flies when it sees fire, so it is obtained.
Xuanwu was originally the God of the North in ancient mythology and one of the Seven Stars and Four Elephants of Northern Taoism. The seven northern lodgings (bucket, female, virtual, dangerous, house and wall) and the twenty-eight lodgings are located in the north, also known as Guishetai, which belongs to water and has a mysterious color, and is collectively called "Xuanwu". Volume 44 of Emperor Tai Shang Ru Zhai Yi calls North Xuanwu Star Jun: "Dou Su Tian Miao Xing Jun, Niu Su Tian Ji Xing Jun, Female Su Tian Nv Jun, Xu Su Tian Qing Xing Jun, Su Su Tian Qian Xing Jun, Su Su Su Tian Qi Xing Jun, Su Bi Shi Tianxing Jun". As for its image, Jiao Tong's Essentials of Daomen has seven clouds: "North Xuanwu, Taiyin Metaplasia, and Virtual Danger. At the same time, Taoism also uses it in alchemy. For example, Volume 72 of Yun Qi Tanabata quoted the Dan of the Four Gods in ancient books and said, "Xuanwu is the black mercury in northern China, which can be soft and firm." The Classic says: Bodhisattva is like water. Non-lead, non-tin, non-stone and the like, water is Hedong Shenshui, born before heaven and earth, so medicine can't be abandoned temporarily, and it can support everything, so it is called Xuanwu.