The Black Tortoise (Chinese: 玄武; pinyin: Xuán Wǔ, literally "Black Warrior") is one of the Four Symbols of the Chinese constellations. It is sometimes called the Black Warrior of the North (北方玄武), and it represents the north and the winter season. Although its name in Chinese, Xuánwǔ, is often translated as Black Tortoise in English, it is usually depicted as both a tortoise and a snake, specifically with the snake coiling around the tortoise. Pinyin is a system of romanization (phonemic notation and transcription to Roman script) for Standard Mandarin, where pin means spell and yin means sound. The most common variant of pinyin in use is called Hanyu Pinyin (Simplified Chinese: , Traditional Chinese: ; pinyin: HànyÇ” PÄ«nyÄ«n), also known as scheme... The Four Symbols (Chinese: ; pinyin: Sì Xiàng) are four guardian beasts from Chinese mythology, also known as the Shishin (四神) or Shijin in the Japanese tradition of onmyodo. ... Chinese constellations are different from the western constellations, due to the independent development of ancient Chinese astronomy. ... Compass rose with north highlighted and at top North is one of the four cardinal directions, specifically the direction that, in Western culture, is treated as the primary direction: north is used (explicitly or implicitly) to define all other directions; the (visual) top edges of maps usually correspond to the... For other senses of this word, see winter (disambiguation). ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... Genera Chersina Dipsochelys Furculachelys Geochelone Gopherus Homopus Indotestudo Kinixys Malacochersus Manouria Psammobates Pyxis Testudo A tortoise is a land-dwelling reptile of the order Testudines. ... For other uses, see Snake (disambiguation). ...

The Chinese constellations were not only used by Chinese cartographers, they were also used by Korean and Japanese cartographers as well. In Japanese, the Black Tortoise is called Genbu, and it has been depicted in numerous Japanese comic books and animations. In Korean it is called Hyeon-mu. Cartography or mapmaking (in Greek chartis = map and graphein = write) is the study, practice, science and art of making maps or globes. ... 2nd English edition of InuYasha Vol. ... The main cast of the anime Cowboy Bebop (1998) (L to R: Spike Spiegel, Jet Black, Ed Tivrusky, Faye Valentine, and Ein the dog) Anime ) (IPA pronunciation: in Japanese, but typically or in English) is an abbreviation of the word animation. Outside Japan, the term most popularly refers to animation...

The Seven Mansions of the Black Tortoise

Like the other Four Symbols, the Black Tortoise corresponds to seven "mansions", or positions, of the moon. Bulk composition of the Moons mantle and crust estimated, weight percent Oxygen 42. ...

• Dipper (Chinese: 斗; pinyin: Dǒu)
• Ox (Chinese: 牛; pinyin: Niú)
• Girl (Chinese: 女; pinyin: Nǚ)
• Emptiness (Chinese: 虛; pinyin: Xū)
• Rooftop (Chinese: 危; pinyin: Wēi)
• Encampment (Chinese: 室; pinyin: Shì)
• Wall (Chinese: 壁; pinyin: Bì)

South Dipper map The Dipper mansion (斗宿, pinyin: Dǒu Xiù) is one of the Twenty-eight mansions of the Chinese constellations. ... Pinyin is a system of romanization (phonemic notation and transcription to Roman script) for Standard Mandarin, where pin means spell and yin means sound. The most common variant of pinyin in use is called Hanyu Pinyin (Simplified Chinese: , Traditional Chinese: ; pinyin: Hànyǔ Pīnyīn), also known as scheme... The Ox mansion (牛宿, pinyin: Niú Xiù) is one of the Twenty-eight mansions of the Chinese constellations. ... Pinyin is a system of romanization (phonemic notation and transcription to Roman script) for Standard Mandarin, where pin means spell and yin means sound. The most common variant of pinyin in use is called Hanyu Pinyin (Simplified Chinese: , Traditional Chinese: ; pinyin: Hànyǔ Pīnyīn), also known as scheme... The Girl mansion (女宿, pinyin: Nǚ Xiù) is one of the Twenty-eight mansions of the Chinese constellations. ... Pinyin is a system of romanization (phonemic notation and transcription to Roman script) for Standard Mandarin, where pin means spell and yin means sound. The most common variant of pinyin in use is called Hanyu Pinyin (Simplified Chinese: , Traditional Chinese: ; pinyin: Hànyǔ Pīnyīn), also known as scheme... The Emptiness mansion (虛宿, pinyin: Xū Xiù) is one of the Twenty-eight mansions of the Chinese constellations. ... Pinyin is a system of romanization (phonemic notation and transcription to Roman script) for Standard Mandarin, where pin means spell and yin means sound. The most common variant of pinyin in use is called Hanyu Pinyin (Simplified Chinese: , Traditional Chinese: ; pinyin: Hànyǔ Pīnyīn), also known as scheme... Pinyin is a system of romanization (phonemic notation and transcription to Roman script) for Standard Mandarin, where pin means spell and yin means sound. The most common variant of pinyin in use is called Hanyu Pinyin (Simplified Chinese: , Traditional Chinese: ; pinyin: Hànyǔ Pīnyīn), also known as scheme... Pinyin is a system of romanization (phonemic notation and transcription to Roman script) for Standard Mandarin, where pin means spell and yin means sound. The most common variant of pinyin in use is called Hanyu Pinyin (Simplified Chinese: , Traditional Chinese: ; pinyin: Hànyǔ Pīnyīn), also known as scheme... Pinyin is a system of romanization (phonemic notation and transcription to Roman script) for Standard Mandarin, where pin means spell and yin means sound. The most common variant of pinyin in use is called Hanyu Pinyin (Simplified Chinese: , Traditional Chinese: ; pinyin: Hànyǔ Pīnyīn), also known as scheme...

Origin

In ancient China, the tortoise and the snake were thought to be spiritual creatures symbolising longevity. During the Han Dynasty, people often wore jade pendants that were in the shape of tortoises. Because of ancient Chinese influence on Japan, honorific titles and badges in Japan often referred to the tortoise or images of tortoises. The Han Dynasty (Traditional Chinese: ; Simplified Chinese: ; Hanyu Pinyin: ; Wade-Giles: Han Chau; 206 BC–AD 220) followed the Qin Dynasty and preceded the Three Kingdoms in China. ...

Then a legend arose that told of female tortoises being unable to mate with male tortoises, but only with male snakes. This made the male tortoise angry, but the female tortoise kept the male tortoise at a distance by urinating around herself. From then on, men whose wives were having extramarital affairs were often referred to as "tortoises", and so people stopped using the tortoise as a fortuitous symbolism. To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... An affair is a euphemism for a situation where two people are involved in an illicit sexual, romantic and/or passionate attachment, usually for a limited duration. ...

The depiction of the Xuánwǔ as a tortoise-snake creature may have came into existence because of this legend of female tortoises and male snakes mating. However, this explanation is uncertain, because the depiction could have came into existence as early as the Zhou Dynasty. The Zhou Dynasty (Chinese: 周朝; Hanyu Pinyin: ; Wade-Giles: chou chao; 11th century BC to 256 BC) followed the Shang (Yin) Dynasty and preceded the Qin Dynasty in China. ...

Historic Reference

In the classic novel, Journey to the West, Xuánwǔ was a king of the north who had two generals serving under him, a "Tortoise General" and a "Snake General". This king had a temple at Wudang Mountains in Hubei, thus there is a "Tortoise Mountain" and a "Snake Mountain" on the opposite sides of a river in Wuhan, the capital of Hubei. The four heroes of the story, left to right: Sun Wukong, Xuánzàng, Zhu Wuneng, and Sha Wujing. ... It has been suggested that Wangdangshan be merged into this article or section. ... Hubei (Chinese: 湖北; Hanyu Pinyin: ; Wade-Giles: Hu-pei; Postal System Pinyin: Hupeh) is a central province of the Peoples Republic of China. ... Location within China Modern and ancient Wuhan (Simplified Chinese: 武汉; Traditional Chinese: 武漢; Pinyin: WÇ”hàn) is the capital of Hubei province, and is the most populous city in central China. ...

See also

• List of popular culture references to the Four Symbols

References to the Four Symbols are extremely common in anime and manga, as well as in video games. ...

External links

• "Star Charts and Moon Stations"
• The Black Tortoise of the North