What is the turtle in the four spirits, and what kind of turtle is the spirit turtle

It depends on how you understand the four spirits.

It is called the four strange beasts. "The Book of Rites, Rites and Fortune": "Lin, wind, turtle, and dragon are called the four spirits." "They are the leaders of birds and beasts and the water tribe, and at this time they refer to turtles.

It is a four-star name. "Sanfu Huangtu" volume 3: "Canglong, white tiger, Vermilion Bird, Xuanwu, the four spirits of the sky, to the four squares." ”

The shape of the horn, Kang, Shi, Fang, heart, tail and Kei in the east is like a dragon, so the East Palace is called the green dragon or the blue dragon;

The shape of the western seven stars Kui, Lou, stomach, Ang, Bi, horn, and ginseng is like a tiger, and the West Palace is called the white tiger;

The wells, ghosts, willows, stars, zhang, wings, and wings in the south are in the shape of birds, and they are called vermilion birds;

The seven stars in the north are fighting, bull, female, void, dangerous, room, wall, its shape is like a turtle, called Xuanwu.

By the way, I will tell you about the relationship between the four spirits and the four elephants:

The four spirits, also known as the four elephants and the four gods, namely the green dragon, the white tiger, the vermilion bird and the Xuanwu, are the mascots loved by the ancient people of our country.

The Four Spirits originated from ancient mythology and were originally called"Four elephants"It refers to the distribution of water, fire, wood and metal. "Yi Zhi Ci Shang" said:"Two rituals and four elephants.

Liangyi is yin and yang or heaven and earth. In ancient times, the astrological signs that represent the four major regions of the sky were the four groups of animals that used the Eastern Dragon, the Southern Bird, the Western Tiger, and the Northern Turtle and Snake (Wu). These four groups of animals are also the gods of the four directions in ancient Chinese mythology.

During the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, due to the prevalence of the Five Elements Doctrine and the Five Elements Doctrine, according to the "Yellow Emperor's Neijing" The five elements and the five colors of the collocation, wood = cyan, the color of the budding leaves, fire = red, the color of the bonfire, earth = yellow, the color of the earth's vigor, gold = white, the color of metallic luster, water = black, the color of the abyss, so the four elephants are also matched with colors to become the green dragon, the white tiger, the vermilion bird, and the Xuanwu. During the Han Dynasty, the four elephants evolved into the gods believed in Taoism, so the four elephants were immediately called the four spirits.

The ancients said: "Canglong, White Tiger, Vermilion Bird, Xuanwu, the four spirits of the sky, to the four directions." ”

The green dragon, the white tiger, the vermilion bird, and the Xuanwu are the four divine beasts in the eyes of the ancients, known as the "four spirits". The "Four Spirits" originated from the ancient astronomical observation and the star worship of the ancestors.

The ancients roughly divided the sky into four major regions: the stars in the east were combined into the image of a dragon, which was called the "green (blue) dragon"; The stars of the West are combined into the image of a tiger, which is called the "White Tiger"; The stars of the south are combined to form the image of a bird that spreads its wings and flies, and it is called "Suzaku (bird)"; The stars of the north are combined into an image of tortoises and snakes entwined, which is called "Xuanwu".

Lingda branch turtle is a kind of long-lived animal found in the animal totem, so it is synonymous with longevity, also known as gods and ghosts, chain imitation shouting ancient and dragon, phoenix, unicorn and called the four spirits, the ancients said that they can know the good luck, regard it as auspicious. Spirit turtles grow on the seaside, rest in the mountains, hunt in the water, and can enter the water. There is an explanation as follows:

1. A type of turtle. Another name for the loggerhead. "Erya Shiyu":

The second is called the spirit turtle. Guo Pu Note: "Fuling County produces a big tortoise, the armor can be Bu, the Chinese is like Yao, commonly called the spirit tortoise."

Today, the loggerhead turtle, a spirit loggerhead, can sing. "Mozi Relatives": "It is to close the exhaustion of Ganjing, the near felling of wood, the close burning of the spirit turtle, and the close violence of the divine snake;

2. Generally refers to the large turtle used for divination;

3. A turtle sign with a spiritual response. "Yi Yi": "Sher spirit turtle, watch me Yiyi." Kong Yingda Shu: "The spirit turtle is called the turtle sign of the gods."

The four major spirit turtles in China are the green turtle, the two-headed turtle, the snake turtle, and the white jade turtle. The introduction is as follows:

1. Green turtle. In fact, it is a freshwater turtle with basal almond on its back. It is a creature that skillfully blends animals and aquatic plants.

2. Two-headed turtle. Refers to a turtle with two heads, which is a natural mutation phenomenon. For the frequent appearance of two-headed animals, scientists believe that it is due to environmental degradation.

3. Serpentine turtle. The snake turtle is not a deformed "freak", but a new breed of turtle mutation.

4. White jade turtle. Generally refers to the Chinese grass turtle, the body of the Chinese grass turtle is oblong, the dorsal carapace is slightly raised, there are three longitudinal ridges, and the ridge is obvious.

The four major spirit turtles in China are the green turtle, the two-headed turtle, the snake turtle, and the white jade turtle.

1.The green turtle has long hairy green hair, in fact, these green hairs are parasitic algae on the turtle's body, so the green turtle is a typical combination of animals and plants. The green turtle in China is mainly distributed in the hilly areas of the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River.

2.The two-headed turtle is actually a mutated turtle, that is, a two-headed turtle.

3.There are two theories about the snake turtle, one says that it is actually a snake neck turtle, and the other says that it is named because the turtle is mutated and its back is wrapped like a snake. The upper part is a specimen of a snake-shaped turtle preserved in a museum in Nanjing, and the lower part is a snake-necked turtle, which is distributed in Sichuan, China.

4.The white jade turtle is actually a mutated turtle, which is said to be a mutated species of the Chinese grass turtle, which is whitened all over its body, like jade.

I don't remember that there were four spirit turtles, but turtles belonged to the four spirit beasts. The spirit turtle is a long-lived animal that people find in animal totems, so it is synonymous with longevity. Also known as gods and ghosts, ancient and dragon, phoenix, unicorn and called the four spirits, the ancients said that they can know the good and evil, regarded it as auspicious.

Zhang Heng has a description in "Lingxian": "The dragon curls up on the left, the white tiger is fierce on the right, the vermilion bird is in front, and the spirit turtle is in the back." ”

Therefore, the spirit turtle appears in the record as a spirit animal in ancient Chinese mythology. It is one of the four sacred beasts of "Dragon Phoenix Lin Turtle". Liu Xiang "Shuo Yuan":

The spirit turtle is five-colored, and the color is like jade. The back is yin to the sun, the upper is like the sky, the lower is flat, and the transfer should be four o'clock. The snake head gentian, the left essence is like the sun, the right spirit is like the moon, and the change of survival and death is auspicious.

"Etiquette" said: "The image of gods and ghosts, the upper circle of the heavens, the lower laws of the earth, and the back of the Panfa hills and mountains." Xuanwen is staggered to form a row, and the five lights are like Xuanjin, and the operation should be four o'clock.

Two inches long, Ming Ji is fierce, and it is self-evident. "The ancient elephant tellers said that the appearance of the spirit turtle was a sign of the prosperity of the Ming monarch. "Shangshu Zhonghou" contains:

Yao Shi once sank to the god of Luoshui, there was a turtle carrying the book of heaven and came out, and the back armor had red stripes and red characters, saying that the world's virtue and fortune changed. Zhou also had things to do when he became king. "Sun's Ruiying Map":

Turtles, supernatural insects also. Xuancai five-colored, the upper uplift is like the sky, the lower flat is like the earth, born 300 years old, swimming on the fern leaves, 3,000 years old is still under the yarrow bush. Mingji is fierce, impartial and unparty, and only righteous.

The king is impartial and non-party, respects the elderly, and does not lose the old and comes out. "The ancients burned the tortoise shell to know the auspicious and evil fortune changes, and called the turtle omen of its gods, also known as the spirit tortoise. Ren Wei's "Different Narratives" says that the turtle is a thousand years old, and the longevity of 5,000 years is a turtle, and the longevity of 10,000 years is a spirit turtle.

In addition, in "Guiguzi Yin Fu Seven Techniques", it is said: Raising Zhi Law Spirit Tortoise. That is, to cultivate the will to learn the meaning of the turtle.

Green turtle, two-headed turtle, snake turtle, white jade turtle.

1.A type of turtle. The alias of the loggerhead is Kai.

Erya Shiyu": "The second is called the spirit turtle. Guo Pu Note:

Fuling County out of the big tortoise, the armor can be Bu, the edge Chinese like 瑇瑁, commonly called the spirit tortoise. Today, the loggerhead turtle, a spirit loggerhead, can sing. "Mozi Relatives":

The sedan finch is close to Ganjing, the wood is close to cutting, the spirit turtle is close to burning, and the snake is close to violence. ”

2.It generally refers to a large turtle used for divination.

3.A turtle omen with a spiritual response. "Yi Yi": "Sher spirit turtle, watch me Yiyi." Kong Yingda Shu: "The spirit turtle is called the turtle sign of the gods." ”

4.Turtles. "Anthology: Cao Zhi's Seven Enlightenment":

The fake spirit turtle is a metaphor, and it is better to lose its tail in the middle of the painting. Li Shan's note: "The Zhuangzi says: .

The king of Chu sent the doctor to hire Zhuangzi. Zhuangzi said: I heard that Chu has a divine turtle, and he has been dead for 3,000 years!

Southern Tang Dynasty Li Zhong "Crane" poem: "A good spirit turtle as a couple, ten continents and three islands chase immortals." Qing Jinnong's poem "Jingshan People's Mountain Dwelling on a Cold Night":

I want to see the bitter wind and candle, the spirit turtle holds its breath and the jade toad withered. ”

5.A metaphor for talented people. Tang Yuanzhi "Reward Li Liu's Drunken Morning Notice": "I am ashamed to know each other, and I am quite strange in my life. Ming Gong will ask, there is a spirit turtle under the forest. ”

6.Refers to the Golden Turtle. Because of its small and exquisite, it is called. Former Shu Guanxiu "Reunion in the Void of the Taoist" poem No. 2: "The spirit turtle in the bag is as small as money, and Dao Yinian is the same year as me." ”