The Celestial Empire

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. I know, for Christmas I'm a bit late, but my PC was to the doctor, and at least for the new year I still have time! After holidays spent in lunches and dinners with friends, it is time to get back in motion, but keep calm ... tai chi style. So before I will read a bit. For Christmas I got a book by Margherita Hack on the myths and legends with which humanity has tried to explain the universe in the past millennia. Needless to say, a nice chapter is also dedicated to the Celestial Empire, and I've seen some of that things in my travel to china ... and now I'll tell you!

The Chinese cosmology had a political role and was closely linked to the regent dynasty. "The sky was divided in 5 buildings. The central building was located in the area surrounding the North Pole, a symbol of the imperial court and therefore had the highest position in Chinese cosmology. The circumpolar area was therefore built in the image and likeness of the imperial palace. The other 4 buildings were placed around the four cardinal stars along the ecliptic and were called the Palace of the East, South, West and North. Each palace representing one of the 4 seasons and, depending on the season, a temporary residence of the court."

Each building also represented one of the five elements that make up nature in Chinese mythology and is protected by one of the five mythological beasts, said Si Ling.

Qing Long, the blue dragon guardian of the East. It is associated with the spring, the colors blue and green, and the element wood, supports and defends the country (controls rain, symbol of imperial power). It is often coupled with Zhuque, the red phoenix, because both represent both the conflict is the joy of marriage. In both China and Japan, the dragon is a symbol of the emperor as the phoenix is symbol of the empress.

Zhuque, the Vermilion Phoenix, Guardian of the South is associated with summer, the color red, the element of fire. It is a symbol of knowledge, and luxuriant nature, occurs only in times of prosperity.

Báihǔla, the white tiger (or " Jade " ) Guardian of the West. It is associated with autumn, the color white, and the metal element. When you put some metal over a tomb, is a ceremonial connection with the tiger of jade, according to the Chinese Annals of Wu and Yue , three days after the burial of the king, the essence of the element metal took the form of a tiger jade and crouched down on the grave , becoming the protector. The white jade was often used to worship the god of the West, and took the name ' Jade Tiger ', for the Chinese the tiger was the king of all animals and lady of the mountains, so the jade tiger was an ornament reserved for commanders of armies. In particular, the male tiger was the god of war, and protected the Emperor's armies into battle, as well as from the demons in his grave.

Xuánwǔ the black turtle Guardian of the North. It is associated with winter, the color black, and the element of water, it is also a symbol of piety. It is often represented as a turtle with a snake coiled on its back. The turtle is a symbol of long life and happiness, and when a thousand years old, is able to speak the language of humans. The turtle is one of the Celestial Emblems, the symbol of wisdom and longevity, it is said that its shell is a strongbox for the universe. In particular, turtle and snake together are a symbol of longevity, it is said that their union put in danger the universe itself. It is interesting to note that in the beginning of all things Greek mythology the serpent of time (Chrono , not to be confused with the Titan Kronos, father of Zeus) revolved around the cosmic egg and breaking its shell gave birth to the Universe.

Finally Huanglong, the yellow dragon (or "golden") Guardian of the Center, and then the Imperial Palace, is more like a snake than the blue dragon. It is associated with the change of seasons, the color yellow, and the earth element.

Finally, going back to the theme of similarity with the West, it is interesting to note how two cultures distant and not connected have developed the same concept of nature based on fundamentals elements. Furthermore, the final solutions were extremely similar on to another. Four Elements in Greek culture and five in the Chinese and, moreover, three of these are common to both cultures. Indeed, we have Air, Water, Earth and Fire identified by Hippocrates in Greek culture and Water, Earth, Fire, Wood and Metal in Chinese culture.

I would say that as a beginning of the year that's enough.

Talk soon and may the Force be with us.