The Four Gods (四神), also known as the Four Symbols (四象), Four Sacred Beasts (四聖獣), Four Spirits (四霊), are deities that reign over the cardinal directions of the constellations. A fifth god, the Yellow Dragon, is also said to rule the center. These gods are particularly famous throughout Eastern Asia and appear in a variety of fictional works.
Names and Traits
Name (Chinese)
Appearance
Direction
Season
Color
Element
Divine Aide (Chinese)
Qinglong (青龙/青龍; Azure Dragon)
East Asian interpretation of a dragon
East
Spring
Green/Azure/Blue
Wood
Jumang
Zhuque (朱鸟/朱雀; Vermilion Sparrow)
Giant peafowl resembling a phoenix
South
Summer
Red/Vermilion
Fire
Zhurong or Zhuming
Baihu (白虎; White Tiger)
White tiger with black stripes
West
Fall
White
Metal
Rushou
Xuanwu (玄武; Occult Martial)
Tortoise encircled by a serpent
North
Winter
Black
Water
Xuanming
A dragon is considered the benevolent and powerful ruler, promising good fortune and fertility. Qinglong is known for its particularly long tongue, which curves and twists in several portraits. Ancient Chinese could be open to interpret the dragon as green, blue, or black, but contemporary Chinese —and most modern interpretations of the dragon from China— favors green. Japanese adapted the Chinese's broad interpretations of the hue's character to mean a solid blue or a bluish green, yet often favors the former in contemporary Japanese usage.
The majestic bird held a noble behavior and was picky about what it eats and where it perches. Zhuque has often been confused with a phoenix due to their similar appearances and has been said to either be a red sparrow or a fenghuang, even though its name implies it to be a peafowl instead.
Tigers were considered to be the king of all beasts in China, and white tigers were mythic elder versions of tigers. A white tiger is said to only appear when the world is at peace or if the Emperor ruled with virtue. It is fabled that Baihu is either the eldest or youngest of the four beasts.
The tortoise and the snake were symbols of longevity in China and were symbols of honor with a similar meaning in Japan. The word "tortoise" could also mean "taboo" in Chinese. Xuanwu is sometimes depicted as a turtle with a serpent for its tail. It's also associated or argued to be another form for Emperor Xuanwu, an individual who is depicted in black robes and appears as an entity within Journey to the West.
In Japan, these gods are known as Seiryū (Qinglong), Suzaku (Zhuque), Byakko (Baihu), and Genbu (Xuanwu). These four beasts are additionally part of the Twelve Saintly Generals named by the famous onmyōji, Abe no Seimei.
Many games from Koei add small references to these gods for items or weapons, especially for their China based works like the Dynasty Warriors series or Mystic Heroes.
Dynasty Warriors
In both Dynasty Warriors 2 and 4, the Hulao Gate stage has several gates named after each of the four beasts that must be unlocked before advancing further if played on the Allied Forces side. The Tiger Amulet, Peacock Amulet, Dragon Amulet and Tortoise Amulet are named after the beasts in the Asian script.
Dynasty Warriors DS: Fighter's Battle
Dynasty Warriors DS: Fighter's Battle lets players control three of the Four Gods in human form: Suzaku, Seiryuu, and Genbu. In the English ports, they are called Phoenix, Dragon, and Chimera respectively. They have no distinct personalities or stories beyond their brief character introductions at the start of each game. As such, they primarily act as the player's avatars in battle.
These characters have their own moveset, weapon, element, and primary color scheme to distinguish themselves. They are also given their own voice actor, but are not credited in the game.
Keys
Keys
B • Normal Attack
A • Charge Attack
X • Musou
Phoenix
"This land shall fall to the Crimson Banner! Let the Crimson flames burn!"
Weapon: Broadsword and Gauntlet
Image Color: Red
Element: Fire
Moveset
Charge Attack 1: A: Rushes forward with a barrage of punches before finishing with a twirling overhead slash.
Charge Attack 2: BA: Lands a flame enhanced swipe done sideways, then dashes forward to finish with a spinning slash.
Charge Attack 3: BBA: Creates two mirror images of himself to hit foes with a chain of slashes.
Charge Attack 4: BBBA: Does an overhead punch followed by rapid fire punches to all sides. Ends with a straight punch.
Normal Attack: BBBA: Launches three criss-cross slashes and an overhead chop.
Musou Attack: X: Whirls in one place to create a devastating tornado.
Fighting Style
Dragon
"Is my fate bound to this Azure Banner? Very well then. Let my blade cleave the path of fate!"
Weapon: Sheathed Sword
Image Color: Blue
Element: Lightning
Moveset
Charge Attack 1: A: Unsheathes sword for four quick slashes and a series of stabs forward.
Charge Attack 2: BA: Does a forward stab. Mirror images of quick slashes appear behind him afterwards.
Charge Attack 3: BBA: Lands a side swipe which cuts foes after pausing briefly.
Charge Attack 4: BBBA: Sheathes sword while surrounded by a torrent of slashes. Deflects enemy attacks and arrows.
Normal Attack: BBBA: Unleashes three horizontal slashes and a dashing slice forward.
Musou Attack: X: Sends out three whirlwinds of rapid slashes.
Fighting Style
Chimera
"With this Golden Banner and my steel hammer, I shall make my name ring through the land!"
Weapon: Giant Hammer
Image Color: Golden
Element: Earth
Moveset
Charge Attack 1: A: Spins hammer to hit foes multiple times to the front.
Charge Attack 2: BA: Whirls hammer over his head before slamming it on the ground. Unleashes three pillars of light.
Charge Attack 3: BBA: Lands a hard smack to the front.
Charge Attack 4: BBBA: Smashes hammer to the ground. Produces rippling shockwaves upon impact.
Normal Attack: BBBA: Does two horizontal swings and two overhead smashes.
Musou Attack: X: Smashes hammer onto the ground repeatedly for a series of damaging shockwaves.
Charge Attack 1: : Sends out a powerful tornado. Inflicts wind elemental damage.
Charge Attack 2: : Lunges forward while making a detour.
Charge Attack 3: : Conjures three balls of electricity that slowly detonate one by one. Inflicts lightning elemental damage.
Charge Attack 4: : Causes lightning bolts to strike around Qinglong. Inflicts lightning elemental damage.
Charge Attack 5: : Conjures three balls of electricity that rapidly detonate thrice. Inflicts lightning elemental damage.
Charge Attack 6: : Fires a massive beam of electricity. Inflicts lightning elemental damage.
Normal Attack: : Sends out three quick tornadoes per button input. Inflicts wind elemental damage.
Musou Attack: : Sends out four massive beams of electricity while moving about. Inflicts lightning elemental damage.
Dash Attack: Dashing + :
Fighting Style
Moveset
Charge Attack 1: : Sends out three powerful fiery tornadoes in a row. Inflicts fire elemental damage.
Charge Attack 2: : Does a rushing somersault in the air, then triggers a ground explosion upon landing. Inflicts fire elemental damage.
Charge Attack 3: : Homes in on a target area while causing fire to rain down, then triggers an explosion upon landing. Inflicts fire elemental damage.
Charge Attack 4: : Shoots three fireballs that gradually explode as Zhuque takes flight. Inflicts fire elemental damage.
Charge Attack 5: : Shoots three exploding fireballs thrice in a row, then causes fiery explosions upon taking flight. Inflicts fire elemental damage.
Charge Attack 6: : Causes flames to erupt upon landing, then triggers fiery explosions when taking flight. Inflicts fire elemental damage.
Normal Attack: : Sends out three quick fiery tornadoes traveling at a wide angle. Inflicts fire elemental damage.
Musou Attack: : Creates a fiery eruption on the ground before launching six large fireballs that detonate around the area. Inflicts fire elemental damage.
Dash Attack: Dashing + :
Fighting Style
Moveset
Charge Attack 1: : Lands two consecutive claw scratches before jumping back. Inflicts vorpal elemental damage.
Charge Attack 2: : Produces two deadly shockwaves with the first one generated before jumping forth and the second one created upon landing. Inflicts vorpal elemental damage.
Charge Attack 3: : Emits a radial shockwave. More can be produced via additional button input. Inflicts vorpal elemental damage.
Charge Attack 4: : Sends out four vorpal orbs that quickly explode together. Inflicts vorpal elemental damage.
Charge Attack 5: : Sends out two rapid claw marks. Inflicts vorpal elemental damage.
Charge Attack 6: : Sends out two rapid claw marks followed by a radial shockwave and more claw marks via button input extensions. Inflicts vorpal elemental damage.
Normal Attack: : Launches several sets of vorpal orbs that explode together in a fan-shaped formation. Inflicts vorpal elemental damage.
Musou Attack: : Sends out a massive shockwave that spreads out around the area. Inflicts vorpal elemental damage.
Dash Attack: Dashing + : Leaps forward at an enemy. Inflicts vorpal elemental damage.
Fighting Style
Moveset
Charge Attack 1: : Jumps high and produces a frigid shockwave upon landing. Inflicts ice elemental damage.
Charge Attack 2: : Unleashes a radial shockwave.
Charge Attack 3: : Bends back and slams forelegs on the ground, sending out an icy shockwave around the vicinity. Inflicts ice elemental damage.
Charge Attack 4: : Conjures icy geysers popping up around the area. Inflicts ice elemental damage.
Charge Attack 5: : Bends back and slams forelegs on the ground, sending out an icy shockwave that hits foes in front repeatedly. Inflicts ice elemental damage.
Charge Attack 6: : Uses tail to send out a powerful beam of ice that produces icicles upon hitting the target area. Inflicts ice elemental damage.
Normal Attack: : Uses tail to fire ice beams traveling in multiple directions, causing icicles to erupt with each hit. Inflicts ice elemental damage.
Musou Attack: : Spews out ice projectiles while causing icicles to rain down around the area. Inflicts ice elemental damage.
Dash Attack: Dashing + : Knocks over nearby foes.
Fighting Style
Harukanaru Toki no Naka de
The Harukanaru Toki no Naka de series refers to the four gods as four sacred beasts. They have some slight differences than their mythological counterparts, listed in the chart below.
White tiger with green prayer beads around its neck
West
Green
Strength
Metal
Dai'itoku Myō-Oh (大威徳明王)
Genbu
Tortoise encircled by a serpent
North
Violet
Versatility
Water
Kongōyasha Myō-Oh (金剛夜叉明王)
The protagonist of each game communicates with each sacred beast in person. Each god will then request the priestess's interpretation of the trait they represent and will agree to serve her after hearing her answer.
The series's universe establishes the four sacred beasts as servants of the White Dragon, the divine entity who chooses the series's protagonists as his destined priestess. Along with the White Dragon's opposite, the Black Dragon, these gods help protect the parallel world in their respective directions and oversee the proper flow of the Five Elements. Another servant of the White Dragon, the White Kirin, once served a similar purpose long ago and was designated as the leader of the four gods. Like the White and Black Dragons, the White Kirin also had its counterpart, the Black Kirin. However, the White Kirin does not appear in later eras of the series's history.
Long ago, the four sacred beasts resided within designated caverns and would appear if the chosen ones they desired summoned them. Skeptic of mortals, however, each required a test of their mettle before agreeing to join them. In Suzaku's case, he was berserk from a cursed chip of his seal and thanks the mortals for restoring him. He also resided within an ancient flying ship, which the protagonist can use to fly to various parts of the parallel world.
About a hundred years before the first game of the series, these gods primarily protected the capital. Whilst there, they are aided by the divine protectors of the city gates. These protectors were conjured by a famed sorcerer who tied these entities to the four gods. To fully unite the four gods, the support of these guardians were essential. When the Demon Clan tried to take over the capital during the first game, the dormant four sacred beasts were placed under curses and used against their will by the demons. Once these curses were lifted, the four gods resumed their services. They returned to their slumber after the priestess performed her duty.
During the second game, the four sacred beasts would only grant their divine protection to their respective Eight Guardians (see below). Others parties would try to take their seals by force yet the gods did not answer them. When the priestess of this age wishes for the twin dragons to extend their mystic protection across the parallel world, the four gods also act in accordance for her peaceful desire.
One century after the priestess's wish, Taira no Kiyomori attempts to manipulate the White and Black Dragons to bend to his will, disrupting the flow of the Five Elements. Causing an upsetting disturbance within the capital by his actions, Musashibo Benkei infiltrates the Heike household at Rokuhara and destroys the dragons' physical forms at the time. He foils Kiyomori for the moment but unintentionally plunges the world into further corruption. The four gods and their guardians are scattered once more, an infant White Dragon is born to replace the previous one destroyed, and the severely weakened Black Dragon is placed under a curse and entrapped against his will. While they obey the priestess's will, the four gods may express discontent to their new White Dragon, deeming him too weak and inadequate to lead them.
Though they are known to protect the parallel world, these gods occasionally appear in different dimensions to serve the priestess. They manifest themselves within a mirror world for her, can be seen residing within books in a mystical labyrinth, or appear within the series's dream world in their respective directions.
Eight Guardians
The Eight Guardians (八葉, Hachiyou, literally translated as the Eight Leaves) are defenders and servants of the White Dragon Priestess. They are chosen by the White Dragon, the proof being the Dragon Gems (龍の宝玉, Ryu no Gyoku) on their bodies that can mainly be seen by the priestess and other guardians.
As avatars for the four sacred beasts, they are split as either the Heaven (天, ten) or Earth (地, chi) for a single god. Each guardian represents a placement within the Five Elements and have an innate element associated with them. These traits are shared with all designated guardians in the first three games; they partially influence characters within the fourth title.
Eons ago, the Dragon Gems were originally gems associated with the royal family of Nakatsu Kuni. The princess of the same country would obtain them during the war with Tokoyo-no-Kuni. When she proves the worth of humanity to the White Dragon, he associates these gems to traits of the human heart inspired from the eight warriors guarding her. These gems later appear as a part of future guardians.
A priestess's strength is parallel to the hachiyous trust in her. If she is too weak, they won't serve her or believe in her. The hachiyou also need to trust in each other, for their true potential is demonstrated only when they unite their will as one. While being together adds protection for the priestess, they do not always have to be physically near one another to have the same effect. So long as the bond with a priestess and her hachiyou is present, they will never be truly separated.
Once the priestess gains the gods' trust, guardians can summon them in battle to attack foes. The first three titles allow the guardians of a single god to also invoke their divine aids, though the respective Heaven and Earth guardians need to be together to perform the incantation. The two warriors who have the god's protection are required to summon a beast into the field in the fourth title.
The fifth title has the Dragon Gems instead be placed within each guardian's weaponry. This allows the priestess of the era to strengthen them with purified vengeful spirits. In this particular era the gems can only be activated once the men have agreed to protect the priestess. Without the gems, the priestess is left vulnerable as her guardians have not "fully awakened" to their duties.
To prevent the White Dragon from gaining power in the sixth title, the Demon Clan shatter the Star Clan's master Dragon Gem in the sixth title. For the majority of the story, hachiyou do not exist.
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