Four Symbols; Four Guardian Gods
Refers to the four mythological creatures in Chinese and East Asian cosmology: Azure Dragon, White Tiger, Vermilion Bird, and Black Tortoise. They are associated with the four cardinal directions and sometimes the four seasons.
The Four Symbols consist of the Azure Dragon of the East, the White Tiger of the West, the Vermilion Bird of the South, and the Black Tortoise of the North.
In ancient China, the Four Symbols were believed to govern the four seasons.
One of the Four Symbols, representing the North and winter.
From Chinese 四神 (sìshén), literally 'four gods'. The term is deeply rooted in Chinese mythology and cosmology, later adopted into Japanese culture.