Four Gods Protecting Kyoto

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Looking from above these four gods should protect the city:


Behind --The Black Turtle (genbu 玄武) (north)

In front--The Vermillion Bird (suzaku 朱雀) (south)

On the left--The Azure Dragon (seiryū青龍) (east)

On the right-- The White Tiger (byakko白虎) (west)

On December 15, 2009 Gordon and I attended a lecture given by Ellen van Goethem. She is the author of Nagaoka: Japan’s Forgotten Capital (Brill, 2008). Her topic was: Questioning the Landscape: In Search of the Four Gods Protecting Japan’s Chinese-style Capitals.

Here is a brief summary of the main points of the lecture. Geophysical divination was used to find a site where the four guardian gods are in balance (四神相応 shijin sōō). The term shijin sōō has been used by sholars to explain how the ancient capitals were chosen. But this term can be found first in the Sakuteiki(作庭記-Notes on the Making of Gardens) attributed to Tachibana no Toshitsuna (1028–94). According to this 11th century text an auspicious site should have a mountain to the north, a river to the east, a road to the west, and a plain to the south. However this text dates 200 years after the founding of Heian Kyo.

In contrast , the traditional system from China held that the four guardian gods were blessed and the site was auspicious when it had three mountains protecting the city from the north, east and west and the southern section had a plain with water, providing an opening for sunshine and light. The later, modified system had four different topographical features which befit the gods: a moutain, a road, a river,and plain with water.

It has long been held that this new system of providing topographical features for the gods was particular to Japan. Professor van Goethem explained that there were continental texts which offered this modified version of picking auspicious sites. Specifically she sites the Dili xinshu 地理新書 (New Book on Feng Shui) written between 1036 and 1070. This text appeared a few decades before the Tachibana text. Secondly, it was believed that this system helped in picking the Chinese-style capitals. Professor van Goethem argued that this modified system was not used as a system for choosing Chinese-style capitals in Japan but rather the ideas in the Sakuteiki were offered as guidance in how to make a house or a villa within the capital an auspicious site.

Some key points to the lecture were vocabulary. How to define this process of finding an auspicious site. Feng shui is not suitable as it's a very modern concept. Topomancy was suggested as an appropriate term. Topomancy is a mix of Confucianism, Taoist ideas including the 5 elements, position of the moon, the 60 year cycle, and Omyodo- the balance of yin and yang.

In Japan, the earliest recorded use of site-divination was in 513. It was done by a certain Wajchi who was offered by the Paekche court. In 575 site divination was done using bamboo sticks(sochi). In 676 a divination bureau was formed. In contrast to the Chinese court it conflated both the divination and astrology agencies.

The connection between the gods and the four directions can be found in the Zhang shu 葬書 (Book of Burial) attributed to Guo Pu 郭璞 (276–324 CE) This text was translated by Stephen L. Field and can be found here: http://www.fengshuigate.com/zangshu.html

It explained that one should be buried with a cerulean dragon to the left, a white tiger to the right, a vermillion bird in front and a dark turtle behind. An example is the Kitora Tumulus. This site has good photos and an excellent explanation of the astrology from Kitora Tumulus: http://www2.gol.com/users/stever/kitora.htm

To summarize, the Sakutei presented a modified version balancing the four protecting guards with specific features in the landscape. The traditional version sought only natural aspects of the terrain. The four guardian gods were in balance when there were three mountains in a horseshoe shape with a plain with water to the south and an additional mountain to the distant south.

With this in mind we can look at the ancient capitals.

1. Fujiwara kyo

It seems to have been selected using the traditional model, i.e. 4 mountains.

This poem from the Manyoshu shows this clearly.
The green hill of Kagu of Yamato
Stands at the eastern gate,
A luxuriant springtime hill;
Unebi, with its fragrant slopes,
Rises at the western gate,
Ever fresh and flourishing;
Miminashi, the green sedgy mound,
Rears at the northern gate
Its form divine;
And the mountains of Yoshinu, of lovely name,
Soar into the sky,
Far from the southern gate. (Higuchi 1983)

2. Nara. Also seems to have used the 3-mountain and open south plan.

3. Nagaoka.

North. Mt Sawa
West Mt. Nishiyama
East Mt. Fukakusa
South Mt. Katano and Lake Ogura

4. Heian-kyo
North Mt. Tanba
West Mt. Hira
East Mt. Arashiyama
South Ogura Pond/Lake

What is interesting is that the modified version is more commonly known. It has:
North Mt Funaoka
West San-indo or San-yodo road
East Kamo River
South Ogura Pond/Lake