Ssu Ling
by
Stephanie Ruben, Clarksville Middle School
The
Ssu Ling are the four spiritual creatures of Chinese myth.
These creatures are the Ch'i-lin, the snake Feng-huan,
the tortoise, and the dragon
Long (see also my Dragons
Chapter).
The
Ch'i-lin has a deer's body, an ox's tail, horses hooves,
and a single horn. The Ch'i-lin appeared only before the
birth or death of a great man.
The
Feng-huang, or phoenix,
was a bird with radiant feathers. It had an enchanting
song. The Feng-huang appeared when good fortune was propitious.
The
tortoise was a symbol of a long life and righteousness.
When it was a thousand years old it was able to speak
the human language. They were used to foretell the future.
The
dragon, also bringer of god fortune, was the symbol of
the power of the emperor. Dragons ruled the water: seas,
rivers, and the rain-clouds.
Each
one of the four spiritual creatures of the Chinese myth
stands for one of the symbols on the compass. The Ch'i-lin
was the western point of the compass. The Feng-huang was
the southern point of the compass. The tortoise, along
with the snake, ruled the north, and the dragon symbolized
the east.
