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玄武 Black TortoiseThe 7 lunar mansions of the Black Tortoise quadrant.NORTH · WINTER玄武Black Tortoise7 mansions · water elementREFERENCE · FOUR SYMBOL
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玄武 Black Tortoise 玄武 · Northern Quadrant

Northern quadrant Winter constellations water element 7 mansions

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玄武 Black Tortoise: the seven classical lunar mansions of the northern quadrant of the night sky — the winter constellations and the water-element register. The Black Tortoise (a tortoise entwined with a serpent) governs the northern quadrant — the winter constellations, the water element, and the register of stillness, longevity, and the deep waters. Its 7 mansions span the structures of the household and storehouse.

玄武 Black Tortoise: the northern quadrant

The Black Tortoise (a tortoise entwined with a serpent) governs the northern quadrant — the winter constellations, the water element, and the register of stillness, longevity, and the deep waters. Its 7 mansions span the structures of the household and storehouse.

The Black Tortoise (玄武) is one of the four classical celestial quadrants — together with the Azure Dragon (east), White Tiger (west), and Vermilion Bird (south) — that organise the 28 lunar mansions into seasonal and directional groups. Each Four Symbol carries seven mansions; together the 28 mansions form the complete cycle.

The 7 mansions of the Black Tortoise

斗 Dǒu · Dipper

Mansion 8 of 28 · animal totem 獬 (Xie (mythical unicorn)) · wood element · Thursday

The Dipper — the granary’s register and measured fortune. Auspicious for business openings and harvests.

牛 Niú · Ox

Mansion 9 of 28 · animal totem 牛 (Ox) · metal element · Friday

The Ox — agriculture and the celestial cowherd. Favourable for cultivation; cautious for swift action.

女 Nǚ · Maiden

Mansion 10 of 28 · animal totem 蝠 (Bat) · earth element · Saturday

The Maiden — weaving and the celestial weaving girl. Favourable for intricate work and patient partnerships.

虛 Xū · Void

Mansion 11 of 28 · animal totem 鼠 (Rat) · sun element · Sunday

The Void — emptiness and mourning. Classical appropriateness only for concluding rites and severance.

危 Wēi · Rooftop

Mansion 12 of 28 · animal totem 燕 (Swallow) · moon element · Monday

The Rooftop — the high places and danger. Classical for elevation in office; cautious for ordinary matters.

室 Shì · Encampment

Mansion 13 of 28 · animal totem 豬 (Pig) · fire element · Tuesday

The Encampment — the dwelling. Favourable for construction, household-establishment, and founding.

壁 Bì · Wall

Mansion 14 of 28 · animal totem 貐 (Yu (mythical creature)) · water element · Wednesday

The Wall — the library’s register and protected knowledge. Favourable for scholarship and writing.

Cross-references

Frequently asked questions

What is the Black Tortoise in Chinese astronomy?

The Black Tortoise (玄武) is one of the four classical celestial quadrants of the night sky in Chinese astronomy. It governs the northern sky, the winter constellations, and the water element register. Each Four Symbol contains 7 of the 28 lunar mansions; the four together complete the celestial cycle.

Which 7 lunar mansions belong to the Black Tortoise?

The 7 mansions of the Black Tortoise are: 斗 Dǒu (Dipper), 牛 Niú (Ox), 女 Nǚ (Maiden), 虛 Xū (Void), 危 Wēi (Rooftop), 室 Shì (Encampment), 壁 Bì (Wall). They span positions 8 through 14 of the 28-mansion cycle.

How do the Four Symbols relate to date selection?

The Four Symbols organise the 28 lunar mansions into seasonal and directional groups, but date selection itself works at the individual mansion level — each calendar date is governed by one specific mansion (not by the broader Four Symbol). The Four Symbol classification is useful for understanding a mansion’s elemental register and seasonal context, which inform the mansion’s classical activity associations. For chart-specific date selection, see the date selection consultation.

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Related Four Symbols

7 mansions of the Black Tortoise

斗Dǒu 牛Niú 女Nǚ 虛Xū 危Wēi 室Shì 壁Bì

Cross-references

二十八宿28 Lunar Mansions hub 節氣24 Solar Terms 擇日總覽Auspicious dates by month 結婚吉日Wedding dates 開業吉日Business opening dates 擇日Date selection consultation 推命BaZi consultation 參Reference Library