Dragon
"East - the Blue Dragon, Spring, Wood; Planet, Jupiter; liver and gall.
"One of the oldest symbolic animals, stylized forms of which are a feature of the decoration of ancient bronzes cast before the invention of writing. In complete contrast to Western mythology, however, Dragons are rarely depicted as malevolent. They may be fearsome and very powerful, and all stand in awe of the dragon-kings, but they are equally considered just, benevolent, and the bringers of wealth and good fortune. There are, of course, legends of the various immortals battling against evil dragons, but such monsters would be foreign ones. Local dragons are to be respected, feared, and petitioned as one would petition a just and honest ruler. For this reason, the dragon symbol is the sign of authority, being worn on the robes of the Imperial family and nobility.
Dragons are generally considered to be aquatic, living in lakes, rivers and the sea, the larger the expanse of water, the more powerful the dragon. Nevertheless, there are dragons which inhabit the heavens, one quarter of the sky being called the Palace of the Green Dragon, in reference to the stars which in Chinese astronomy constitute the constellation of the Dragon. Even so, the appearance of the Dragon constellation is said to herald the rainy season."
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Phoenix
"South - the Red Bird, Summer, Fire, the Sum; Planet, Mars; heart and large intestines."
(i know this should be the Red Bird section, but since Suzaku is more like a Phoenix I'd thought I'd add this instead. also, there was nothing on the Red Bird at all.)
"Phoenix is used as a translation for Feng, or Feng Huang, the sacred bird of Chinese mythology. It has many miraculous attributes, but not self-rejuvenation, and does not posses the Arabian phoenix's propensity for self-immolation. It is usually portrayed as a beautiful bird, virtually identical to an ornamental pheasant. Few illustrations match its verbal description, as it is said to have the front of a swan, the hinder parts of a unicorn, the throat of a swallow, the bill of a chicken, the neck of a snake, the stripes of a dragon, and the arched back of a tortoise. Its plumage is of the five mystical colors - black, white, red, green and yellow, and it has twelve tail feathers, except in years when there is an extra month, when there are thirteen. It feeds on bamboo seeds, lives in the branches of the dryandera tree, and drinks from fountains of fresh water.
It is one of the four emblems of royalty, usually associated with the Empress. The expression Dragon and Phoenix signifies wedded bliss. In many respects its symbolism has been confused and merged with that of the Red Bird, one of the four Celestial Emblems"
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Tiger
"West - the White Tiger, Autumn, Wind, Metal; Planet, Venus; lungs and small intestine."
This is all i could find on the white tiger, I'll keep looking...
"...The White Tiger of the West, for instance, is associated with metal. When, therefore, metal is placed in a grave, a ceremonial connection with the tiger-god is effected. 'According to the Annals of Wu and Yueh, three days after the burial of the king, the essence of the element metal assumed the shape of a white tiger and crouched down on the top of the grave.' Here the tiger is a protector - a preserver.
...As we have seen, white jade was used when the Tiger god of the West was worshiped; it is known as 'tiger jade'; a tiger was depicted on the jade symbol. To the Chinese the tiger was the king of all animals and 'lord of the mountains', and the tiger-jade ornament was specially reserved for commanders of armies. The male tiger was, among other things, the god of war, and in this capacity it not only assisted the armies of the emperors, but fought the demons that threatened the dead in their graves."
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Tortoise
North - the Black Tortoise, Winter, Cold, Water; Planet, Mercury; kidneys and bladder."
In recent times, the tortoise was supplanted by the "Black Warrior" symbolism.
"One of the Celestial Emblems, the symbol of longevity and wisdom. It is said that its shell represents the vault of the universe. A common symbol for longevity is the Tortoise and Snake, whose union was thought to have engendered the universe.
The reason why the tortoise symbolism has been superseded by the Black Warrior as the emblem of the North, is probably due to the fact that 'tortoise' is a term of abuse."
"In China the tortoise had divine attributes. Tortoise shell is a symbol of unchangeability, and a symbol or rank when used for court girdles. The tortoise was also used for purposes of divination.
A gigantic mythical tortoise is supposed, in the Far East, to live in the depths of ocean. It has one eye situated in the middle of its body. Once every three thousand years it rises to the surface and turns over on its back so that it may see the sun."
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