What is the importance of the Four Elephants in the China Tiangong map?

The four images are the basis of Chinese astrology, just like the status of gossip in the Book of Changes.

The ancients divided twenty-eight huts into four groups according to the northeast and southwest directions, with seven huts in each group and four groups of animal images of four colors and five animals, which were called four elephants or four places, playing a role in division and positioning.

Lu Si is actually the middle part of the four astrological phenomena, that is, the most important astrologer (constellation) in each of the four astrological phenomena. Saying "the stars in the sun are in Yin Zhongchun", "the sparks in the sun are always in midsummer", "the stars in the night are empty in Yin Zhongqiu" and "the stars in the sun are short in the middle of winter" means observing the stars and hearts.

Seven Oriental Hostels: horn, sound, chariot, room, heart, tail and dragon. Like a dragon flying in the night sky in early spring and early summer, it is called "East Palace Black Dragon" cyan.

Seven nights in the north: fighting, cows (cows), women (bearded women), emptiness, danger, houses (barracks) and walls (east walls). Snakes and turtles appear in the night sky in summer and early autumn, so they are called "Gong Bei Xuan Wu"; black

Seven nights in the Western Heaven: Kui, Lou, Wei, Chang, Bi, Gou and Shen. The tiger jumps out of the night sky in late autumn and early winter, so it is called "West Palace White Tiger"; white

Seven nights in the south: essence (cave essence), ghost (Yu ghost), willow, star (seven stars), Zhang, wing and Yi. Like a Suzaku spreading its wings and flying, it appears in the night sky in winter and early spring, so it is called "Nangong Suzaku". red

The concept of four elephants and twenty-eight lodgings was formed very early, and it was recorded at the beginning of the Warring States Period.

Later, in the Book of Rites Quli, it was said: "Before the trip, Zhu bird followed Xuanwu, left Qinglong and right White Tiger." Confucius said, "Zhu Bird, Xuanwu, Qinglong and Baihu are also named after these four places."

In the Han Dynasty, the book Shang Shu Kao Ling Yao said: "Twenty-eight nights are the vitality of the sky and the essence of everything. Therefore, the Oriental Corner, Kang, Bian, Fu, Heart, Tail and Basket are seven nights, and their shape is like a dragon, which is called Zuo Qinglong. Nanjing, Ghost, Willow, Star, Zhang, Wing and Bird stayed for seven nights, which looked like quail birds and were called' former Suzaku'. In the west, there are Wei Xiao, Lou, Wei, Chang, Bi, Gou and Shen for seven nights, which are shaped like tigers and called' right white tigers'. North, fighting, cows, women, emptiness, danger, rooms and walls are seven nights. Shaped like a tortoise and snake, it is called' post-Xuanwu'. "