XuanWu / Mystical Warrior ( 玄武 ) -- Black Turtle

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Hello,
I am researching XuanWu for my personal Qigong cultivation, and I was especially wondering what dates in the traditional Chinese calendar this figure/champion was honoured or celebrated, if possible. Any information you may be able to share would be very appreciated.
Many thanks,
and best regards,
Sheri Mahoney
Edmonton, Canada

2 Answer(s)

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Hi Sheri Mahoney,

The Black Tortoise or Black Turtle is one of the Four Symbols of the Chinese constellations. Despite its English name, it is usually depicted as a turtle entwined together with a snake.

The creature's name is identical to that of the important Taoist god Xuanwu, who is sometimes (as in Journey to the West) portrayed in the company of a turtle and snake. Xuanwu or Xuandi (玄帝 "Dark Deity"), also known as Zhenwu (真武) or Zhenwudadi is a deity in Chinese religion, one of the higher-ranking deities in Taoism. His birth date is the third day of March in Chinese lunar calendar. He is usually hornoured on the day. You can search more information about Xuanwu (god) from wiki.
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Thank you for your response - I think I was a little confused by the name being the same for the deity and the constellation. I'm especially interested in the connection with martial arts, north, the kidney system, and the beginning of winter. So the answer might lie more in the 5 Elements Theory? There's also a relationship to Yuan Qi. If you have any pointers, it would be much appreciated, as Wikipedia doesn't seem to group together the pieces I am looking for. Best regards, Sheri Mahoney

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