Yin 6: The Five Celestial Beasts

Is that a lengthy exposition I hear?

Li Bailong frowned, lowering his wand. The boy just wanted to successfully perform a magic trick for once. Was that too much to ask?

 

His eyes wandered back to the page of the book he was reading, The Mystics of Magic. The thick volume was opened up to page three hundred and ninety-four, elaborate writing explaining the steps required to wield ancient magic. Lavish drawings accompanied the text, illustrations of the intended effects and results of casting the spells. All other attempts at spells had failed, so he just kept flipping through the book, looking for something possible.

 

The boy sighed. "It's no use. It never is." He threw his wand into the corner of the room, frustrated at his failures. This was just another one on top of it all. Li Bailong wasn't surprised at his failure; rather, he was surprised at why he was still so disappointed when he fully expected such an outcome.

 

He gave one lingering look at The Mystics of Magic before averting his gaze. His failure was staring at him right in the face, sitting there wide open, and it upset him. Storming over, he snapped the book shut before hurling it at the wall as well. It had been a present, one given to him by his maternal grandmother, but as much as he valued it, it was too frustrating to look at. He left the room in a hurry, leaving the house without a second glance.

 

Li Bailong rushed down the street, his slip-on shoes slapping loudly against the ground. Onwards he raced, straight down the street, winding around corners here and there, weaving in and out of alleyways and the street. He paid no mind to his surroundings, solely his destination. Finally he came upon it: Zhao Feng’s Novelty Shop. He came here often, perusing the books and rare items he was prone to finding. Entering the shop, the bell above the door chimed, and a pair of amused eyes looked up at the new arrival.

 

The man at the counter smiled. "Well, if it isn't my most loyal customer. What brings you here, Li?"

 

"Li Bailong," the boy insisted. He disliked when people didn't call him by his proper name. "And I'm here to learn."

 

The counter man appraised him with an approving eye. "Most of your generation cares not to learn new things."

 

The boy prickled at being compared to his peers, despite it being a compliment. "I'm not most of my generation."

 

The man gave him a small smile, his white beard crinkling with the movement. "No," he allowed, "You're not. This way." He turned from the counter, turning into the backroom. Li Bailong scurried under the door that prevented people from going behind the counter, following him in.

 

The backroom was sumptuously furnished and generously lit, revealing walls lined with bookcases filled to the brim with books. Also in the room were numerous antiques and dated artifacts, sculptures and paintings hanging from the walls as well. The boy sat himself down upon a particularly plump crimson satin cushion, and looked towards the man expectantly. He was not disappointed when the man swooped down, his tangzhuang kung fu uniform ruffling, sitting on the chair opposite him.

 

"What would you like to learn about today?"

 

"Anything," Li Bailong responded. "You always tell the best stories."

 

The bearded man smiled faintly. "Stories would imply they are not true, child. There is more to this world than meets the eye."

 

Li Bailong huffed. "I hope there's more to this tale too."

 

His patron chuckled. "Clever boy. Very well, let us begin. This is an ancient tale, entrenched in the beginning of time itself." To Li Bailong, the man's gaze seemed to become distant, reminiscent. His voice almost sounded...wistful.

 

"Long ago, there was nothing. The entirety of the universe was in the form of a void, exempt of life and creation. The void was simple, unbridled chaos: the predominant force in all of existence. From the chaos came forth an egg. A giant, P'an Ku, resided within, hatching and breaking apart the egg that contained him. The egg shell broke into two pieces, light and darkness escaping as well. The darker, heavier pieces fell, creating the Earth, while the brighter, lighter fragments floated up and formed the heavens. P'an Ku, with fear in his heart, dedicated himself to keeping a balance between the sky and ground, vowing to keep them apart until he was sure the chaos would not return.

 

"Centuries and millennia passed before P'an Ku felt his duty had been completed. In his exhaustion, he sunk down to the Earth, where he died shortly thereafter. His breath became the winds and clouds, his body and limbs forming the mountains and hills, his blood flowing like rivers and oceans. His hair became plants and vegetation, while his teeth embedded themselves within the earth, becoming precious jewels. Through his sacrifice, P'an Ku brought about order from chaos, and brought forth the foundation of all subsequent life."

 

Li Bailong's eyes widened as he listened to the tale. "Wow, P'an Ku must've been very strong to hold apart the heavens and the earth. What happens next, Mr. Zhao Feng?"

 

Zhao Feng stroked his beard tenderly, his eyes still crinkled with the influence of his recollection. "Some time after, a being from the heavens came down to earth to see what remained of P'an Ku, his sacrificial legacy. This creature was the Dragon Goddess Nu-Kua, a beautiful goddess with the upper half of a woman and the lower body of a dragon. She traveled the earth, marvelling at its many beauties, all the while lamenting the fact that there was no one there to appreciate it. As such, the goddess decided to create humans, with the intention of not having P'an Ku's sacrifice be in vain. The dragon-goddess scooped up clay, tenderly fashioning human beings out of the earthy substance. Countless men and women were made, but ultimately, they were all inanimate. The celestial being reached out with her heart, expelling her divine breath into her creations, inspiring them with words of love and creation, driving them to populate the Earth and recreate on their own, furthering their species.

 

"The Dragon-Goddess also taught them in the passionate arts, enabling the humans to learn and become proficient in fields such as irrigation and agriculture. It is also said that her consort, a half-man, half-dragon creature called Fu Xi, is responsible for teaching humanity how to hunt, fish, and tend to flocks of animals. He is also accredited with the invention of music, which I'm sure you are greatly appreciative for." Zhao Feng nodded towards Li Bailong, whose hands instinctively went to his perpetually-worn headphones, almost protectively. The old man laughed, which served to somewhat embarrass Li Bailong.

 

"As nice as that was, Mr. Zhao Feng, that story doesn't seem as interesting as it could be. Isn't there any fighting?"

 

"I've already told you, Li Bailong. 'Story' would imply it's not true."

 

Li Bailong rolled his eyes, but said nothing. The elderly man went on.

 

"And you're quite right." Zhao Feng's eyes suddenly seemed to sparkle mysteriously, and he gazed directly into Li Bailong's eyes as he spoke. "All tales have a conflict; otherwise there would be no tale. This one is no different."

 

"Well then, what is it?" Li Bailong eagerly asked, perking up in his seat. Zhao Feng resumed his narration, his voice taking on a solemn tone; this was getting exciting, Li Bailong knew.

 

"Peace has an odd habit of never being eternal. There existed generals under Nu-Kua's command, those who did not agree with her philosophies. Some perceived her to be weak, for having such creatures as humans wandering the earth. Whatever their reasoning, several generals went rogue, becoming traitorous rebels who sought to destroy what she had created.

 

"The generals thought it would be appropriate to turn Nu-Kua's creations against her. With the help of demonic beings, of fire and water variations, they managed to manipulate the humans into helping them destroy the world. Nu-Kua, refusing to have the earth, P'an Ku's legacy, be destroyed, waged war against the traitorous generals, demons, and humans. With the help of gigantic warriors, she managed to make her campaign a success. However, her victory came at a price: one of the giants partially destroyed the heavens by an accident, when he upset one of its pillars. This resulted in a devastating flood that covered a great portion of the earth. The Dragon-Goddess managed to resolve this problem by stemming the rising waters through use of charred reeds, and rebuilt the broken pillar.

 

"Afterwards, in order to prevent such an occurrence from happening again, Nu-Kua created The Guardians of the Four Quarters, also known as The Four Symbols. The Dragon-Goddess placed the Black Tortoise in the north, and gave it control over winter; the Azure Dragon in the east, with control over spring; the White Tiger in the west, with control over autumn; and the Vermillion Bird, in the south with control over summer. There was one more, lesser known creation, the Yellow Dragon, who was tasked to protect the 'centre'. With these five guardians, the world became balanced and experienced a long era of peace. It is said that the Five Legendary Beasts continue to reside in their respective domains, protecting the world from ruin."

 

Li Bailong sighed dreamily, his imagination going into overdrive with the tale he had been told. "That was an awesome story, Mr. Zhao Feng." The boy caught himself after he received a piercing look from the elderly man. "Tale, I mean. What ever happened to the Dragon-Empress, Nu-Kua?"

 

The old man shrugged. "Why do you assume anything happened to her? She is the Dragon-Empress, is she not? When her own generals turned against her, she crushed them for the good of all. Nu-Kua does not like violence, instead appreciating beauty, but she does what must be done. And it is usually her doing the doing, not anything being done to her."

 

Li Bailong raised an eyebrow. What is he even saying? "Anyways, you seem to know a lot about the Five Legendary Beasts. How do you know so much?"

 

"I make it my business to know. With age comes wisdom. With mistakes come lessons. I just happen to have been around for a really long time." He paused, a quizzical smile on his wrinkled face. "I know the Five Legendary Beasts quite well, yes. Underappreciated as they are, someone has to know about them."

 

"I want to know more about them. What kind of powers did they have?"

 

Zhao Feng stroked his beard slowly in thought. "As each of the Five Legendary Beasts were associated with a direction and season, so too were they associated with an element. For the Black Tortoise, the element of water: supple, adaptable, fluid, and flexible. It also represents longevity and wisdom. You may think that a sturdy tortoise, slow and steady as it may be, would be incompatible with such traits, and that water is weak." He winked at Li Bailong. "You'd be wrong. It would be wise to note that water, when in an abundance, can overwhelm even the land. Not only can water float a boat, it can also sink it."

 

"Go on, what else??"

 

"For the Azure Dragon, the element of wood. Warmth, generosity, cooperative, strong, authority. Do not take the Azure Dragon lightly. As quickly as he would help a friend, he will strike down an enemy. His warmth is only superseded by his fire. It also is associated with the beginning of life, buds, and naturally, springtime. The Azure Dragon is as strong as he is generous."

 

"What about the White Tiger?"

 

"The White Tiger is associated with the element of metal. Firmness, rigidity, determination, persistence, strength, protection. The White Tiger is controlling and ambitious, as well as self-reliant. Just like metal can conduct electricity, so too can the White Tiger have strong impulses and influence, generating and bringing about changes between anyone who comes into contact with him. He is quite the charismatic creature."

 

"The Vermillion Bird?"

 

"Ah, the Vermillion Bird, sometimes referred to as the Phoenix. For her, the elemental association is fire. Extreme luck, dynamism, strength, enthusiasm, creativity. However, the Vermillion Bird may be easily provoked, and her impatience and restlessness can bring about aggressive behaviour. Just as fire provides warmth and is nurturing, so too can it burn when in excess. The Vermillion Bird is passionate and full of life."

 

Li Bailong hesitated, before asking. "And...The Yellow Dragon?"

 

Zhao Feng smiled. "You did not forget him, as so many often do. The Yellow Dragon is associated with the element of earth. A perfect balance of Yin and Yang, the feminine and masculine, patient, thoughtful, hard-working, stable, nurturing. The Yellow Dragon protects the centre, not associated with any of the outer directions, emphasizing its harmonious neutrality. Conversely, due to its stability and sturdiness, the Yellow Dragon can also be viewed as stubborn and uncompromising."

 

The boy sat in silence as he thought over Zhao Feng's words. The man was quite wise and knowledgeable, Li Bailong thought. He always told him stories, but never such a fantastic and imaginative one. He smiled, fantasizing about the celestial beasts. He blinked, snapping out of his thoughts as he looked up at the shop owner. "What else? There's more, right? It's really interesting."

 

Zhao Feng's mouth curled into a small smile yet again. "Yes, child, there is. But there is a time and place for everything, and here and now is neither of those." He rose, gesturing to Li Bailong to follow him, before he swept out of the room back to the counter in the front of the store. The boy followed him, pushing aside the threaded beads that separated the rooms.

 

As he made his way to the front of the storeroom, Li Bailong saw his older brother, Li Shaoming, standing there with a pleasant smile on his face. "Oh, there you are, Bailong! I was wondering where you got off to."

 

Li Bailong froze. His brother was here. And that smile was as fake as the jade figurines of the Chinese zodiac their mother possessed.

 

Li Shaoming went on cheerfully, not missing the look of shock on Li Bailong's face when he saw him. "Last I heard, a thud came from your room so I came to investigate. Your book was lying in the corner with your wand. The Mystics of Magic, was it? I took it away, since you obviously haven't learned to take better care of your things! Don't worry, it's safe, it's perfectly alright. All five volumes are perfectly fine."

 

Li Bailong felt a horrible chill over him. There were no other volumes of that book. Which meant...Li Shaoming ripped it into pieces. How he had managed to do so to such a thick book, Li Bailong didn't care to question. He just knew his brother did that to hurt him.

Li Shaoming smiled wider. "Dear brother, you look pale. Come along, we'd better hurry home and look after you. You tend to get lost while wandering and have a knack for finding trouble." His eyes cut to Zhao Feng for a moment before turning back onto Li Bailong with his see-through cheery smile. "Come now, little brother, we mustn’t worry mother."

 

He forcefully grabbed Li Bailong around the wrist, dragging him by his left hand. He yanked, resulting in his younger brother tumbling, before chuckling. "Silly little brother. You've always been so clumsy. Come along, we haven't got time." He turned back to Zhao Feng, giving his smile again. "I'm sorry that my brother interrupted your store operations. He won't be coming back again."

 

Terror gripped Li Bailong, and he fought to wrench himself free, shouting "No!" This only resulted in Li Shaoming gripping his wrist in a bruising grasp, yanking him up to his feet. "Yes, little brother. You can't be left on your own."

 

Zhao Feng said nothing to him, watching Li Shaoming with knowing eyes. "I suspect I'll see you again, Li Bailong. Until then, educate yourself." He gestured to a book on the table near the door, a leather-bound heavy set black book. The title was written in a fancy script, reading Magical Myths: Chinese Creatures. Li Bailong managed to grasp it in his right hand when Li Shaoming was distracted by Zhao Feng's words.

 

The elder brother dropped all pretenses when Zhao Feng said he would see Li Bailong again. "I wouldn't count on it. He is now forbidden from entering this store. Let us go." He tugged on Li Bailong's wrist once more, disappearing from the store with his unwilling younger brother in tow.

The elderly Zhao Feng stroked his beard, almost in a bemused manner. "I will be seeing you soon enough, Li Bailong. Sooner than you expect, and much sooner than your brother does at that."