Elements
The elements denote nature’s foundational forces, commonly four in Western schemes and five in Asian traditions, each mapped to forms, colors, qualities, and creatures.
Our paraphrase of what the sources say it carries.
At a glance
- Type
- Symbol
- Borne by
- 2 figures
- Traditions
- Japanese folklore (2)
Figures that bear it
A model judged each figure against its own description, one term at a time. Is: the figure is, or is partly, this thing. Bears: it carries the thing or is marked by it. What a figure does is filed under motifs and powers. Open "why" for the sentence the judgement rests on.
- Hō-ō bears Japanese folklore
why
The Hō-ō is often depicted with a vibrant plumage of red, gold, and azure, symbolizing the elements of fire, earth, and sky.
- Yamata no Orochi bears Japanese folklore
why
The serpent's scales are said to be impenetrable, glimmering with an otherworldly sheen that reflects the various elements it embodies.