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"All things begin with one"

The above statement was Shimabuku Tatsuo's reply when Kaneshi Eiko, one of Tatsuo's senior students, asked him why he was naming his new style of karate Isshin-ryu

The Isshin-ryu Crest

Isshin-ryu No Megami
Goddess of Isshin-ryu
The first Isshin-ryu Megami crest was designed by Arcenio J. Advincula with the permission of Shimabuku Tatsuo.

Azure Dragon

The above drawing is based on Seiryu  (青 龍)  The Blue dragon
or Azure dragon Found at Takamatsu Zuka Kofun. In ancient
China, the original dragons looked more like a horse then in the
shape of a serpent which came much later.

     The blue dragon is also called the Azure Dragon and is the guardian of the East.  The Azure Dragon represents the water elements and Spring. The kanji or Chinese characters making up the name can be read separately as "qing  (青)," meaning either "green" or "young," and "long　," meaning "dragon." In Japanese the kanji is aoi　 for "blue-green," and "ryuu　," for dragon. The name can also be pronounced "Sei Ryuu　."

*28 Constellations and four quadrants

     The Chinese over 3500 years ago divided the celestial sphere into twenty-eight constellations. Four quadrants divided and were represented by four sacred creatures regarded as guardian deities in ancient China. These  four talismanic animals also represented the four seasons and four cardinal directions. The Azure Dragon (Seiryuu ) also called the "Dragon of the East"  presides over the eastern quarter (Spring.) The  The Red bird (Suzaku ) often called the Chinese phoenix  presides over the southern quadrant (Summer). The White Tiger (Byakko) of the West (Fall) and the Black Tortoise (Genbu) of the North (Winter). While four cardinal directions East , West , South and North are represented, five directions are used. The other direction is the center   represented by the Earth .

                                  Black Tortoise (North)

                                               北


    White Tiger  (West)  西           ＋               東 Dragon of the (East)
                             
              
                                               南
                                   Chinese Phoenix (South)

 Each of the four quadrants are considered to be ‘mansions’ or ‘resting-places’ for the sun and moon in their revolutions. The four quadrants housed what the ancient Chinese knew to be ‘mansions’ or ‘resting places’ in heaven for the sun and moon to rest as they made their revolutions. Seven mansions were allocated to each of the four quadrants for the sun and moon to rest. The seven mansions in the four quadrants equal the twenty-eight constellations. In Japan today these mansions are known as Moon “stations” or “lodges” and based on day or night position of the moon while the Chinese retain 28 lunar mansions which represents constellations ecliptic route through which the moon passes.

Within the Constellation of the Azure Dragon lies seven moon stations.

Moon Stations of the Azure Dragon

Chinese Character	Meaning	Key Star	Japanese Name
1	Horn(s), perhaps Angle, Corner	Alpha Vir	SuBoshi
2	Neck, Throat	Kappa Vir	AmiBoshi
3	Root, perhaps Shoulder or Base	Iota Lib; sometimes Alpha Lib	TomoBoshi
4	Chamber, perhaps Breasts	Delta Sco; sometimes Pi Sco	SoiBoshi
5	Heart	Sigma Sco	NakagoBoshi
6	Tail	Mu Sco	AshitareBoshi
7	Basket	Gamma Sgr; sometimes Eta Sgr	MiBoshi
*from: http://www2.gol.com/users/stever/spring.htm

 For this article we are concerned about the “Azure Dragon” (Blue Dragon) or “Dragon of the East” and how it relates to Isshin-ryu karate. Within the larger Azure Dragon constellation is the Western constellation Scorpio. The constellation Scorpio is not a Chinese constellation but the Chinese knew of it from ancient times from having traded with Greece in ancient times.

Ancient Chinese astronomers believe that four talismanic animals marked the four seasons and four cardinal directions. The cycle of the sun and moon are brings change to the seasons.

Four Talismanic Animals
Black Tortoise Genbu	North
White Tiger Byakko	West
Dragon of the Seiryuu	East
Red Bird Suzaku	South

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