The Black Snake-Tortoise of the North

The White Tiger of the West

The Azure Dragon of the East


The Chinese Constellationsdigital, 2022

The Black Snake-Tortoise of the North 北方玄武
30.33” by 10”


The White Tiger of the West 西方白虎
34.5” by 14.3"


The Azure Dragon of the East 东方苍龙 
51" by 10" (scroll)
 This illustration series draws from the cosmological system of Chinese astrology, where mythological symbols are mapped across the sky to represent not only directions and seasons, but also elemental forces and metaphysical cycles. Through visual interpretations of the Four Symbols—divine beasts associated with the East, West, North, and South—the series engages with how ancient knowledge systems encode human understandings of time, nature, and existence.

Rather than approaching astrology as a set of fixed meanings, the work views it as a philosophical structure—one that mirrors the rhythms of transformation, decay, and renewal in both the natural and spiritual worlds. Each composition traces the outlines of constellations while simultaneously constructing a symbolic terrain where mythology and ecology intertwine.

Recurring contrasts—such as the entwined snake and tortoise, or the ephemeral orchid blooming beside an enduring stone—serve as metaphors for transience and permanence, mortality and longevity. These motifs reflect a deeper inquiry into the dualities that shape existence: softness and strength, movement and stillness, birth and decay. The celestial becomes a mirror of the terrestrial, not in form but in pattern—a poetic logic that connects stars, seasons, bodies, and belief.

This series has been recognized in multiple international illustration competitions, including Communication Arts, iJungle Illustration Awards, and Affected By Art, affirming both its artistic and conceptual strength.


Azure Dragon of the East | Giclee printed hand scroll | limited edition of 50