character related world information

[SirGeneralSir]

so i have a few heroes that im working on, i have all most all of the personal stuff for them worked out its just some of the minor details.

i have a samurai who is part of the royal elite guard, they use the white lotus as their icon, one of his enemy is very evil, wants to destroy his kingdom etc etc.

i need a flag/banner for them that is also Japanese in nature, i was thinking of a evil symbol like the pentagram, but i cant find one for japan.

does any one know what a symbol like that would be?

what is their version of the pentagram.

[BronxWench]

There is no version of a pentagram in Japanese culture. You're applying Western cultural thinking again, and it doesn't apply here.

In addition, as a pagan, can I say that I find the automatic association of a pentagram with evil highly offensive? Despite its adoption by certain Christian-inspired offshoots like Satanism, it is not an evil symbol at all. I don't mock the symbols of other faiths, and it would be nice, albeit rare, to receive the same courtesy.

[RogueMudblood]

I would also like to point out, that in the past, Christians have used the pentagram as a means of locating the five wounds Jesus received on the cross. It is linked to the Star of David (the six-pointed star) as well as the Christian cross. It has its origins in Greece, and the symbol has been used as part of the Wu Xing in China as a means of connecting the elements. This symbol and ideology is used in Feng Shui.

I suggest if you want to use something indicative of the Japanese culture that would have historical/mythological significance, try Googling something else.

[Danyealle]

i would suggest that the symbol you are talking about is the baphomet, the symbol for the Church of Satan, not the pentagram. It has the goat head on it. Japanese symbolism is very different than those of us in the west use. You may want to do some research before using something like that.

[SirGeneralSir]

yeah i know what the pentagram really is, but because of media, like movies, games and TV shows, most people would see it as being evil but thats because they dont understand it.

like in sleepy hollow when the spider goes under icabod's bed and they find that crazy pentagram thing with an eye.

i want to do reasearch, but google didnt help much, i searched.

japanese evil symbols

japanese evil icons

and asian symbols of evil and power.

i got lots of results just not what i was looking for .... unless Mazda is an evil organization >_>

basically the samurai is going to go to places like a destroyed village and there will be banners of .......... hinting that it was these evil monsters and people that came in here, destroyed the village, killed every one, raped the women etc etc etc.

the Japanese royal family from what i understand, is symbolized by the white lotus or some thing like that.

if there isnt any thing Japanese, any thing that is of Asian origin would be fine, Chinese, Korean or what ever.

[BronxWench]

That's what you're not understanding, You're not finding anything because the Asian cultural paradigm is different. They don't have a Western concept of good and evil. Instead, you might find things that are unlucky that are avoided, but honestly, no "evil" group will use an unlucky symbol, either.

Instead of trying to warp Asian culture to fit the Western paradigm, work with it. Even "evil" gangs will choose a symbol that is auspicious to them. If you need to make it glaringly obvious, try something like a black lotus or a black peony. The black can be your "evil" while the flower is traditionally used on banners, in kamon, and on fans.

[RogueMudblood]

yeah i know what the pentagram really is, but because of media, like movies, games and TV shows, most people would see it as being evil but thats because they dont understand it.

May I also state that perpetuating ignorance by continuing to use the pentagram in such a manner doesn't actually indicate to any of us that you are aware of its origins or meaning?

As to the issue itself, I would hardly think that Richard the Lionhearted would consider his family crest to be an evil symbol, yet the Muslims of that era would certainly consider seeing that banner flying above one of their cities to be an evil thing. The symbol on the banners would be the crest of the army's leader. (See this image from Mulan) Try this Google search. If you don't like feudal Japan, try a different Asian nation.