Four Fiends

Four Fiends/Misfortunes (四凶, Sixiong/Shikyō), also called the Four Inauspicious Beasts or the Four Evils, refers to four beings in Chinese mythology. They are known as four vile entities banished by the legendary Shun to the four quadrants of the land. Malevolent spirits and energies are said to reside near their resting place.

Shujing names these "beasts" to be people, but the version often referenced in Koei's games are the mythological beasts found in Zuozhuan. A majority of their names have very unclear translations which may tie into their nature.

1. Hundun
2. Taotie
3. Qiongqi
4. Taowu

Taotie (饕餮, lit. Ravenous Gluttony) is a monster with an ox body, bent horns, tiger claws, and human hands. It is believed to be a voracious beast of evil, possibly originating from a country barbarian's soul. Taotie's design is reportedly found on bronzeware from the Yin Dynasty.

Qiongqi (窮奇, lit. Destitute Strangeness) is believed to haunt Guishan and is described as an ox with a canine-like cry or a fearsome tiger. It is associated with the Huainanzi and has a hatred for just or righteous people, decapitating morally correct individuals and hunting unjust ones.

Taowu (檮杌, lit. Ignorant Stump) is a giant canine-like beast which once threatened the western areas of China. It has a human face with two boar tusks protruding from its lips. An arrogant and stubborn beast of might, it thrashes wildly through the wilderness and fights any living being it encounters to the death. Intrepid intellectuals once tried to educate Taowu with the human language, but it purposely ignored their pleas to slaughter them. Reviled for its ignorance and cruelty, it was given its unflattering name as a stupid beast.

Role in Games

Out of the Four Fiends, Hundun and Qiongqi are the ones usually referenced in the games. They often associated with the company's Chinese inspired titles as bosses or minor villains, such as in Mystic Heroes or the Warriors Orochi series. Qiongqi is manipulated by Shi Huangdi's sorcery in Shin Sangoku Musou Multi Raid 2 to face the warriors of the Three Kingdoms era.

Versions of all four beasts act as antagonistic entities in Harukanaru Toki no Naka de 5 and its sequel. They act as the antithesis to the Four Gods and disturb the natural flow of the Five Elements. When facing them, the protagonist requires the trust and assistance of her Eight Guardians. Here are the corresponding opposites between the two groups:

• Seiryū (Qinglong) = Tōtetsu (Taotie)
• Suzaku (Zhuque) = Konton (Hundun)
• Byakko (Baihu) = Kyūki (Qiongqi)
• Genbu (Xuanwu) = Tōgotsu (Taowu)

The protagonist and her party must defeat the Four Fiends to restore balance in the parallel world, weakening the threat of Zhulong and allowing her entry into Edo Castle.

Gallery

Konton, Toutetsu, and Kyuuki in Harukanaru Toki no Naka de 5

Toukotsu in Harukanaru Toki no Naka de 5

Qiongqi in Shin Sangoku Musou Multi Raid 2