Vermilion Bird of the South (Chinese Xiu Mansions)

The seven lunar mansions of the south, which Chinese astronomers placed under the Vermilion Bird, the southern guardian among the Four Symbols that mark the cardinal directions along the ecliptic. They are Well, Ghost, Willow, Star, Extended Net, Wings and Chariot, each marking a stretch of the sky the Moon crosses on its monthly journey. In the system that links the four creatures to the five phases, the Vermilion Bird of the South represents Fire, so these seven mansions share the bird's direction and element.