Zhou Dynasty using five colors to signify five directions.

The concept of Wu Fang Zheng Se

“Zhou Dynasty using five colors to signify five directions.” This theme involves colors, directions, and how they are connected with the rituals, politics, and philosophy of the Zhou Dynasty.

In the documents Yi Zhou Shu Hui Jiao Ji Zhu·Zuo Luo《逸周书汇校集注·作雒luò》，there is a description: “诸受命于周，乃建大社于周中。其壝wéi，东青土，南赤土，西白土，北骊土，中央叠以黄土。”The“Da She大社”refers to the central altar, and the surrounding low walls（壝wéi）were distinguished by different colored earth to represent different directions.

These five colors correspond to the five directions and are referred to as the Wu Fang Zheng Se五方正色: blue symbolizes the east, vermilion symbolizes the south, white symbolizes the west, black symbolizes the north, and yellow in the center. This practice of using colors to identify directions indicates how the Zhou Dynasty symbolized the mutual construction of the natural world and social order through colors.

The use of these colors was not limited to the construction of Tu Wei土壝（low walls）. By the Spring and Autumn Warring States periods, the Five Directions and their Corresponding Colors began to be closely associated with clothing.

Different colored were used for altar sacrifices in different directions

As described in the Chinese historical documents Mozi ·Ying Di Ci 《墨子·迎敌祠》refers to different colored flags and clothing were used for altar sacrifices in different directions:“The east altar sacrifices with blue flags, blue deities, and the general’s attire must be blue color; the south altar sacrifices with vermilion flags, vermilion deities, and the general’s attire must be vermilion color; the west altar sacrifices with white flags, white deities, and the general’s attire must be white color; the north altar sacrifices with black flags, black deities, and the general’s attire must be black color.”This demonstrates the importance of color in etiquette and reflects the deep connection between colors and the natural world. The system of Wu Fang Zheng Se（五方正色）was established during the Zhou Dynasty and continued to be used until the Qing Dynasty.

These five colors not only represent the five directions but also symbolize the five elements: wood, fire, earth, metal, and water，but also associated with the four sacred beasts: the Azure Dragon in the east, the White Tiger in the west, the Vermilion Bird in the south, and the Black Tortoise in the north. For example, the northern gate of the Forbidden City is called the Xuanwu Gate (Black Tortoise Gate), and the southern gate is called the Zhuque(Vermilion Bird) Gate.

Moreover, these five colors correspond to our modern understanding of primary colors，which include the three primary colors in modern color theory: red, yellow, and blue, along with the two achromatic colors white and black. These are fundamental colors that cannot be created by mixing other colors. The highest-ranking garments had to be chosen from these five colors.

It is noteworthy that in ancient times of China, the color red, referred to as“Zhu朱”，that was different from what we now consider as red.“Zhu”was a warm red or vermilion color, while in ancient time “red “was closer to pink and belonged to the secondary color.