View source for Big Four of the Mountain


In ''[[Touhou Project]]'', the {{nihongo|'''Big Four of the Mountain'''|山の四天王|yama no shitenno}} is a now-defunct group consisting of [[Suika Ibuki]], [[Yuugi Hoshiguma]], [[Kasen Ibaraki]] and one other unknown character (presumably a fellow [[oni]]).

==Origin==
'''Shitenno''' (四天王 lit. "Four Heavenly Kings" or "Four Deva Kings") refers literally to [[wikipedia:Four Heavenly Kings|a set of Buddhist deities]], and metaphorically to [[wikipedia:Four Heavenly Kings (disambiguation)|any group of four extremely loyal or useful subordinates]]. In modern times, especially in video games and anime/manga, the term is used to describe any group of four with a high status. 

In Japanese oni mythology, a group of Four Heavenly Kings served the oni bandit [[wikipedia:Shuten-dōji|Shuten-dōji]]. The group was composed of the oni Torakuma-dōji, Hoshikuma-dōji, Kuma-dōji, and Kane-dōji. Furthermore [[wikipedia:Ibaraki-dōji|Ibaraki-dōji]] in some stories was Shuten-dōji's lieutenant or even wife.

Touhou's Big Four does not match up exactly with the source material, as their Shuten-dōji equivalent ([[Suika Ibuki]]) is a member of the group herself rather than being its leader.

==Characters in this Group==
*[[Suika Ibuki]], based on Shuten-dōji<ref name="Yuugi profile">[[Subterranean Animism]] - Yuugi Hoshiguma's profile</ref>
*[[Yuugi Hoshiguma]], based on Hoshikuma-dōji<ref name="Yuugi profile" />
*[[Kasen Ibaraki]], based on Ibaraki-dōji<ref>[[Wild and Horned Hermit]] - Chapter 49 Part 2</ref>
*(?)

==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:Th19Suika.png|Tiny Night Parade of a Hundred Demons, [[Suika Ibuki]]
File:Th175Yuugi.png|The So-Called Unexplainable Phenomenon, [[Yuugi Hoshiguma]]
File:WaHHOniKasen.png|Wile and Heinous Oni, [[Kasen Ibaraki]]
</gallery>

==Notes==
{{smallrefs}}

==See Also==
* Wikipedia article for [[wikipedia:Shuten-dōji|Shuten-dōji]]
* Wikipedia article for [[wikipedia:Ibaraki-dōji|Ibaraki-dōji]]
* http://park.org/Japan/Hitachi/nippon/oni/e/t_shutendoji.html
[[ru:Четверо дэвов горы]]
[[fr:Quatre Reines de la Montagne]]
[[Category:Groups of characters]]