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YIN-YANG: the twins as embodiments of nature
The following essay was written by Gerald Tarrant (site: http://www.aoiryuu.com/aoiryuu/)
And is reprinted here with his permission.
The two principles of Yin and Yang both oppose and complement the other. Without Yang there is no Yin, without Yin there is no Yang.
The principle of yin-yang has was first developed as part of ancient Chinese philosophy and healing. The Chinese believed that the world was controlled by two principles: the yin, embodiment of darkness, coldness, stillness, inwardness, and downwardness, and yang, its opposite, symbolizing heat, brightness, activeness, outwardness, and upwardness. Together, these two aspects perfectly balanced the universe to create harmony within creation and especially the human body. Disease, disaster, and any kind of unharmonic situation was caused by the inbalance of yin and yang.
How does this apply to the Seiryuu twins? It has been said that Amiboshi is the "good" twin, symbolizing the kind and gentle side of humanity, while Suboshi is the "bad" twin, exhibiting traits which bring out the darker side of human nature. But that is not necessarily true. Amiboshi's nature is not always kind and gentle, as exhibited by his almost cruel delight in the attempted murder of the Suzaku Shichi Seishi. True, he did it in the name of "peace," but if he truly was the good side of man, would he have committed such acts? Suboshi is similarly judged, labelled as the "bad" twin because of his murder of Tamahome's family. Yet his naivity, his innocence and his youth, and his posessive love for his brother is overlooked. Would an "evil" character go to such lengths for one person?
As darkness preceded creation, the yin precedes the yang.
In short, Amiboshi and Suboshi are neither "good" nor "bad," but simply "yin" and "yang," two halves that come together to form a whole. Amiboshi, as the older twin, the flutist of the night, is the yin. He is peace, darkness and quiet, all that is calm and reflective, brooding and serene. He bears his suffering in silence and seeks to serve the greater good. He is a dreamer, a watcher, a man who is far older in mind than his fifteen years would have him seem.
The quiet city in the midst of battle
Falls into a brief slumber
Underneath the faraway stars where you're dreaming
I'll send a prayer filled melody
Suboshi is the yang, the active component. He is heat, action, movement. His violent and inexplicable actions reflect his yang counterpart to Amiboshi's yin. Unlike his brother, Suboshi cannot keep his emotions hidden. Rather, he vocalizes his feelings ouwardly, expecting to be heard and acknowledged, needing to see a response from others and not caring if he must hurt them to achieve this response. Suboshi's yang qualities are further emphasized by his immaturity and with less developed powers, highlighting his instability and his need for physical contact.
Never get away I won't let you run away
Never get away for you
I'll struggle for you and prepare destiny
Where Amiboshi is darkness, Suboshi is light. Where Amiboshi is stillness, Suboshi is action. Where Amiboshi is coldness, Suboshi is heat. They are perfect opposites, not in good and evil, but in terms of the elements of nature in which the ancient Chinese believed.
The concept of night has no meaning without the concept of day.
Thus, the strong bond between them is explained. Neither one can exist without the other. Together they form a whole, apart, they fall into imbalance and ultimately are destroyed. Amiboshi's irrational protectiveness over his brother, Suboshi's mad rage over his aniki's "death," have to do with this yin-yang relationship. Just as the yin and yang must be together to achieve harmony and conclusion, so the two twins must be together to achieve any task. Amiboshi failed in Konan without Suboshi there. Suboshi failed to protect his Miko without Amiboshi there. Only when Suboshi appeared did Amiboshi manage to defeat Tomo, and only when the twins were together in Amiboshi's body in the first OVA could Tenkou's barrier be destroyed.
Harmony can only be achieved when the two are perfectly balanced, as in the circle. The small circle of the opposite color is contained in each, signifying their interdependence.
The yin-yang principle also accounts for the actions of the twins apart from each other. Too much yin, without the yang, results in two much coldness. Thus Amiboshi's cold willingness to kill the Suzaku seishi without thought in Konan. Too much yang without yin generates dangerous amounts of heat; or, Suboshi's mad attempts to kill Tamahome's entire family and perhaps even himself.
As yin and yang, Amiboshi and Suboshi stand for perfect harmony. And when perfect harmony is destroyed, only disaster can follow.