Black Tortoise Flag Marking the North Garrison patch

Black Tortoise Flag Marking the North Garrison patch

This patch by edc8ang is a modern reinterpretation of a traditional military banner that once hung at the north gate of a Joseon Dynasty military camp, alongside the official gate flag.

In traditional Korean military systems, banners representing the four cardinal directions—East, West, South, and North—were used not only for symbolic purposes but also for practical orientation within large encampments.

The Black Tortoise (Hyeonmu) represents the North, a guardian figure in Korean and broader East Asian cosmology, often depicted as a tortoise entwined with a snake. This patch faithfully reflects that role, embodying the Black Tortoise standard as a symbol of protection and stability on the northern flank.

Designed as part of a collectible four-directional series (East–Blue Dragon, West–White Tiger, South–Vermilion Bird, North–Black Tortoise), it brings historic martial identity into modern EDC culture.