the number four

The number four is a fundamental concept, representing one more than three and the fourth in a series. Culturally, it is associated with order in the universe, seen in the four elements (earth, air, fire, water), four seasons, four compass points, and four lunar phases. In Buddhism, the Four Noble Truths are central, and to the Pythagoreans, 4 was the source of the perfect number 10. The Sioux culture views the number four as significant, incorporating it into their cosmology and practices. While generally practical, 4 can be considered unlucky in China due to a phonetic similarity to the word for death. In contrast, the biblical Book of Revelation features the four horsemen of the Apocalypse as harbingers of destruction.12