Fantastically created! Excellently thought out!

Good concept. If you make this symmetrical it will be a mandala.

True mandalas (of the Buddhist type) are not symmetrical, per se, although they are balanced...
http://www.exoticindiaart.com/mandala.htm

This is a very thoughtful and creative effort. It shows true consideration of the topic, and is quite lovely.

Looks like you put a lot of thought in to your mandala, well done.

Great job ! Very well done

Nice image, my only nit pick or hmm.... so to speak is why have the white tiger which is known for being in an arctic climate on the fall piece of the pie, and the turtle for winter? Also why not spring for the bird and summer for the dragon? I was just wondering the logic behind the animal placement, on what seems to be a very well thought out piece.

Thanks a lot for all your nice comments

@Bob: Like MossyB wrote, a lot of the old mandalas are not symmetrical, but balanced and that's what I tried to achieve with the ivy, stones, the ropes, the animals and the spaces between the animals, the trees and the skies between the trees. I tried my best to make it look balanced, because I didn't want the completely symmetrical look.

@VitalExpressions: The placement of the animals wasn't my choice If you read the link to the Wiki page I provided, you can see, that each animal (which are actually mythological creatures in the Chinese constellations) stands for one season.
-Azure Dragon of the East: Spring
-Vermilion Bird of the South: Summer
-White Tiger of the West: Autumn/Fall
-Black Tortoise of the North: Winter

Very nice work.

wow! Amazing! THis has so much to look at.

Extra points for the dragon and frame hardware, nice one

This one really drew me in!! I had to look at it over and over....Fantastic job and Best of Luck

This is quite beautiful, you did some good research. You achieved 'different' quite well, author. Good find on that compass, too!

very very cool work author...nice to see u participate in the contest's again...best of luck

Thanks again for all the lovely comments

Congrats on second place!

Congrats lelaina!

congrats

Congrats

Congrats!!

Congrats!! Lovely, just lovely!

congrats Elke!!!!

Congrats Lelaina on great work these week,please keep going...

Congrats for second place !

Congrats Elke, I missed this contest. You did such a wonderful job, rich in details, and you should get more points for the thought you put in and the research on mandala .