Left (ひだり) and right (みぎ) as cardinal directions


In many Indo-European ancient languages, there used to be a strong connection
between the words for _right_ and _left_ on one side and the words for _south_
and _north_ **1** (respectively) on the other side.  
This suggests that the sacred orientation used to be facing eastwards - in the
direction of the rising sun **2**.

In Chinese instead the character
[左](http://www.chineseetymology.org/CharacterEtymology.aspx?submitButton1=Etymology&characterInput=%E5%B7%A6)
(zuǒ) means both _left_ and _east_ (an older version than 東/东) while instead
[右](http://www.chineseetymology.org/CharacterEtymology.aspx?submitButton1=Etymology&characterInput=%E5%8F%B3)
(yòu) means both _right_ and _west_ (an older character than 西). In this case,
this seems to suggest a preferred orientation towards the south.

I have, in light of this preamble, the following questions.

  * Are there any evidence for ひだり (hidari) or みぎ (migi) being used in the sense of _east_ and _west_ respectively?
  * If not, are there any older words for _left_ and _right_ that would be used in the sense of cardinal directions (whether in the Chinese way or in the Indo European way)?

* * *

**Note 1** :  
For instance:

  * **Celtic languages** : Gaelic : _deas_ (south and right); Gaulish _dexsiuo_ (south and right); Old Irish _[desse](http://www.smo.uhi.ac.uk/sengoidelc/duil-belrai/lorg.php?facal=desse&seorsa=Gaidhlig)_ (south and right); Welsh _[de](http://www.geiriadur.net/index.php?page=ateb&uni=y&prefLang=&term=de&direction=we&whichpart=exact&type=noun)_ (south and right); Breton *[dehou](http://www.agencebretagnepresse.com/cgi-bin/dico.cgi?dico=breton&key=dehou&buton=Traduire)
  * **Sanskit** _daksinah_ (south and right), Avestan _dashina_ (south and right) 
  * **Ancient Latin** _scaevus_ and **Archaic Greek** _σκαιὀς_ (meaning both "left" the side of the shadow).

**Note 2** :  
Other indications include:

  * European Bronze Age tombs generally orientated towards the east. 
  * The word _**orient** ate_ itself.
  * Orientation of ancient maps towards the east.




In Kyoto, 左 as in 左京区 means east, whereas 右 as in 右京区 means west. This is due
to the fact that the emperor's palace was built on the center of the north
edge of the city at the time (Heian period), and to observe the whole city
from the emperor's perspective would mean facing south, and left will mean
east, and right will mean west. Kyoto was influenced by the ancient city 長安 of
China. I suspect the reason left and right are connected to east and west in
China is the same, and I suspect that connection holds only when you are in
the context of 長安, but if you think you are sure about your information, I do
not particularly intend to claim against it.




In Kyoto, 左 as in 左京区 means east, whereas 右 as in 右京区 means west. This is due
to the fact that the emperor's palace was built on the center of the north
edge of the city at the time (Heian period), and to observe the whole city
from the emperor's perspective would mean facing south, and left will mean
east, and right will mean west. Kyoto was influenced by the ancient city 長安 of
China. I suspect the reason left and right are connected to east and west in
China is the same, and I suspect that connection holds only when you are in
the context of 長安, but if you think you are sure about your information, I do
not particularly intend to claim against it.

