Later, during the Yuan Dynasty the two terms were merged to become the generally translated "phoenix", but the "King of Birds" came to symbolize the Empress when paired with a dragon as a dragon represented the Emperor. Unlike the Fenghuang, which is a chimera not very much like any one extant bird, the Egyptian phoenix is most often considered similar to a heron or eagle.ĭuring the Han Dynasty (2,200 years ago) two phoenixes, one a male (feng, 鳳) and the other a female (huang, 凰) were often shown together facing one other. Peculiarly, the Egyptian phoenix may also in part reference a prehistoric bird, the Bennu Heron. That this bird was well-known to the early modern humans in Asia, noted for its peculiarity, and hunted for food, is attested by numerous archaeological finds, such as pottery decorated with what appear to be painted ostriches, and bones by early campsites.įenghuang seems to have no connection with the phoenix of the Western world, which derives from Egyptian mythology. Current theories suggest that it is likely based in part - for example the snake-like neck - on folk memory of the Asian Ostrich which was common in prehistoric China but became extinct several thousand years ago. Some believe they may have been a good-luck totem, believing that it is a totem of eastern tribes in ancient China. Images of an ancient bird have appeared in China for over 4,000 years, the earliest as Shang Dynasty pottery motifs, then appearing decorating bronzes, as well as jade figurines (many of the most beautiful from the Liao Period). It is also sometimes depicted as having three legs.Ī vase with a phoenix-headed spout, gray sandstone with celadon coating, Song Dynasty, last half of 10th century. Its feathers contain the five fundamental colors: black, white, red, blue and yellow. The head is the sky, the eyes are the sun, the back is the moon, the wings are the wind, the feet are the earth, and the tail are the planets. Its body symbolizes the six celestial bodies. Today, however, it is often described as a composite of many birds including the head of a golden pheasant, the body of a mandarin duck, the tail of a peacock, the legs of a crane, the mouth of a parrot, and the wings of a swallow. According to scripture Erya - chapter 17 Shiniao, Fenghuang is said to be made up of the beak of a rooster, the face of a swallow, the forehead of a fowl, the neck of a snake, the breast of a goose, the back of a tortoise, the hindquarters of a stag and the tail of a fish. In modern times, however, such a distinction of gender is often no longer made and the Feng and Huang are blurred into a single feminine entity so that the bird can be paired with the Chinese dragon, which has male connotations.Ī common depiction was of it attacking snakes with its talons and its wings spread. The males are called Feng and the females Huang. Or get there by plane: Tongren Fenghuang Airport is 30 km away.Fenghuang are mythological birds of East Asia that reign over all other birds. The town drops into a subtropical climate zone: it is humid, winters are short and mild, summers are hot.īy bus from Changsha or Zhangjiajie. Fenghuang is often regarded as the most beautiful town in China for a good reason: surrounded with wonderful nature, having historic architecture it is a popular tourist attraction.Ī very authentic Chinese town, accessible and popular among the travelers. The Ming and Qing style buildings are very well preserved and protected by UNESCO. The historic town has rich culture: from a few ethnic languages and customs, to arts and architecture. Its name comes from a legend, which has it that two Phoenix birds flew over the city and decided to reside because they were mesmerized by its beauty. Phoenix Ancient Town is situated in Hunan Province, which is famous for its glorious nature and unique Tianmen mountains. Fenghuang (Phoenix Ancient Town), Hunan Province, China.
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