Difference between revisions of "Feng-huang" - New World Encyclopedia
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The Feng-Huang is said to be made up of the beak of a [[rooster|cock]], the face of a [[hirundinidae|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]]. Its body symbolizes the six celestial bodies. 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 is the [[planet]]s. Its [[feather]]s contain the five fundamental colors: black, white, red, blue, and yellow. | The Feng-Huang is said to be made up of the beak of a [[rooster|cock]], the face of a [[hirundinidae|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]]. Its body symbolizes the six celestial bodies. 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 is the [[planet]]s. Its [[feather]]s contain the five fundamental colors: black, white, red, blue, and yellow. | ||
| − | Unlike the [[Phoenix]] of the Western World, the Feng-Huang is [[immortality|immortal]] without needing to go through a cycle of [[death]] and re-[[birth]]. The bird is attracted to [[music]] and nests high in the [[K'unlun Mountain]] range.<ref>[http://www.avians.net/paragon/fenghuang.htm | + | Unlike the [[Phoenix]] of the Western World, the Feng-Huang is [[immortality|immortal]] without needing to go through a cycle of [[death]] and re-[[birth]]. The bird is attracted to [[music]] and nests high in the [[K'unlun Mountain]] range.<ref>[http://www.avians.net/paragon/fenghuang.htm Feng Huang, Emperor of Birds] Retrieved July 10, 2007. </ref> |
==Origin== | ==Origin== | ||
The exact origin of the Feng-Huang myth is obscure. Some scholars have suggested that it may be a representation of a large pre-historic bird, similar to an [[ostrich]], which were common in pre-historic China, similar to how some believe that [[dragon]]s were mythical representations of [[dinosaur]]s. | The exact origin of the Feng-Huang myth is obscure. Some scholars have suggested that it may be a representation of a large pre-historic bird, similar to an [[ostrich]], which were common in pre-historic China, similar to how some believe that [[dragon]]s were mythical representations of [[dinosaur]]s. | ||
| − | The appearance of the Feng-Huang in Chinese culture dates to around the third millennium B.C.E., right before the death of the Yellow Emperor.<ref> | + | The appearance of the Feng-Huang in Chinese culture dates to around the third millennium B.C.E., right before the death of the Yellow Emperor.<ref>[http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9033972 "Fenghuang"] ''Encyclopædia Britannica Online.'' (2007). Retrieved July 10, 2007. </ref> Once a new monarch had taken over, the bird came to symbolize an era of peace and prosperity, with a new, benign emperor, and was often used as a symbol of the Empress. |
The Feng-Huang is an integral in the ancient cosmology of China, which stated that the world and Heavens were created by the four Si-Ling creatures, the dragon, qilin, tortoise, and Feng-Huang. Once the world was then divided up into four quarters, and the Feng-Huang was given dominion over the Southern Heaven quadrant, which symbolizes [[Summer]]. | The Feng-Huang is an integral in the ancient cosmology of China, which stated that the world and Heavens were created by the four Si-Ling creatures, the dragon, qilin, tortoise, and Feng-Huang. Once the world was then divided up into four quarters, and the Feng-Huang was given dominion over the Southern Heaven quadrant, which symbolizes [[Summer]]. | ||
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The Feng-Huang over the years has been seen as a symbol of power, prosperity, grace, and virtue. Even more so, the Feng-Huang was at times seen as the sacred symbolic joining of male and female, commonly seen as the [[Yin-Yang]] symbol. The Yin is female, the Yang male, and when combined, such as in the combination of Feng and Huang, it is representative of opposite forces meeting into a union that produces harmony and balance. | The Feng-Huang over the years has been seen as a symbol of power, prosperity, grace, and virtue. Even more so, the Feng-Huang was at times seen as the sacred symbolic joining of male and female, commonly seen as the [[Yin-Yang]] symbol. The Yin is female, the Yang male, and when combined, such as in the combination of Feng and Huang, it is representative of opposite forces meeting into a union that produces harmony and balance. | ||
| − | In the Royal courts, the Feng-Huang came to be seen as a representation of the sacred female, and thenceforth the Empress, while the Emperor was represented by the dragon, and artwork often depicted the dragon chasing the Feng-Huang, or of the two beasts coupled together. This image is often the one that is most widely seen today, but it should be noted that the Feng-Huang itself also symbolizes the union of man and woman.<ref> | + | In the Royal courts, the Feng-Huang came to be seen as a representation of the sacred female, and thenceforth the Empress, while the Emperor was represented by the dragon, and artwork often depicted the dragon chasing the Feng-Huang, or of the two beasts coupled together. This image is often the one that is most widely seen today, but it should be noted that the Feng-Huang itself also symbolizes the union of man and woman.<ref>[http://www.mythicalrealm.com/creatures/phoenix.html"Phoenix Rising"] ''Mythical Realms''. (1999). Retrieved July 10, 2007 </ref> |
==In art== | ==In art== | ||
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[[Image:Bronze Lamp in theShape of a Phoenix.jpg|thumb|left|200 px|Bronze lamp in the shape of feng-huang, National Museum of China, Beijing]] | [[Image:Bronze Lamp in theShape of a Phoenix.jpg|thumb|left|200 px|Bronze lamp in the shape of feng-huang, National Museum of China, Beijing]] | ||
| − | The Feng-huang was used in Chinese artwork for hundreds of years. When used as a house-hold decoration it usually meant that the occupants of that house were honest people and could be considered loyal to their family and friends. It was often carved in [[jade]], as ornaments to be worn or good-luck [[totem]]s. People that wore the jewelry of the Feng-huang were reguarded as being highly moral, and thus only a select few were actually permitted to posses such jewelry.<ref> | + | The Feng-huang was used in Chinese artwork for hundreds of years. When used as a house-hold decoration it usually meant that the occupants of that house were honest people and could be considered loyal to their family and friends. It was often carved in [[jade]], as ornaments to be worn or good-luck [[totem]]s. People that wore the jewelry of the Feng-huang were reguarded as being highly moral, and thus only a select few were actually permitted to posses such jewelry.<ref> [http://www.mythicalrealm.com/creatures/phoenix.html "Rise of the Phoenix"] ''Lady Gryphon's Mythical Realm''. (2006). Retrieved August 8, 2007. </ref> |
Eventually the bird was also seen on [[tomb]]s and graves, marking those dead as having been virtuous in life. Paintings and mural depictions of the feng-huang often showed it in battle with the [[snake]], its natural enemy, or in conjunction with the three other divine [[mythical creature]]s of ancient [[Chinese mythology]]. | Eventually the bird was also seen on [[tomb]]s and graves, marking those dead as having been virtuous in life. Paintings and mural depictions of the feng-huang often showed it in battle with the [[snake]], its natural enemy, or in conjunction with the three other divine [[mythical creature]]s of ancient [[Chinese mythology]]. | ||
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==References== | ==References== | ||
| − | *Nigg, Joe. 1995. ''Wonder Beasts: Tales and Lore of the Phoenix, the Griffin, the Unicorn, and the Dragon.'' Libraries Unlimited. ISBN 156308242X | + | * Nigg, Joe. 1995. ''Wonder Beasts: Tales and Lore of the Phoenix, the Griffin, the Unicorn, and the Dragon.'' Libraries Unlimited. ISBN 156308242X |
| − | *Nigg, Joe. 2001. ''The Book of Dragons & Other Mythical Beasts.'' Barron's Educational Series. ISBN 978-0764155109 | + | * Nigg, Joe. 2001. ''The Book of Dragons & Other Mythical Beasts.'' Barron's Educational Series. ISBN 978-0764155109 |
* Storm, Rachel. 2000. ''Asian Mythology: Myths and Legends of China, Japan, Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia''. Lorenz Books. ISBN 0754806049 | * Storm, Rachel. 2000. ''Asian Mythology: Myths and Legends of China, Japan, Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia''. Lorenz Books. ISBN 0754806049 | ||
| − | * Werner, E. T. C. [1922] 1994. [http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/15250 ''Myths & Legends of China''] Retrieved July 30, 2007. | + | * Werner, E. T. C. [1922] 1994. [http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/15250 ''Myths & Legends of China''] Dover Publications. ISBN 0486280926. Retrieved July 30, 2007. |
==External links== | ==External links== | ||
| − | |||
| − | |||
* [http://www.everything2.com/index.pl?node_id=1334931 Feng-huang] Retrieved July 30, 2007. | * [http://www.everything2.com/index.pl?node_id=1334931 Feng-huang] Retrieved July 30, 2007. | ||
| + | * [http://www.onmarkproductions.com/html/ho-oo-phoenix.shtml Phoenix] Retrieved July 30, 2007. | ||
* [http://www.irezumi.us/eg/houou.html Sacred bird: Hou-ou] Retrieved July 30, 2007. | * [http://www.irezumi.us/eg/houou.html Sacred bird: Hou-ou] Retrieved July 30, 2007. | ||
{{Credits|Fenghuang|114916359|}} | {{Credits|Fenghuang|114916359|}} | ||
Revision as of 17:52, 22 August 2007
Feng-Huang(Chinese: 鳳凰; Pinyin: Fènghuáng; Japanese: 鳳凰 hō-ō; Korean: 봉황 bonghwang; Vietnamese: Phượng Hoàng) is the name of two Chinese mythological birds that were central figures in ancient Chinese cosmology. Sometimes called the Chinese Phoenix, the Feng-Huang is a symbol of summer and spiritual balance, and along with the dragon, qilin and tortoise, is one of the most high revered creatures in Chinese tradition.
Description
While it is depicted as one being, Feng-Huang is actually a composite of one male and one female bird. The Feng is the male, and the Huang is the female, although both sexes are depicted the same. (Modern tradition combined the Feng-Huang into one bird.)
The Feng-Huang is said to be made up of the beak of a cock, 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. Its body symbolizes the six celestial bodies. 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 is the planets. Its feathers contain the five fundamental colors: black, white, red, blue, and yellow.
Unlike the Phoenix of the Western World, the Feng-Huang is immortal without needing to go through a cycle of death and re-birth. The bird is attracted to music and nests high in the K'unlun Mountain range.[1]
Origin
The exact origin of the Feng-Huang myth is obscure. Some scholars have suggested that it may be a representation of a large pre-historic bird, similar to an ostrich, which were common in pre-historic China, similar to how some believe that dragons were mythical representations of dinosaurs.
The appearance of the Feng-Huang in Chinese culture dates to around the third millennium B.C.E., right before the death of the Yellow Emperor.[2] Once a new monarch had taken over, the bird came to symbolize an era of peace and prosperity, with a new, benign emperor, and was often used as a symbol of the Empress.
The Feng-Huang is an integral in the ancient cosmology of China, which stated that the world and Heavens were created by the four Si-Ling creatures, the dragon, qilin, tortoise, and Feng-Huang. Once the world was then divided up into four quarters, and the Feng-Huang was given dominion over the Southern Heaven quadrant, which symbolizes Summer.
Meaning
The Feng-Huang over the years has been seen as a symbol of power, prosperity, grace, and virtue. Even more so, the Feng-Huang was at times seen as the sacred symbolic joining of male and female, commonly seen as the Yin-Yang symbol. The Yin is female, the Yang male, and when combined, such as in the combination of Feng and Huang, it is representative of opposite forces meeting into a union that produces harmony and balance.
In the Royal courts, the Feng-Huang came to be seen as a representation of the sacred female, and thenceforth the Empress, while the Emperor was represented by the dragon, and artwork often depicted the dragon chasing the Feng-Huang, or of the two beasts coupled together. This image is often the one that is most widely seen today, but it should be noted that the Feng-Huang itself also symbolizes the union of man and woman.[3]
In art
The Feng-huang was used in Chinese artwork for hundreds of years. When used as a house-hold decoration it usually meant that the occupants of that house were honest people and could be considered loyal to their family and friends. It was often carved in jade, as ornaments to be worn or good-luck totems. People that wore the jewelry of the Feng-huang were reguarded as being highly moral, and thus only a select few were actually permitted to posses such jewelry.[4]
Eventually the bird was also seen on tombs and graves, marking those dead as having been virtuous in life. Paintings and mural depictions of the feng-huang often showed it in battle with the snake, its natural enemy, or in conjunction with the three other divine mythical creatures of ancient Chinese mythology.
Footnotes
- ↑ Feng Huang, Emperor of Birds Retrieved July 10, 2007.
- ↑ "Fenghuang" Encyclopædia Britannica Online. (2007). Retrieved July 10, 2007.
- ↑ "Phoenix Rising" Mythical Realms. (1999). Retrieved July 10, 2007
- ↑ "Rise of the Phoenix" Lady Gryphon's Mythical Realm. (2006). Retrieved August 8, 2007.
ReferencesISBN links support NWE through referral fees
- Nigg, Joe. 1995. Wonder Beasts: Tales and Lore of the Phoenix, the Griffin, the Unicorn, and the Dragon. Libraries Unlimited. ISBN 156308242X
- Nigg, Joe. 2001. The Book of Dragons & Other Mythical Beasts. Barron's Educational Series. ISBN 978-0764155109
- Storm, Rachel. 2000. Asian Mythology: Myths and Legends of China, Japan, Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia. Lorenz Books. ISBN 0754806049
- Werner, E. T. C. [1922] 1994. Myths & Legends of China Dover Publications. ISBN 0486280926. Retrieved July 30, 2007.
External links
- Feng-huang Retrieved July 30, 2007.
- Phoenix Retrieved July 30, 2007.
- Sacred bird: Hou-ou Retrieved July 30, 2007.
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