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| − | [[Category:Politics and social sciences]]
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| − | [[Category:Anthropology]]
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| − | [[Image:chinese-phoenix-from-nanning.jpg|thumb|right|180px|Fenghuang sculpture, Nanning city, [[Guangxi]], [[China]].]]
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| − | '''Feng-Huang''' ([[Chinese language|Chinese]]: 鳳凰; Pinyin: Fènghuáng; [[Japanese]]: 鳳凰 hō-ō; [[Korean language|Korean]]: 봉황 bonghwang; Vietnamese: Phượng Hoàng) is the name of two [[Ancient China|Chinese]] [[mythical creature|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 [[Chinese dragon|dragon]], [[qilin]] and [[tortoise]], is one of the most highly revered creatures in Chinese tradition. Its appearance is said to indicate some great event, or to bear testimony to the greatness of a ruler.
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| − | Often viewed as the sacred union of male and female, Feng being male and Huang female, the Feng-Huang can also be regarded as a female entity in relation with the male dragon. Thus, images of the Feng-Huang and dragon together can represent [[conflict]] or [[marriage|marital]] harmony.
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| − | [[Beauty|Beautiful]], graceful, [[loyalty|loyal]], and [[honesty|honest]], the Feng-Huang represents all the [[virtue]]s, calling us to a higher level of life, filled with [[justice]], [[peace]], prosperity, and [[faith]]. Such symbolism needs no physical counterpart; the Feng-Huang already has the best of this world in its imagery. It is up to humankind to manifest these virtues substantially on the earth.
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| − | ==Description==
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| − | [[Image:Fenghuang.JPG|thumb|200 px|Fenghuang]]
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| − | 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.)
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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 [[color]]s: black, white, red, blue, and yellow.
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| − | 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 February 13, 2008.</ref>
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| − | This sacred creature never kills. It eats only [[plant]]s, never even eating living [[insect]]s. It never spoils plants without reason, only living on paulownia trees, its natural habitat, and only eats bamboo seed.<ref name=hou>[http://www.irezumi.us/eg/houou.html Sacred bird: Hou-ou] Retrieved February 13, 2008.</ref>
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| − | ==Origin==
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| − | 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.
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| − | 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 February 13, 2008. </ref> According to legend, the Feng-Huang appers very rarely, and only to mark the beginning of a new era, hiding during times of trouble. It may appear in peaceful, prosperous times, or at the birth of a virtuous ruler. As the herald of a new age, the bird descends from heaven to earth, marking the beginning of a time of prosperity. 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.
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| − | 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 and the [[Chinese dragon|dragon]] are often shown together, either as mortal enemies or a blissful lovers.<ref name=phoenix>[http://www.onmarkproductions.com/html/ho-oo-phoenix.shtml Phoenix] Retrieved February 13, 2008.</ref>
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| − | ==Meaning==
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| − | The Feng-Huang over the years has been seen as a symbol of power, prosperity, grace, and virtue. The witnessing of Feng-Huang is regarded as a very good omen: it is said that "it soars from the eastern sky toward the light of the sun above enlightened country where the sovereign and its people are truly united or as a symbol of peace returning to a country when troublesome times finally come to an end."<ref name=hou>[http://www.irezumi.us/eg/houou.html Sacred bird: Hou-ou] Retrieved July 30, 2007.</ref> The spreading of its wings exhibits virtue to whoever witnesses it. It signifies divine [[beauty]], teaching all to do the right thing, standing for humanity and [[justice]], and arousing [[faith]] in all who see it.
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| − | 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.
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| − | 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 February 13, 2008. </ref>
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| − | The Feng-Huang was believed to control the five tones of Chinese music, and to represent the [[Confucianism|Confucian]] [[virtue]]s of [[loyalty]], [[honesty]], [[decorum]], and [[justice]].<ref name=phoenix/> When used to decorate a house, the Feng-Huang showed that the people who lived there were honest and loyal.
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| − | ==In art==
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| − | [[Image:Gilt hexagonal silver plate with a phoenix pattern.jpg|thumb|200 px|Plate with feng-huang]]
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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.]]
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| − | 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 regarded 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 February 13, 2008. </ref>
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| − | 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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| − | ==Notes==
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| − | <References/>
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| − | ==References==
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| − | * Nigg, Joe. 1995. ''Wonder Beasts: Tales and Lore of the Phoenix, the Griffin, the Unicorn, and the Dragon.'' Libraries Unlimited. ISBN 156308242X
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| − | * Nigg, Joe. 2001. ''The Book of Dragons & Other Mythical Beasts.'' Barron's Educational Series. ISBN 978-0764155109
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| − | * Storm, Rachel. 2000. ''Asian Mythology: Myths and Legends of China, Japan, Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia''. Lorenz Books. ISBN 0754806049
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| − | * Werner, E. T. C. [1922] 1994. [http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/15250 ''Myths & Legends of China''] Dover Publications. ISBN 0486280926. Retrieved February 13, 2008.
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| − | ==External links==
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| − | All Links Retrieved February 13, 2008.
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| − | * [http://www.everything2.com/index.pl?node_id=1334931 Feng-huang]
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| − | * [http://www.onmarkproductions.com/html/ho-oo-phoenix.shtml Phoenix]
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| − | * [http://www.irezumi.us/eg/houou.html Sacred bird: Hou-ou]
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| − | {{Credits|Fenghuang|114916359|}}
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