Feng Huang - Chinese Phoenix

The Feng Huang is a mythical, legendary creature. It is a sacred Chinese bird, the most beautiful of all the birds in China. It never kills a living creature, eating only leaves and seeds and even those with care so as not to damage any plant. It is a composite of many creatures, including the cock, swallow, snake, tortoise, stag, and even in some accounts has the tail of a fish. The Feng Huang is gloriously adorned with feathers of all colors, its tail colored red, azure, yellow, white, and black. Feng Huang sings a special sweet song, which is said to be the source of the Chinese five note musical scale.

Feng Huang, The Chinese Phoenix
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According to Chinese mythology, the Feng Huang together with the dragon, unicorn, and tortoise created the world and they now govern the heavens. The Feng Huang governs the southern quadrant and so is associated with the sun. It is considered the emperor of all birds, which follow the Feng Huang when they fly.

Feng Huang and Dragon outside the Summer Palace in Beijing
from Wikimedia Commons.

The Feng Huang is linked to the royal family. Together with the dragon, images of the Feng Huang were embroidered on the robes of Chinese sovereigns.

As the unity of male and female, or yang and yin, the Feng Huang often symbolizes marital harmony. Interestingly, although the Feng Huang is itself two birds, a male and a female, the Feng Huang is also considered the female partner of the male dragon.

The immortal Feng Huang lives far away from human beings and only appears at the dawning of an age of peace and prosperity, or when a benevolent new emperor is born. Thus the arrival of the Feng Huang is considered a blessed and wonderful event.

A Phoenix Standing on a Chinese Parasol Tree, 1890
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Optimistic Chinese Phoenix
by alandstevedesigns at Zazzle


Chinese Phoenix design
by paperlantern at Zazzle

Feng Huang have been very popular in Chinese artwork. The Feng Huang is often pictured in association with the dragon. The dragon represents the male, the yang, and the Feng Huang represents the female, the yin. The pattern of the dragon and Feng Huang means auspiciousness and good luck.The dragon and Feng Huang together symbolize harmony and the happiness of marriage.

Feng Huang, with the dragon or alone, was often associated with the emperor and the royal palace.

Feng Huang outside the
Summer Palace in Beijing
from Wikimedia Commons.

Feng Huang jewelry in particular is often considered a good luck talisman, the Feng Huang representing peace and prosperity. In old times wearing Feng Huang jewelry indicated that the person was of outstanding character, highly moral, and so only a few people were permitted to wear it.

Copyright © Jennifer P. Tanabe, 2009.
This page was created on May 22, 2009 and is the property of jptanabe (Jennifer P. Tanabe) and Squidoo, LLC. Please do not copy my material!