Feng Huang the 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.

Unlike the Western phoenix, the Feng Huang is immortal. It does not go through a cycle of death and rebirth, but rather lives eternally, appearing on the earth at special times.

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 a symbol of summer and spiritual balance. It is considered the emperor of all birds, which follow the Feng Huang when they fly.

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.

Feng Huang - article on New World Encyclopedia