Fenghuang ( / f ʌ ŋ ˈ w ɑː ŋ / fung- HWAHNG ) are mythical birds found in traditions across East Asian cultures. These birds are believed to rule over all other birds. Originally, male and female Fenghuang were called feng and huang, but today, the term fenghuang is often used without separating genders. It is usually seen as a symbol of femininity and is paired with the traditionally masculine Chinese dragon.

In the West, Fenghuang are often called Chinese phoenixes. However, similarities between Fenghuang and Western or Persian phoenixes are only on the surface, as their stories and meanings differ significantly.

Appearance

A common image of the fenghuang shows it attacking snakes with its claws and spreading its wings wide. According to the Erya's chapter 17 Shiniao, the fenghuang is described as having 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. Today, it is often shown as a mix of many birds, such as 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.

The fenghuang's body represents parts of the sky and nature: its head symbolizes the sky, its eyes represent the sun, its back represents the moon, its wings represent the wind, its feet represent the earth, and its tail represents the planets. It is said to have come from the sun. Its body includes five main colors: black, white, red, yellow, and green or blue. It is sometimes shown holding scrolls or a box with sacred books. It is also sometimes drawn with a fireball. It is believed to appear only in places that are very peaceful, prosperous, or happy.

In Chinese tradition, it is said to live on Mount Danzuan in the southern mountains.

Origin

The earliest known ancient fenghuang design was found from about the 7th millennium BC in Hongjiang, Hunan Province, at the Gaomiao Archaeological Site.

The earliest known form of a dragon-fenghuang design dates back to the Yangshao culture (around 5000 to 3000 BC) and was found at an archaeological site near Xi'an in Shaanxi Province. The use of fenghuang and dragon designs in ancient times shows evidence of an early form of totemism in China.

During the Shang dynasty, images of phoenixes and dragons became popular as burial items. Many jade fenghuang and jade dragon artifacts were discovered in tombs from the Shang dynasty period. The Xuanniao mentioned in Zhou dynasty poetry about the Shang people is described in Shuowen Jiezi as male Fenghuang (simply "Feng").

During the Spring and Autumn period (around 771 to 476 BC) and the Warring States period, dragon-fenghuang designs were often combined in unearthed artifacts. One example is the Silk Painting of Human Figure with Dragon and Phoenix from the Hunan Museum.

In the Qin dynasty (221–206 BC), fenghuang hairpins (hairpins with fenghuang decorations) and shoes decorated with fenghuang designs were meant to be worn by the Imperial concubines of the Qin Emperor.

During the Han dynasty (about 2,200 years ago), two fenghuang, one male (feng, 鳳) and the other female (huang, 凰), were often shown together facing each other. An imperial law during the Han dynasty required fenghuang hairpins to become the official headpiece for the empress dowager and the imperial grandmother.

Later, during the Yuan dynasty, the two terms were combined into fenghuang. However, the "King of Birds" came to symbolize the empress when paired with a dragon representing the emperor.

From the Jiajing era (1522–1566) of the Ming dynasty onward, a pair of fenghuang was distinguished by the tail feathers of the two birds, typically forming a closed circle pattern. The male was identified by five long serrated tail feathers or "filaments" (five being an odd, masculine, or yang number), and the female by one or two curling or tendrilled tail feathers (two being an even, feminine, or yin number). During this time, the fenghuang was used as a symbol for the direction south. This was shown through a male and female facing each other. Their feathers were of the five fundamental colors: black, white, red, green, and yellow. These colors are said to represent Confucius’ five virtues:

• Ren: the virtue of benevolence, charity, and humanity;
• Yi: honesty and uprightness; Yi includes zhōng (doing one's best, conscientiousness, loyalty) and shù (reciprocity, altruism, consideration for others);
• Zhi: knowledge;
• Xin: faithfulness and integrity;
• Li: correct behavior, propriety, good manners, politeness, ceremony, and worship.

The fenghuang represented power sent from the heavens to the empress. If a fenghuang was used to decorate a house, it symbolized that loyalty and honesty were present in the people living there. Alternatively, a fenghuang only stayed if the ruler was free from darkness and corruption (政治清明).

Linguist Wang Li connects the character 鳳 to 鵬, which refers to a mythical great bird. The character 鳳 is also related to 風, meaning "wind."

Historical linguist Marc Miyake reconstructs 鳳凰 as N-prəm-s ɢʷˁɑŋ, which he suggests, though with uncertainty, may be the affixed form of 風皇 (prəm [ɢ]ʷˁɑŋ), meaning "wind sovereign."

Symbolism

The fenghuang has good meanings. It represents goodness and elegance. It also shows the balance between two opposite forces called yin and yang. The first part of the Classic of Mountains and Seas, called "Nanshang-jing," explains that each part of the fenghuang's body stands for a specific quality. The head represents virtue (德), the wing represents duty (義), the back represents proper behavior (禮), the abdomen represents trustworthiness (信), and the chest represents kindness (仁).

Originally, the fenghuang was made of two separate symbols: a male feng and a female huang. These represented yin and yang, and together they showed the love between a husband and wife. However, starting in the Qin dynasty, the fenghuang slowly became more associated with femininity as the dragon became a symbol of masculinity. Over time, the feng and huang merged into one female image.

In ancient and modern Chinese culture, the fenghuang often appears in wedding or royal decorations, along with dragons. This is because the design of dragons and fenghuang together symbolizes a happy marriage, a common metaphor for yin and yang. In some traditions, the fenghuang appears during times of peace but hides during trouble. In other traditions, it only appears to mark the start of a new era. In China and Japan, the fenghuang was a symbol of the imperial family and represented "fire, the sun, justice, obedience, and loyalty."

• A fenghuang on the roof of Longshan Temple in Taipei
• A drawing of a fenghuang by a Dutch artist around 1664
• An illustration from the Classic of Mountains and Seas showing a nine-headed fenghuang (from a Qing Dynasty edition)
• A portrait of an empress, possibly Empress Xiaoxianchun (wife of the Qianlong Emperor), sitting on a chair decorated with fenghuang imagery

Modern usage

The fenghuang, also called hōō in Japan and bonghwang in Korea, is still used today in various ways.

• In Japan: The hōō is linked to the Japanese Imperial family. Differences between hōō and fenghuang often happen because of how certain sounds are pronounced in Japanese and Chinese. For example, the throne called Takamikura is decorated with many hōō images. The special clothing of the Imperial family, called Kōrozen no Gohō, includes patterns with hōō. The hōō also appears on Japanese stamps and money, such as the back of the ¥10,000 note from 2004. Toyota’s main car, the Toyota Century, uses the hōō as a symbol.

• In Korea: Two bonghwang are used in the symbol of the Korean President. They also appear on the national seal. In the past, bonghwang was used for queens and empresses.

• In China: The word fèng or fènghuáng is often used in the names of women. Similarly, "Dragon" is used for men’s names. The term "Dragon-and-fenghuang infants" refers to twin brothers and sisters. Fenghuang is a common name for places in China. The most famous is Fenghuang County in western Hunan. Its name uses the same characters as the mythical bird. "Phoenix talons" is a term for chicken claws in Chinese cooking. The Vermilion Bird (Suzaku in Japanese) is one of four mythical symbols in Chinese culture and is sometimes compared to the fenghuang. The Chinese University of Hong Kong uses the fenghuang in its emblem to represent nobility, beauty, loyalty, and majesty. Phoenix Television is a media company based in Hong Kong. Typhoon Fung-wong is a name used for three storms, based on the Cantonese pronunciation of fenghuang.

• In hanafuda, a traditional Japanese card game popular in Korea and Hawaii, the hōō (or bonghwang) is a valuable card. It is the light card of the paulownia suit, linked to December in Japan and Hawaii, or November in Korea.

• In art, English-speaking experts sometimes call the fenghuang "hoho bird," a name based on hōō. The Japanese also use "fushichō" for this image.

• Examples of fenghuang in culture include:
• A sculpture of fenghuang on Fenghuang Mountain in Fengcheng.
• The Dragon & Fenghuang Arch in China.
• The seal of the South Korean President, which includes two bonghwang.
• The national seal of South Korea.
• A bonghwang sculpture near the Blue House, the President’s workplace in South Korea.
• The emblem of the Chinese University of Hong Kong, which shows the mythical bird feng. The university’s colors are purple and gold, representing loyalty and perseverance.
• A hanafuda card showing a hōō above a paulownia flower.