What is the symbolism of the phoenix?

Value significance

One, the phoenix is a "noble, magnificent, enterprising, peace" symbol

Phoenix is the people's mind of the bird of paradise, the world's symbol of peace. Ancient people believe that when the world is at peace, there will be the phoenix fly, the wind of the oracle bone character and the phoenix of the same oracle bone character, that is, on behalf of the omnipresence of the wind and the spiritual power of the meaning; phoenix that is the emperor of the word for the meaning of the supreme supremacy.

Two, the phoenix is a symbol of love

Phoenix can bring people happiness and good luck, naturally, also contains the happiness of love. Thus, the phoenix has the meaning of symbolizing love. Later on, it was used to congratulate the marriage, a metaphor for the harmony of husband and wife. In the Tang Dynasty, the copper mirror has the "beautiful phoenix with a concentric knot", that is, the phoenix mouth with a concentric knot to symbolize happy love, to show that couples love each other with one heart.

This shows that the Sui and Tang dynasties have been more common to symbolize the love of husband and wife. To the Northern Song Dynasty, but also popular to gift phoenix hairpin to love, and phoenix hairpin is a kind of women's jewelry. Men and women engaged, the woman more than a phoenix hairpin gift to the man to express their own to "to the Ming Dynasty, men and women get married, the woman wore a dress also comes with a phoenix crown, phoenix crown embellished with the phoenix, and hung with jewelry and so on. To modern times, people still take the phoenix as a symbol of love, marriage point phoenix dragon flower candles, cut and paste phoenix-shaped patterns, etc.?

Third, the phoenix has a "and" symbolism

In Chinese culture, the phoenix image not only represents the natural objects of "and", but also represents the human society of "and".

In Chinese culture, the image of the phoenix represents not only the "harmony" of natural objects but also the "harmony" of human society. "The five colors of the phoenix were later regarded as the symbols of the five ethics of "virtue, righteousness, courtesy, benevolence and faith" which were the basis of harmony and stability in ancient societies." Secondly, the phoenix has represented harmony and beauty in folklore since ancient times. The fidelity of love.

In addition, the phoenix serves as a spiritual and material carrier of the concept of harmony. In terms of development, it is another diversified product, which is built on the combination of witchcraft and bird totem, blending the totems worshipped by various times and different tribes. Secondly, it is a unity of opposites, and it can be said that the concept of harmony in Phoenix culture covers all aspects of social and material life. The use of the phoenix image of "harmony" is also frequently used in idioms about the phoenix.

Four, the phoenix is a symbol of "power"

In the pre-Qin period, the phoenix pattern appeared in the symbol of power on jade and bronze, and later gradually became the royal exclusive use of the pattern, appearing in a variety of palace buildings, the use of artifacts on top of the, and in the form of etiquette and law to be maintained.

Fifth, the phoenix is the spiritual totem of the Chinese nation

Like the dragon, the phoenix is also a part of the long history of traditional Chinese culture. With the progress of society, the symbolism of the phoenix has changed accordingly, people no longer take the phoenix as a symbol of authoritarian imperial power, but as a symbol of national culture. In China's primitive colored pottery culture about 6,000 to 7,000 years ago, there was the beginnings of the phoenix image.

The phoenix pattern also appeared on Shang Dynasty bronzes more than 3,500 years ago. So in the subsequent generations of Chinese decorative arts, have created a lot of phoenix as the theme of art treasures. These works of art with phoenix motifs are representatives of traditional art, reflecting the aesthetic interests of the Chinese nation. From the point of view of dragon and phoenix art, the artistic image of phoenix gives people great spiritual power, and it is a symbol of the Chinese nation, just like the dragon. In other words, it can be said that the Chinese nation is also the heir of the phoenix.

Expanded Information:

In Chinese culture, the phoenix is a symbol of joy, peace, talent and happiness.

In traditional Chinese culture, the phoenix is the king of all birds in ancient legends, with the male being the phoenix and the female the phoenix. Sima Xiangru of the Western Han Dynasty wrote a famous zither piece called "Phoenix Seeking Phoenix". Later, the Chinese combined the phoenix with the male dragon, alongside the dragon, with a totem-like height, which has been honored and worshipped by the children of the Yellow Emperor for generations, thus creating a rich and splendid dragon and phoenix culture.

The dragon and the phoenix always appear together in idioms, such as: the dragon flies and the phoenix dances, the phoenix watches the dragon, the dragon rises and the phoenix lifts, the dragon and the phoenix present auspiciousness and so on.

The image of the phoenix is often used to decorate the utensils and clothes of the emperor and the queen, so it is also a symbol of the emperor and the queen. The emperor served "dragon gun", the empress will wear "phoenix crown"; the emperor lived "dragon residence", the empress will live "phoenix building"; The emperor had a "dragon fire suit" and the empress had a "phoenix head". The dragon symbolizes authority and dignity, while the phoenix symbolizes beauty and love. The combination of the two is a sign of peace and prosperity, nobility and good fortune.

In addition, the image of the phoenix often appears in ancient poems and songs. For example, Wen Tingjun's "Bodhisattva Barbarian" says: "The phoenix is relatively coiled in golden strands, and the peony has passed through light rain overnight. In the bright mirror, the new makeup is shining, and the sideburns are light and the face is long. I have been looking at each other for a long time from the painted building, and there are weeping willows outside the fence. The two swallows in front of the community have returned."

The phoenix's long history and rich connotation by the general public's favorite, in fact, it is not only limited to the royal aristocracy, in the people's clothing, food, housing and transportation and other aspects of life everywhere in the phoenix, such as wearing a phoenix crown, phoenix shoes, phoenix hairpin; eat phoenix wings, phoenix claws; live in the phoenix building; paper-cutting and embroidery will be the phoenix as the subject matter, which reflects the pursuit of people's happiness and good love and aspirations.

References:

Phoenix (Ancient Chinese Legendary Bird of Prey)_Baidu Wiki