The Legend of the Phoenix
The phoenix is a bird from ancient Greek, Egyptian and Arabian
mythology that lived in Arabia and was sacred to or a servant of the sun god of
ancient Egypt. The phoenix is described as a heron in Egypt, but is usually
depicted as a peacock or eagle like bird with red and gold plumage. Only one
phoenix could exist at one time and every 500 or 1461 years when it felt it's
end coming the phoenix would build a nest to be used as a funeral pyre. The old
phoenix is then consumed in flames and burned to ashes. A new phoenix would then
rise from the funeral pyre. This process is said to symbolize the rising and
setting of the sun. After embalming the ashes of it's predecessor in an egg of
myrrh it would then fly with it to the City of the Sun and place it on the alter
of the sun god.
The phoenix symbolizes immortality, resurrection and life after death.
Depictions of a phoenix have appeared in Egyptian, Greek, Hindu and Chinese art
and writings for a very long time. It also later appeared in medieval Christian
writings as a symbol of death and resurrection. It's flight has been said to
represent the capacity to leave the world and its problems behind, flying
towards the sun in clear pure skies.
In China
In China the phoenix (si ling) was one of a number of animals that were
worshipped. A common depiction was of it attacking snakes with its talons and
its wings spread. In fact images of the phoenix has appeared in China for over
7000 years. Often in jade and originally on good-luck totems. Although during
the Han period (2200 years ago) the phoenix was used as a symbol depicting the
direction south shown as a male and female phoenix facing each other. It was also
used to symbolize the Empress in a pairing with a dragon where the dragon represents
the Emperor. Here the phoenix represented power sent from the heavens
to the Empress.
If a phoenix was used to decorate a house it symbolized that loyalty and honesty
was in the people that lived there. It was also believed that a phoenix controlled
the 5 tones of Chinese music and that it represented the Confucian
virtues of loyalty, honesty, decorum and justice. Depictions of the phoenix were
placed on tomes and graves. Also jewelry with a phoenix on it showed that the
wearer was a person of high moral values. This jewelry was only to be worn by
people of importance.