Fenghuang

bird · China · East Asia and Pacific

Fenghuang (鳳凰) is the Chinese phoenix, a composite celestial bird often described with the head of a golden pheasant, the back of a tortoise, the neck of a snake, and the tail of a fish, its five colors carrying cosmic significance. It is said to appear only in times of peace and virtuous rule, and it pairs with the dragon as a symbol of yin, the empress, and marital harmony.

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