In Greek myths, the Phoenix bird resembles an eagle with red and golden feathers. For many centuries, she managed to amaze the imagination of people with her amazing qualities - to be reborn from the ashes after self-immolation and to live an unusually long time. The phoenix bird is a beautiful legend that exists in several ways.
In the main version, which has become classic, with a periodicity of five hundred years, she flies from India to the Libyan temple of the sun, located in Heliopolis, and throws herself into a fire from a sacred vine, kindled by the chief priest. The wings, saturated with incense, flare up instantly, and the victim is burned in the fire. A new phoenix rises from the ashes in three days, thanks the priest for his work and flies to India.
The Bennu bird from Ancient Egypt, which in its appearance resembled a heron, also revived after self-immolation, similar to the example described above.
Since ancient times, people have strived for immortality, and Phoenix was the embodiment of this dream. In the ancient world, his images could be found in heraldry and sculpture, on seals and coins. This symbol in poetry and prose is strongly associated with the resurrection of Christ after the execution.
Chinese phoenix
Ancient China had its own legend. The mythical bird with colored plumage was called Feng Huang, had a cock's beak and a swallow's goiter, a dragon's color, a tortoise's body, a snake's neck, and a fish's tail. From the back, she looked like a unicorn, and from the front, a swan. She lived in the realm of perfect people, hovering over mountains and seas.
The first mentions of the Feng Huang bird appeared in the 15th century BC. e. The word "Feng" meant the divine wind, and the word "huang" - the crest of a bird in the form of a sun with rays similar to a trident. This confirms the origin of "Feng Huang" (from the light of the sun).
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According to some reports, the arrival of the Phoenix coincides with the beginning of the rainy season. In China, the phoenix, according to legend, knows the seasons.
The Chinese "Catalog of Seas and Mountains" also contains a mention of this miracle. A five-color bird lives in it among gold and jade at the top of the mountain. She sings wonderfully and dances beautifully to the beat of her song. On her wings the hieroglyph "and" is designated, which means justice, on the chest is inscribed the hieroglyph "ren" - perfection. On the belly of the bird is the hieroglyph "blue" - honesty. The back is adorned with the hieroglyph "li", which means good manners, the head - "de" - virtue. According to an ancient legend, the moment when the whole Celestial Empire sees the Feng Huang bird, calm and peace will reign in the country.
Phoenix bird legend of revival
The German scientist F. Wolff, in his book "On the Unreasonableness of Animals", systematized all the information about the miracle bird. According to Wolf's work, the Phoenix's lifespan is 160 years, the feathered one cannot reproduce, but is able to revive from its ashes. The head of the mythical creature is decorated with a golden crest, the neck is shiny, the feathers in the tail are pink, the size of an individual is the size of an eagle.
With death approaching, she builds a nest of rare plants and fragrant herbs that are highly flammable, for example, myrrh, coffee, aloe. One day the nest catches fire, and the Phoenix bird burns with it. Then a small worm appears on the ashes, and an adult grows out of it.
Phoenix bird references in other books
The time comes when Phoenix transfers the ashes to Heliopolis and places them on the altar. This is how Ovid describes his renewal.
According to the book "Physiologist", the head of the phoenix is decorated with a crown, and on the legs - the royal boots. This creature feeds on the holy spirit and lives on the Lebanese cedar for 500 years. Hearing the bell ringing on the day of its death, it turns to ashes on the church altar.
In the morning, a chick is found at this place. He takes on a familiar image in a day. In Russia there is a description of this miracle. It is contained in the "pigeon book", according to which, Phoenix is the mother of all birds. Its outlandish feathers are stronger than damask steel - they cut stones and bones, and overseas merchants buy feathers for cutting satin and velvet. In Christianity, the Phoenix symbolizes the resurrection of the flesh.