The folklore of cuckoo weeping blood

Legend: There is a poor family, three people, a mother and two sons in Dujia Village, a mountainous area in eastern Fujian. The eldest son is not married in his thirties. Most people in the village call him Du Da, and his younger brother, Toure, is eighteen or nineteen. The two brothers make a living by selling illicit salt and support their mother. Du Dali is big, he can pick 300 Jin of salt at a time, and Du Erli is small, making a living by himself.

One day, when Duda passed by a neighborhood to rest his shoulders, the burden was too heavy, and the salt burden slipped down and killed a child. Life is a matter of life. Duda was arrested and imprisoned by the government, awaiting the death sentence. It is very difficult for Toure to sell salt and support his mother by himself. Once, Duda said to his younger brother who came to visit the prison, "In two days, I will be executed." The two brothers hugged each other and wept.

The younger brother said, "I'll take the place of death." I only die one, you die three. Because I am weak, the money I earn can't support my mother, and both of us will starve to death. "Say that finish, my brother pushed my brother out of the door and went into the cell.

Two days later, Toure became the scapegoat. But Duda was afraid of things and didn't go home to take care of her mother after coming out. I don't know where he is hiding. Toure's soul turned into a cuckoo, flying around, calling: "Brother, come back! My brother is back! " Blood dripped from his mouth when he screamed. Where the blood drops, the red rhododendron grows. Since then, every spring, the mountains are covered with red azaleas. People say this is Toure's childlike innocence and filial piety.

The reason why "cuckoo cries blood" appears is that in spring and summer, cuckoo will crow all night, and its plaintive cry can often arouse people's various emotions. In addition, the oral epithelium and tongue of the cuckoo are red, and the ancients mistakenly thought that it was full of blood, so there were many legends and poems about "the cuckoo cried blood" and "the blood was deep".

Rhododendron is the general name of Ericaceae birds, including Rhododendron grandiflora, Rhododendron trifoliate and Rhododendron trifoliate. One-third of rhododendrons have nest parasitism. Belongs to the beneficial birds of forestry. There are many poems and songs about cuckoo, and the most typical allusion is looking at the story of the cuckoo emperor.

Ancient poets often read azaleas. For example, "azaleas and birds, what are these two credits?" It's full of blood, and it drips on the branches and becomes a flower "(Cheng) The leaves are resplendent and the flowers are unparalleled", "This thing in the flower is stone, and hibiscus and peony are all there" (Bai Juyi).

The legendary cuckoo crying blood should be a cuckoo with four tones, commonly known as cuckoo. Because of careful study, the oral epithelium and tongue of rhododendron are red, which the ancients mistakenly thought was full of blood.

When cuckoo sings, it is the time when azaleas are in full bloom, so there is a saying that the color of azaleas is dyed with blood by cuckoo's cry: "What are the merits of azaleas and birds?" It is suspected that the blood in the mouth drips into the flowers on the branches. "("Complete Tang Poetry "Volume 759" Rhododendron "sentence)" Rhododendron sends rhododendron, like blood like Zhu. It should be that I can't stay in spring, and the night wind is cold. " (Qiu Jin)

According to Li Shizhen, "Rhododendron was born in Sichuan, and it is also found in the south today. It is dressed like a sparrow hawk, but its color is miserable and black, and there is a small crown on its red mouth. At dusk in spring, people will crow. When they crow at night, they will sing to the north, especially in Zhixia, where the sound is sad day and night. Tian Jia and others use it to promote agriculture. But insect-eating moths can't live in their nests and hide in the winter months. "

Cai Xiang's poem in the Song Dynasty said: "The rain is full of plows, and those who know how to promote agriculture are not savages. It's early spring, and it's time to put on your coat and melt your calves. " Lu You also wrote a poem: "The season is too clear, cuckoos sing in the morning, spring comes to drive, the country is cultivated, the red and purple flowers are exhausted, and the green and yellow wheat ears are full." It doesn't make sense from now on. You can listen to the strings. "The cuckoo in the poem. Cuckoo

Zhu Zhen, a poet in the Southern Song Dynasty, really said, "The cuckoo cries for spring return, but the blood remains after kissing goodbye." It fully embodies the spirit of cuckoo's conscientious and responsible urging people to "disperse grain". In spring and summer, the cuckoo will crow all night, and its sad cry often arouses people's emotions.

In addition, the oral epithelium and tongue of Rhododendron are red, and the ancients mistakenly thought that it was full of blood, so many legends and poems about "Rhododendron weeping blood" and "weeping blood deeply" were produced.

References:

Baidu encyclopedia-cuckoo cries blood

References:

Baidu encyclopedia-cuckoo