The Historical Evolution of Phoenix

Academic views tend to deny that there really was a phoenix in history, but Oracle Bone Inscriptions and Jin Wen showed that until the Shang and Zhou Dynasties, the phoenix was a rare but not nonexistent bird.

In Oracle Bone Inscriptions, "wind" attracts "phoenix".

An Oracle bone was unearthed in Yin Ruins. "Jia Yin bligh, network whistling, got wind.

Chen Bing won five.

"This piece of Oracle Bone Inscriptions means that the king ordered Chen Ming to catch birds with a net, and he caught five phoenixes at the Chen Bing Festival.

"Because of the use of net treasure, so naturally gave birth to a chicken.

"In the early bronze inscription' Zhong Ding', there was a saying:" ... the wind was born for the king.

"The word" wind "mentioned in the article, Guo Moruo once concluded that it refers to the living phoenix.

The earliest phoenix record in ancient times is the fifth chapter of Shangshu Yu Shuyi Ji.

The book describes the celebration ceremony held by Dayu after the flood control.

The music was hosted by Solanum nigrum, and birds and animals sang and danced at the ceremony.

Finally, the phoenix came-"Xiao Shao is 90%, and the phoenix emperor came to the instrument."

In the Shang and Zhou Dynasties, the phoenix was regarded as a divine bird.

Therefore, the description of phoenix patterns on jade and bronze wares highlights the ruler's concept of "destiny".

At this time, almost all the phoenix patterns are crowned with flowers, with full wings, long tail feathers and wide and powerful claws, showing a brave and vigorous modality.

The phoenix characters in Oracle Bone Inscriptions and inscriptions on bronze also fully show this feature. The phoenix pattern at this time is completely the mystery and artistic exaggeration of birds.

The main formal characteristics of phoenix patterns on Shang and Zhou bronzes, the specific view of archaeology is that these phoenix patterns are all side images of birds, and they are often symmetrically arranged on bronzes.

There are three kinds of crowns: multi-tooth crown, long crown and corolla. Any bird with a hooked beak can be called a phoenix, and most birds have a closed hooked beak.

The eyes on the head are mostly round or oval, and the phoenix is a bird or a chicken.

The ratio of length to length often varies with the position of decoration.

The phoenix patterns on the corolla are all rolled up, and the phoenix is connected end to end, mainly decorated on flowerpots and reeds.

The most varied phoenix patterns are tail feathers, including long tail, vertical tail, split tail and symmetrical tail.

The longest tail of the long tail phoenix pattern can reach three quarters of the bird's body, and the exaggeration is amazing.

The long tail or the tail of Feng Niaowen is different from the latter, and they are mainly popular from the middle of Yin Ruins to the middle of Western Zhou Dynasty.

Phoenix tail feathers are wide and drooping, called vertical tail phoenix, which prevailed in the middle of Western Zhou Dynasty.

Later, in Feng Niaowen, due to the change of composition, the tail feather and the phoenix body were separated, that is, the tail type.

There are also differences between the first volume and the second volume, most of which prevailed in the middle of the Western Zhou Dynasty.

Phoenix patterns in Shang and Zhou Dynasties were mostly vigorous, solemn and steady, which showed the hierarchical, dignified and conservative atmosphere and aesthetic taste of slave society at that time.

Not only as a practical totem symbol, but also gradually popularized into a beautiful artistic image.

After the Warring States Period, Qin and Han Dynasties, the phoenix was completely deified as a divine bird, but there are still some records about the appearance of the phoenix.

For example, Zuo Zhuan Zhao Gong (A.D. 1 ~ 32): "My ancestors did not have much room for Wu Zhi, and the phoenix bird was suitable, so I took the bird teacher as my discipline and named the bird.

"

During the Warring States period, a hundred schools of thought contended, the new economy flourished, and the phoenix pattern took on a new look.

Phoenix patterns began to become graceful and beautiful, charming and graceful.

The Tiger Bird Drum in Jingzhou Museum, Hubei Province, is based on two crouching tigers, with their heads held high and their legs bent back to back. On the back of the tiger, there is a singing Ming-feng with long legs, standing back to back among Ming-feng, and a big drum is hung on the crown of the phoenix with a red rope.

The whole body is painted with black paint, and the four colors of red, yellow, gold and blue are painted with tiger stripes and phoenix feathers.

The whole instrument is lifelike and colorful, which is not only drum music, but also an artistic masterpiece.

It is worth pointing out that in this phoenix-tiger combination image, the phoenix is tall and majestic, overlooking the sky, while the tiger is short and crouching on the ground, which reflects the Chu people's consciousness of worshipping Ming-feng, longing for tranquility and the spirit of conquering wild animals and not fearing * * *.

The phoenix pattern in Qin dynasty has a strong temperament and a strong flavor of life. Its image is either arrogant and striding, majestic or soaring, showing a flowing, robust and full of vitality.

From the abstract lines in the past to the concrete description of the image, it is more and more realistic; From the mysterious form in the past, it has added a lot of life interest and decoration.

Therefore, the artistic value has reached a new peak.

1975, painted painted bowls of painted phoenix fish were unearthed from tombNo. Yunmeng Shuihudi 1 1. The insole is painted with two free-swimming fish and a phoenix bird standing on one leg, and the pattern is bold and dynamic. The picture is composed of three columns. Through the "commercial standpoint" of different animal patterns, the picture force field is psychologically balanced.

Compared with the Tiger Bird Drum in the Warring States Period, the phoenix pattern in the painted phoenix fish pattern paint jar is more decorative. The phoenix bird no longer has an overwhelming comparative advantage like the contrast between the phoenix and the tiger during the Warring States period, and it is about the size of two swimming fish. However, the head of the phoenix bird is located in the center of the lacquer jar, and the exaggerated crown is across the insole, which shows that it is in the absolute center of gravity.

According to Hanshu, when Xuan Di proclaimed himself emperor in the Han Dynasty, the bird was "five or six feet tall".

"The Book of the Later Han Dynasty Volume I The First Ji of Emperor Guangwu" contains: "In the seventeenth year of Jianwu, there were five phoenix emperors in Yingchuan County, Shaanxi Province".

Quoted from the note of "The East View of Hanshu": "The phoenix is eight feet high."

According to the Biography of Jing Fang: "The Phoenix Emperor is tall.

"The physical characteristics of the phoenix depicted by the Han people have one thing in common, that is, the shape of the phoenix is particularly large-from five or six feet to more than ten feet high.

There are two versions of the "four spirits" in Han Dynasty: one is forest, wind, turtle and dragon; The other is the Four Spirits of Heaven: Qinglong, Baihu, Suzaku and Xuanwu.

"Notes" also records: "Yao reigned for 70 years ... only a few branches were in this country, providing a bird that was bright, ... shaped like a chicken and sang like a phoenix, which could drive away wild animals and tigers, so that evil monsters would not be harmed ... Before it came, China people either carved wood or cast gold and put it between doors like this bird.

According to this, archaeologists believe that the symmetrical birds and beasts carved at the top of the tomb door in the stone relief tomb of Han Dynasty have crown wings. If the phoenix is a phoenix, it means that it can exorcise ghosts, so it is used to decorate the tomb door like a dragon pattern.

The Han Dynasty is an important period for the formation of traditional culture in China, and the phoenix culture has made great progress in this period.

In all kinds of handicrafts and architectural decoration in Han Dynasty, almost all birds in nature were used as patterns.

Such as geese, swallows, eagles, pheasants, cranes, parrots, peacocks, golden pheasants, magpies, crows, sparrows, herons, storks, mandarin ducks and owls.

But the most distinctive and characteristic of the times are the mythical auspicious bird patterns such as the phoenix.

These divine birds, which can bring people good luck and auspicious omen, occupy an extremely important position in decorations.

These phoenixes are generous in shape, holding their chests out, spreading their wings, strutting their heads high and imposing.

Feng Niaowen in the Han Dynasty fully demonstrated the dynamic and imposing manner of the image, showing the overall sense of capacity, linear speed and changing force everywhere.

Probably because of the high idealization of "colorful birds", the patterns of phoenix birds in Han Dynasty are magnificent but not magnificent.

Another notable feature of the phoenix pattern in the Han Dynasty is that it adopts appropriate shapes according to the application of different decorations, such as the phoenix pattern on lacquerware, the phoenix pattern on the relief of tile stone in the Han Dynasty and the phoenix pattern on bronze ware in the Han Dynasty.

Even a small "Xiao-shaped seal" phoenix pattern has a unique charm, and its simple, simple and rich formal beauty is still appreciated by people today.

Most of the phoenix patterns in the Han Dynasty adopt appropriate shapes according to the application of different decorative patterns. Judging from the style characteristics, the jade phoenix pattern in Han Dynasty not only stabilized the typical characteristics of jade phoenix pattern in Warring States period, but also broke the stereotypes in modeling and ornamentation, imperceptibly infiltrating the artistic style of Han Dynasty into it.

The figurative phoenix pattern is stable and changeable, and many elements coexist; The abstract phoenix pattern is bold and innovative, and more ornamental.

The reality and reality between them correspond and complement each other.

The three stages of the development of jade phoenix pattern in Han Dynasty reflect that the jade phoenix pattern with typical Chinese style was formed in the middle and late Western Han Dynasty.

Culturally, the infiltration of Confucianism, Korea's follow-up to Chu Ci and the influence of Taoism made the spiritual culture of Han Dynasty contain the cultural gene of worshipping jade and phoenix, which became the motivation of the popularity of jade phoenix pattern in Han Dynasty.

The five cultural connotations, namely, the messenger who leads the soul to heaven, the reference of a virtuous gentleman, the spirit that can ward off evil spirits and overcome victory, the symbol of power and dignity, and the embodiment of spirit and beauty, embody the use function, social significance and aesthetic taste of the jade phoenix pattern, and embody the combination of realism and religionism.

Phoenix culture was very developed in the Tang Dynasty, especially in the national symbol of Datang Palace. The south gate of Daming Palace was named Danfengmen.

The "Phoenix fever" in the Tang Dynasty is mainly manifested in the use of phoenix as a metaphor for people, phoenix as a decoration, phoenix as a metaphor for the beauty of things, and phoenix as a metaphor for marriage and love.

The whole Tang poetry is a good proof of the "Phoenix fever" in the Tang Dynasty.

In the whole Tang poetry, the word Feng appeared 2978 times, the word Feng appeared 282 times and the word Luan appeared 1080 times. The total number of these three most representative phoenix appellations accounts for about one-tenth of the total number of Tang poems, and there is one word "phoenix" or "phoenix" or "Luan" in every ten Tang poems on average.

Before the Tang Dynasty, people didn't call people Phoenix easily. Occasionally, only kings, saints or extraordinary people can be called phoenix, and even fewer women can be called phoenix.

But in the Tang Dynasty, people freely and casually used the metaphor of Phoenix.

The phoenix pattern in Tang Dynasty is gorgeous and full, with vivid charm and changeable posture. After a glorious period of feudal society in China, the sense of form of decorative art became stronger.

The relationship between man and society has become a common theme of practical art, which is more interesting in content.

Since the Qin and Han dynasties, the auspicious concept of phoenix birds has been slightly weak, and various new forms have naturally appeared, either healthy, magnificent, elegant or gorgeous.

The diverse forms of phoenix patterns promoted the development of a new generation of decorative arts in the Tang Dynasty.

The phoenix patterns in the Tang Dynasty are more "bird-shaped", and many phoenix patterns on bronze mirrors are full of songs and dances, full of business and interest.

Pairs of "husband and wife" with local immortal meanings, tied with "concentric knot" ribbons or Swiss grass in their mouths, symbolize happiness, which is naturally closely related to the material and cultural life in the prosperous Tang Dynasty, reflecting the ups and downs of the prosperous Tang Dynasty.

In addition, from the headdress of the Tang Dynasty and the phoenix bird patterns in Dunhuang Buddhist grottoes, we can see that the phoenix bird patterns in the Tang Dynasty are more harmonious with people's life interests.

For example, in the golden hairpin crown decorated with female heads, Feng Huangwen embodies the flavor of the times with its unique and plump appearance.

The decorative arts in Song Dynasty lay particular stress on moral in concept and form, and the patterns of phoenix birds are also full of auspicious wishes and breath. For example, the patterns of "Phoenix beating peony", "Centennial Harmony" and "Welcome" in Zheng He's period gradually became stylized expressions, and the beautiful meaning of phoenix was fully exerted during this period.

Phoenix patterns in Song Dynasty are delicate, realistic and delicate, and they like to use soft lines to show a comfortable artistic conception.

Specifically, the crown on the phoenix bird's head is satisfactory, with a short and thick mouth, slender eyes, long legs and long tail. Each piece of scale feather is described in detail.

With the development of porcelain-making technology in Song Dynasty, phoenix pattern has gained a broader development world.

There are many excellent examples of phoenix bird decoration in Song Dynasty from porcelain.

Yaozhou Porcelain is the representative of northern celadon in Song Dynasty. A phoenix with round eyes and short mouth lying on its back is a realistic and delicate response to the phoenix pattern in Song Dynasty.

The spout is a lioness lying on her side with her mouth open, and the pot body is decorated with carved peony flowers. Because phoenix, lion and peony are the kings of birds and animals and flowers respectively, this pot is also called "Three Kings Pot".

Porcelain decoration in Yuan Dynasty is mature, and all kinds of phoenix patterns are artistic. Some images are painted casually, with appropriate colors, bright and smooth.

By the Ming and Qing Dynasties, phoenix decoration had become a specific form. No matter in round, square or various decorative forms, the pattern composition has its own internal form, and the common phoenix pattern forms are further standardized.

Among them, the "Tuanfeng" pattern in Ming and Qing Dynasties is the most distinctive decorative pattern, which is different from the "Tuanhua" on the fabric.

The "open ring" on the vessel is very suitable, showing a unique decorative style.

In the long-term practical design, the old artists of Nanjing Brocade summed up a set of formulas for painting phoenix: "One phoenix is three long, with long eyes, long legs and long tail", "The head is like a brocade chicken, the head is like a rattan cloud, and the wings are like a crane".

This represents the mature decorative features of Feng Huangwen in arts and crafts during the Ming and Qing Dynasties.

The most dynamic works in decorative arts in Ming and Qing Dynasties are a large number of folk handicrafts.

Folk blue calico, embroidery and flower picking; In folk wood carving, stone carving, brick carving and folk paper-cutting, the sense of form is stronger and the techniques are more diverse.

Phoenix birds in Ming and Qing Dynasties were mutated from birds on the basis of Suzaku and Chifeng.

Long snake neck, obvious eagle mouth, sharp eyes, fleshy cock crown, peacock-shaped three-feather giant tail.

Later, after development and change, the wing-like feathers of male mandarin ducks attached to the same part of the phoenix, which became the image of the phoenix today.

Among the silk decorations, there are Yunfeng, Tuanfeng and Flower Phoenix. They are associated with auspicious meaning and express good wishes.

The phoenix crown is the crown of the empresses of ancient emperors, decorated with jewelry similar to the phoenix.

In the Ming Dynasty, the rockhopper was the ceremonial crown worn by the empress when she accepted books, visited temples and attended court meetings. Its shape inherited the system of Song Dynasty, and developed and perfected it to make it more elegant.

In the Ming and Qing dynasties, the colorful crowns used by ordinary women as ornaments were also called rockhopper crowns, which were mostly used for weddings.

According to archaeological findings, the rockhopper appeared as early as the Han Dynasty, but most of the complete objects that can be seen in modern times belong to the Ming Dynasty.

Custom-made in Ming Dynasty: In case of a big gift, the Queen uses four phoenixes and three beauties in Kowloon (six in total) and the Crown Princess uses nine cuisines, four phoenixes and two beauties (four in total). When walking, the hat fans on both sides of the hat will spread out.

In Ming Dynasty, the Empress Dowager was honored with three dragons and two phoenix crowns, and the interior was made of lacquer bamboo silk with a gold ring on the edge.

The crown is decorated with Jinlong III and Cuifeng II.

Right in the middle, Yi Long and Erfeng are holding jewelry knots. Each knot is tied with three pearls, a ruby and a sapphire. The back of Feng is covered with pearls.

The crown is inlaid with 95 rubies and sapphires and 3,426 pearls, with a total weight of 21.65g. ..

Decorated with Golden Dragon Six and Emerald Phoenix Three.

In the center of the top of the front is Yi Long, with a drop of jewelry in his mouth, dragons on both sides decorated with wishful clouds, and a string of jewelry in his mouth; There are three phoenixes in the middle layer, with precious stones in their mouths, spreading their wings and flying, and there are three big pearl trees in the lower layer.

Gemstones 128 (including 7 rubies1and 57 sapphires) and 5,449 pearls.

The total weight of the crown is 2905g.

Modern Phoenix culture is mainly embodied in a large number of folk handicrafts, such as blue calico, embroidery, flower picking, folk wood carving, stone carving, brick carving, folk paper cutting and so on.

These phoenix bird patterns are full of distinctive flavor of the times and firmly maintain the traditional aesthetic taste of the Chinese nation.