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Mythical Birds
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BIRDS were often seen as magical creatures by the ancient Chinese as they could fly to places where humans had never been before.
Thus, there are quite a number of powerful creatures in ancient Chinese myths that have similar appearance to birds. They also have some unique features that highlight their divine status, such as an additional or missing foot, two extra pupils, and patterns in the head.
Three-foot crow 三足乌
Ten three-foot crows in China were said to have ensured that the sun rose at dawn and set at dusk.
In ancient Chinese myth, there were ten suns — rather than one — with ten three-foot crows acting as their spirits.
As described in the “Shan Hai Jing” (“The Classic of the Mountains and Seas”), there was a huge hibiscus tree in Tanggu at the east coast. The tree grew in the water, with ten three-foot crows living on it. There would always be a crow standing on the top of the tree, while the others rested on the lower branches. Every morning, the crow on the top flew across the sky as the sun shone, only coming down to the lower branches at nighttime. Another crow would move up to the top branch the next day.
The ten crows were cooperating well until one day they flew together for fun. The ten suns in the sky dried out the water, burned the crops and trees, and even cracked the earth and killed humans.
Hou Yi, an excellent shooter, volunteered to shoot the suns down with his bow and arrows. He chased them and shot nine of them down. He remitted the last sun on the condition that it guaranteed light and heat every day.
Thus, new order was restored with the only sun rising in the east and setting in the west.
Double-pupil Bird 重明鸟
Chongming (double-pupil) Bird is shaped like a chicken and sings like a phoenix. It has two eyes but four pupils with two in each orbit. It often takes off its feathers for no reason. It is a strong bird that can fight against fierce animals, and dispel evils. The bird only eats cream of fine wine.
Legends suggest that a double-pupil bird was given to the Emperor Yao by a neighboring tribe. The emperor found it hard to believe that such a chicken-like bird with little feather could dispel evils and fierce animals. The bird seemed to understand the emperor’s doubt. It suddenly sang like phoenix, spread its barren wings and flew around.
A flock of owls and other birds were seen flying northwards quickly. It was reported that no fierce birds were left within hundred miles.
The emperor was now convinced that it was a magic bird and set it free in the woods. The double-pupil bird defeated all animals and evil spirits around. Every household nearby welcomed the bird by placing wines in the courtyard.
However, the double-pupil bird gradually disappeared over the years. The helpless residents then carved a wooden statue of the double-pupil bird and put it up in the neighborhood.
Surprisingly, the statue also worked well in dispelling the evil spirits.
Thus, it became a tradition of setting statues of a chicken’s shape or paintings of chicken on the window during the Chinese New Year.
Bi Fang 毕方
In ancient Chinese myths when Bi Fang appeared, there would be big fire.
Bi Fang is quite similar to crane in appearance, but it has only one foot. It has a blue body decorated with red patterns and a white beak. It does not eat crops, but is often seen carrying fire in the beak. It always cried “Bi Fang,” which then became its name.
It is a spirit of both fire and wood.
Legends suggest that the mythical bird was once a protector of the Yellow Emperor.
The Yellow Emperor encountered the dead army of Chi You whom he defeated. Just when the emperor was in danger of facing the changeable army, a giant fire bird came to help. All the evil ghosts disappeared at the bird’s cry.
The emperor was told that it was the mythical Bi Fang.
Jing Wei 精卫
On the tree-lined Fajiu Mountain lived a crow-like bird. It had a white beak, two red feet and white patterns in the head. It kept throwing small rocks and branches into the sea. As it always cried “Jing Wei,” people assumed it was its name.
Jing Wei was supposed to be the youngest daughter of the Yan Emperor who had long dreamt of touring the East Sea and appreciating the sunrise from there.
Being busy every day, the Yan Emperor never got the chance to take his daughter out.
One day, the young girl sneaked out on her own and rowed a boat all the way to the East Sea. Unfortunately, the boat was struck by thunder. The boat overturned and the girl drowned before sunrise.
Hating the sea for taking her life, the girl’s soul turned into the bird Jing Wei. She carried rocks and branches in her beak, and kept throwing them into the East Sea. She hoped one day it would fill up the sea.
The roaring sea mocked that the bird would never make it in million years, while Jing Wei swore that she would keep doing that till the end of the world.
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