1. Red Phoenix
1. Red Phoenix (Ch: Zhu Qiao ) Guardians of the south Chn. = South, Summer, Red,
Red
Phoenix is associated with the element of Fire ( Fèng
Huáng, Feng Huang ) ,
" Feng represents male phoenix,
yang, solar " " Huang represents
female phoenix, yin, lunar "
In the Chinese art of placement, known as feng
shui, the phoenix figures prominently,
representing the south point of the compass, for south was considered
the ideal way
for one's house to face. In The Feng Shui Handbook,
Master Lam Kam Chuen
writes:
A mythical bird that never dies, the phoenix flies
far ahead to the front,
always scanning the landscape and distant space. It represents our capacity
for vision,
for collecting sensory information about our environment and the events
unfolding within it.
The phoenix, with its great beauty, creates intense excitement and deathless
inspiration.
The phoenix was also used to mark the location where treasure was buried.
If a phoenix
was used to decorate a house it symbolized the loyalty and
honesty of the people that lived there. Depictions of the phoenix were
placed
on tombs and graves. A common depiction was of the phoenix shown with
spread wings,
often in the act of attacking snakes with its strong talons.
HISTORICAL
NOTES
At the heart of Chinese mythology are four spiritual
creatures (Sì Shòu )
The Han Dynasty Chinese cosmologists distinguished Four Creatures of the
World
and since then have become deeply rooted in Chinese mythology.
These animals are the Green Dragon,
White Tiger, Phoenix ,
Tortoise & Snakeskin
Each creature represents one of the four world directions, seasons, and
"elements".
Sometimes there are five animals because every once in a while
the snake will be depicted with the Black Tortoise.
(The Phoenix- S , The Green Dragon- E , The Tortoise- N , The
White Tiger- W)