Vermilion Bird

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The Vermilion Bird (Chinese: 朱雀; pinyin: Zhū Què, literally "Vermilion Sparrow") is one of the Four Symbols of the Chinese constellations. According to Wu Xing, the Taoist five-elemental system, it represents the fire-element, the direction south, and the season summer correspondingly. Thus it is sometimes called the Vermilion Bird of the South (南方朱雀, Nán Fāng Zhū Què). It is often mistaken for the Fenghuang due to similarities in appearance, but the two are different creatures. The Fenghuang is the king of birds, while the Vermilion Bird is a mythological spirit creature of the Chinese constellations.

Contents 1 The Seven Mansions of the Vermilion Bird 2 Nature of The Vermilion Bird 3 Vermilion Bird in different languages 4 See also 5 External links

[edit] The Seven Mansions of the Vermilion Bird

Like the other Four Symbols, the Vermilion Bird corresponds to seven "mansions", or positions, of the moon.

• Well (Chinese: 井; pinyin: Jǐng)
• Ghost (Chinese: 鬼; pinyin: Guǐ)
• Willow (Chinese: 柳; pinyin: Liǔ)
• Star (Chinese: 星; pinyin: Xīng)
• Extended Net (Chinese: 張; pinyin: Zhāng)
• Wings (Chinese: 翼; pinyin: Yì)
• Chariot (Chinese: 軫; pinyin: Zhěn)

[edit] Nature of The Vermilion Bird

The Vermilion Bird is an elegant and noble bird in both appearance and behavior, it is very selective in what it eats and where it perches, with its feathers in many different hues of reddish orange.

[edit] Vermilion Bird in different languages

The Chinese constellations were not only used by Chinese cartographers, they were also used by Korean, Japanese, and Vietnamese cartographers as well.

• Standard Mandarin: Zhū Què / 朱雀
• Korean: Ju-jak / 주작
• Japanese: Suzaku 朱雀
• Vietnamese: Chu Tước / 朱雀

[edit] See also

• Vermilion

[edit] External links

• "Star Charts and Moon Stations"
• The Red Bird of the South

Chinese constellations
Three enclosures (三垣):
Purple Forbidden enclosure (紫微垣) | Supreme Palace enclosure (太微垣) | Heavenly Market enclosure (天市垣)
Four Symbols (四象) and Twenty-eight mansions (二十八宿):
East: Azure Dragon (青龍): Horn (角) | Neck (亢) | Root (氐) | Room (房) | Heart (心) | Tail (尾) | Winnowing Basket (箕)
South: Vermilion Bird (朱雀): Well (井) | Ghost (鬼) | Willow (柳) | Star (星) | Extended Net (張) | Wings (翼) | Chariot (軫)
West: White Tiger (白虎): Legs (奎) | Bond (婁) | Stomach (胃) | Hairy Head (昴) | Net (畢) | Turtle Beak (觜) | Three Stars (參)
North: Black Tortoise (玄武): Dipper (斗) | Ox (牛) | Girl (女) | Emptiness (虛) | Rooftop (危) | Encampment (室) | Wall (壁)