Why Phoenix. The symbol of the phoenix among the Slavs

What is a phoenix bird? The legend about her in various versions has existed for many centuries. The only thing that remains unchanged is that this supernatural being, living for 1000 years, was a symbol of renewal. There is a version that in the form of an eagle with golden plumage, anticipating her death, she burned herself in her nest, and a chick was born from her ashes. According to another legend, this mythological creature built its own funeral pyre and threw itself into the fire in order to be reborn.

Several versions of the existence of the phoenix

There are several theories as to what may have given rise to such a legend. The phoenix was probably captured in Asia and sold in the hope of a higher price to foreign visitors along with wild stories of its legendary powers as a mythical creature. There is also a theory that someone saw a common peacock lit up by the sun and thought the bird was on fire. There are a myriad of versions, none of which can be documented.

Legends about the Phoenix in different religions

The phoenix bird was an absolute deity in different religions:

• In Christian Orthodoxy, it symbolizes eternal life, resurrection, faith in the future. In ancient times, the image of this divine being was painted on gravestones, which symbolized the transition to eternal life.
• Among the Jews, the legend about the existence of a mythical bird was interpreted somewhat differently. It was believed that everything happened in the Garden of Eden, when Eve fed the temptations of Adam and animals with an apple, and only the Phoenix did not succumb, stubbornly turning away from the treat. Thus he retained his immortality.
• There is another legend about the life of an immortal being, when Noah, saving animals from the global flood, fed them in his ark. He suggested that the phoenix bird, which was modestly lying in the corner, also strengthened its strength, but in response, he heard a quiet refusal to eat, due to the fact that the lifeguard had so much trouble. Touched by the sympathy of the phoenix, the man wished that the Almighty would send this bird eternal life.

Another theory of the existence of a phoenix

The following theory about the origin of the mythical creature is rather bizarre, but may be more true than some of the others. The phoenix bird may have been a crow or a raven dancing in the dying fire. It may seem strange at first glance, but the truth is often more absurd than fiction. According to this theory, the flying creature sits on embers, like in a sauna, enjoying the heat and spreading its wings to its full width. From the flickering lights, the color of her plumage seems golden. After the next session, spreading her wings, she begins to flap them intensively to cool off. From these strokes, the coals flare up, and in the meantime the phoenix takes off safely.

Despite the fact that there are many legends and traditions about this unique, mythical creature, the unearthly beauty that the phoenix bird possesses remains constant in them. Photos of various drawings serve as direct evidence of this.

“In the Garden of Eden, under the tree of knowledge, a rose bush bloomed; in the very first rose that blossomed on it, a bird was born; its feathers cast wonderful colors, its flight was a radiance, its singing was a wondrous harmony.

But then Eve ate from the tree of knowledge, and she, along with Adam, was expelled from paradise, and one spark fell into the nest from the fiery sword of the angel of retribution. The nest flared up, and the bird burned down, but a new, unique, always unique phoenix bird in the world flew out of the red-hot egg. Myths say that she builds her nest in Arabia and every hundred years she burns herself in the nest, but a new phoenix flies out of the red-hot egg, again the only one in the world.

Fast as a ray of light, shining with a wonderful color of feathers, enchanting with its marvelous singing, a marvelous bird flies around us." (Hans Christian Andersen)

Phoenix is ​​an ancient symbol of immortality, rebirth, the sun. This mythological bird is colored gold and red, symbolizing the rising sun.

In monumental sculptures, stone pyramids and buried mummies, the Egyptians sought to gain eternity; it is quite natural that it was in their country that the myth of the cyclically reborn, immortal bird should have arisen, although the subsequent development of the myth was carried out by the Greeks and Romans.

Adolf Erman writes that in the mythology of Heliopolis, the Phoenix (bnu) is the patron of anniversaries, or great time cycles.

Herodotus, in a famous passage, recounts the original version of the legend:

“There is ... a sacred bird, her name is Phoenix. I myself have never seen her, except as painted, because in Egypt she rarely appears, once every 500 years, as the inhabitants of Heliopolis say. According to them, she arrives when she dies her father (that is, she herself) If the images correctly show her size and size and appearance, her plumage is partly golden, partly red. Her appearance and size resemble an eagle.

Also, in the fortune-telling inscriptions of Ancient China, created over 15 centuries BC, the wonderful phoenix bird - "fenghuang" is mentioned. The Chinese dictionary of the 1st century "The Interpretation of Signs" ("Showen") described the phoenix bird as follows: "It resembles a swan from the front, a unicorn (qilin) ​​from the back, a snake's neck, a fish's tail, a dragon's color, a turtle's body, a cock's beak."

The Chinese "Catalogue of Seas and Mountains" also tells about the phoenix king bird: "Five hundred li east of the Heavenly Tiger Mountain is the mountain of Cinnabar Cave. At its top there is a lot of gold and jade. There is a bird, five-colored, with divorces. It is called a phoenix. The pattern on her head resembles the hieroglyph "de", which means "virtue", and on the wings - the hieroglyph "i" - "justice", on the back - the hieroglyph "li" - "good manners", on the chest - "jen" - " Perfection", on the stomach - "blue" - "honesty". She eats and drinks like an ordinary bird. She sings and dances herself. When they see her, calm and peace come in the Celestial Empire."

For the medieval Chinese, the phoenix bird personified marital fidelity and a life of prosperity. Therefore, she was often depicted on wedding dresses, was a symbol of the bride and the empress.

Coming from the ancient sage Confucius, the saying "phoenixes do not appear" means that happiness always comes and does not come.

However, one should not confuse the Chinese phoenix with the European phoenix, known from the books of ancient Greek authors and medieval treatises - this is a completely different bird.

At the end of the 17th century, the German scientist F. Wolf collected together all the information that was known at that time about the celestial bird Phoenix. The result of the search was published in a work with the intricate title "The Amazing Garden of the Wild, or On the Foolishness of Animals."

“The Phoenix bird is considered the most amazing of all the birds of the sky. Some write that it lives in Arabia, others talk about other places. This bird does not breed like other birds, but is reborn after death from its own ashes.

She lives 160 years, and some scientists claim that even longer. They also say about her that she is the only one in all the earth, so they see her very rarely. Hence the saying went: "More rare than the Phoenix bird." The size of a Phoenix from an eagle, the neck is shiny, golden, in the tail there are pink feathers, the face is round, there is a crest on the head.

The Phoenix is ​​not born like all other birds. When the bird reaches old age and senses the approach of death, it builds a nest of herbs and rare expensive plants such as coffee, myrrh, aloe, which are highly flammable. Then sit in the nest and wait for it to light up. And along with the nest itself burns to the ground. After the Phoenix burns down, a worm appears first, and then a Phoenix similar to the former one grows out of this worm. Ovid wrote about it.

Further, this new bird arranges an amazing funeral for the burnt one: it transfers the ashes of the burnt nest to the famous city of Heliopolis in Egypt and lays it there on the altar. She does it like this:
1) weaves an egg-shaped vessel from palm branches;
2) tries to see if he can pick it up;
3) carefully levels the vessel and fills it with the ashes of the burnt nest;
4) gently close the hole;
5) lays his burden on the altar in the temple of the Sun at Heliopolis."

Another version of the description of the Phoenix was left to us in the 6th century BC in the apocryphal "Revelations of Baruch". To Baruch's question, "what kind of birds are these?" neither the human race nor all creatures on earth would live from the heat of the sun. Thus, the Phoenix saves people from the withering gaze of the luminary.

There is a description of the Phoenix in the old "Physiologist": "His head is decorated with a crown, and boots on his feet, like a king's. The Phoenix lives near the Sunny City. It will rise for 500 years on the Lebanese cedars without food. It feeds on the Holy Spirit. Beats in the appointed hour is a bell, and the Phoenix in the church on the altar turns to ashes. And in the morning they find a bird in the same place in the form of a chick, and a day later - an adult "...

The phoenix was also known in Russia. The "Pigeon Book" says: Phoenix bird - "to all the mother birds." She has "feathers stronger than steel and damask steel, they cut bones and stones, and when guests come from across the sea, they buy feathers and cover or velvets and atlases."

Shakespeare, in the conclusion of Henry VIII (V, 5), wrote the following beautiful lines about the Phoenix:

Like a virgin - Phoenix, a miracle bird,
Burning itself, rising from the ashes
An heir as beautiful as herself.

Translation by B.Tomashevsky

Not surprisingly, the early Christians depicted the phoenix in the catacombs as a sign of the Resurrection. Saint Clement of Rome (1st century) connects the image of the phoenix with Christian teaching: repeating Ovid's story about the five hundred year old phoenix living in Arabia, Clement concludes his story with the words that the Creator, who created the phoenix, thus demonstrated that he grants immortality to those who dedicates his life to faithful service to Him. This idea of ​​Clement was picked up by later Christian authors - Tertullian, Lactantius, Rufinus, St. Gregory of Tours and others. In bestiaries, medieval books in which descriptions of animals were accompanied by religious commentaries, the legend of the phoenix symbolizes the resurrection of Christ.

In Christian teaching, the phoenix becomes a symbol not only of the immortality of the spirit, divine love and blessing, but also of God the Son, who resurrected on the third day after the crucifixion. Images of the phoenix adorn the cathedrals in Tours, Magdeburg, Basel, and many other European cities. The most impressive wall mosaic of the XII century in the cathedral in St. Petra in Rome: it depicts a phoenix with blue and white plumage, with gold and red wings, its head surrounded by white and gold halos.

Used materials from the Mythological Encyclopedia phoenix; possibly from Greek. φοίνιξ , "purple, crimson") - a mythological bird with the ability to burn itself and then be reborn. Known in the mythologies of different cultures, often associated with the solar cult. The phoenix was thought to have an eagle-like appearance with bright red or golden red plumage. Anticipating death, he burns himself in his own nest, and a chick appears from the ashes. According to other versions of the myth, the Phoenix itself is reborn from the ashes. It was generally believed that the Phoenix is ​​the only, unique individual of its kind. In a metaphorical interpretation, Phoenix is ​​a symbol of eternal renewal, immortality.

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In heraldry

In Jewish Kabbalah there are some interpretations of the events that took place in Gan Eden (Garden of Eden), which say that Chava (Eve) fed the fruit from the Tree of knowledge of good and evil to her husband Adam and all animals and birds and beasts. Only the Phoenix bird did not succumb to the temptation, which subsequently retained its relative immortality because of this. This bird lives forever, every thousand years burning in the flames coming out of its nest, and again reborn from the ashes. It also mentions the giant bird Ziz, which with one of its wings is able to cover the entire sun. Both of these birds, according to legend, were the inhabitants of Gan Eden (Garden of Eden) during the stay of Adam and Eve (Hava).

There is another legend about the immortal bird. During the 12-month stay of the righteous Noah (Noah) in the Ark during the flood, he fed the animals staying there. Of all the inhabitants of the ark, only the Phoenix lay modestly crouching in a corner, and to the question of Noah (Noah): Why do you not demand food for yourself, he answered: - I saw how much trouble you have with others, and did not dare to disturb you. - Touched by these words, Noah (Noah) said: - You regretted my work, condoling with my sorrows. May the Almighty send you eternal life!

It should be noted that, along with the Phoenix, this bird is in some places referred to as "Chol" - the name of the Phoenix in Hebrew is "Ofkhol" (עופחול) (from Hebrew - "of" עוף - "bird" and "khol" חול - sand, dust, ashes) and Orshin.

In works of art

• The Phoenix Clan appears in the 3rd season of the animated series Legends of Chima.
• In the book "

The Phoenix bird looks like an eagle with red and golden feathers. For many centuries, she managed to amaze the imagination of people with her amazing qualities - to be reborn from the ashes after self-immolation and live for an unusually long time. The phoenix bird is a beautiful legend that exists in several versions.

In the main version, which has become a classic, with a frequency of five hundred years, she flies from India to the Libyan temple of the sun, located in Heliopolis, and throws herself into the fire of the sacred vine, kindled. Wings soaked in incense flare instantly, and the victim burns in the fire. A new phoenix rises from the ashes after three days, thanks the priest for his work, and flies to India.

The Bennu bird from Ancient Egypt, which resembled a heron in its appearance, was also reborn after self-immolation, similar to the example described above.

Since ancient times, people have strived for immortality, and the Phoenix was the personification of this dream. In the ancient world, his images could be found in heraldry and sculpture, on seals and coins. This symbol in poetry and prose is strongly associated with after the execution.

Chinese Phoenix

Ancient China had its own legend. The mythical bird with colored plumage was called Feng Huang, had a cock's beak and goiter of a swallow, the color of a dragon, a torso, a snake's neck, and a fish tail. From the back, she resembled a unicorn, and in front of a swan. She lived in the realm of perfect people, hovering over mountains and seas.

The first mention of the Feng Huang bird appeared in the 15th century BC. e. The word "Feng" meant the divine wind, and the word "huang" - the crest of a bird in the form of the sun with rays like a trident. This confirms the origin of "Feng Huang" (from the light of the sun).

According to some reports, the arrival of the Phoenix coincides with the beginning of the rainy season. In China, the phoenix bird, according to legend, knows the seasons.

The Chinese "Catalogue of Seas and Mountains" also contains a mention of this miracle. In it, among the gold and jade, on the top of the mountain lives a five-colored bird. She sings wonderfully and dances beautifully to the beat of her song. On her wings is the hieroglyph "i", which means justice, the hieroglyph "jen" is inscribed on her chest - perfection. The hieroglyph "blue" flaunts on the belly of the bird - honesty. The back is decorated with the hieroglyph "li", meaning good manners, the head - "te" - virtue. According to an ancient legend, at the moment when the whole Celestial Empire sees the Feng Huang bird, calm and peace will reign in the country.

Phoenix bird legend of rebirth

German scientist F. Wolf in his book "On the Foolishness of Animals" systematized all the information about the miracle bird. According to the work of Wolf, the life expectancy of the Phoenix is ​​160 years, the feathered one cannot reproduce, but is able to be reborn from its ashes. The head is decorated with a golden tuft, the neck is shiny, the feathers in the tail are pink, the size of the individual is from an eagle.

As death approaches, she builds a nest of rare plants and fragrant herbs that are easily flammable, such as myrrh, coffee, aloe. One day, the nest catches fire, and the Phoenix bird burns down with it. Then a small worm appears on the ashes, and an adult grows out of it.

References to the Phoenix bird in other books

The time comes when the Phoenix carries the ashes to Heliopolis and lays them on the altar. This is how Ovid described his renewal.

According to the book "Physiologist", a crown adorns the head of a phoenix, and royal boots on its feet. This creature feeds on the holy spirit and lives on the Lebanese cedar for 500 years. Hearing the bell ringing on the day of its death, it turns to ashes on the church altar.

In the morning, a chick is found at this place. He gets back to normal in a day. In Russia there is a description of this miracle. It is contained in the "pigeon book", according to which, Phoenix is ​​the mother of all birds. Its outlandish feathers are stronger than damask steel - they cut stones and bones, and overseas merchants buy feathers for cutting satin and velvet. In Christianity, the Phoenix symbolizes the resurrection of the flesh.

Phoenix The universal symbol of resurrection and immortality, death and rebirth in fire. This is a fabulous bird that dies as a result of self-sacrifice. She remains dead for three days (new moon) and then rises from the ashes. This symbolism is lunar, but the phoenix is ​​universally understood as a solar symbol. Being a fiery bird, it means the divinity of royal power, nobility and uniqueness. It also symbolizes meekness, since it never breaks what it lands on, and does not feed on anything living, but only dew. In all variants of the Garden of Eden, the phoenix is ​​associated with the rose. Alchemy: completion of the Great Work, rebirth. Aztecs, Mayans, Toltecs: solar symbol, blessing, happiness. Quetzal is a satellite of Quetzalcoatl. China: Fenghuang, cinnabar bird, substance of flame, one of the four spiritually gifted (or sacred) beings, embodying, like the dragon and qilin with which it is always associated, both yin and yang. If it is a male (feng), then it is yang, the solar principle, a fiery bird. If huang, then this is a feminine, yin, lunar principle. Depicted with the dragon as a symbol of the emperor, the phoenix becomes a purely feminine symbol and signifies the empress, and together they are both aspects of imperial power. In the female incarnation (huang), the phoenix means beauty, subtlety of feelings and peace. It is also a wedding symbol, meaning an inseparable community - not only for a married couple, but also for the universal interdependence of nn-yang in a world of duality. In addition, like the dragon and qilin, the phoenix consists of several different elements representing the entire cosmos: it has the head of a rooster (the Sun), the back of a swallow (a symbol of the rising moon), its wings are the wind, the tail symbolizes trees and flowers, its feet are the earth , he is five-colored, which symbolizes the five virtues: His color is pleasing to the eye, his crest expresses righteousness, his tongue is sincere, his voice brings out the melody, his ear enjoys music, his heart observes the rules, in his chest are the treasures of literature, his spurs have power against breaking the law (from an ancient ritual). His appearance was considered in all cases to be an extremely auspicious sign, signifying peace and beneficent rule, or predicting the appearance of a great sage. A pair of phoenixes meant the emperor and the sage. Christianity: resurrection, Christ destroyed by the fire of passions and rising again on the third day, victory over death, faith, constancy. Egypt: identified with Bennu, the solar bird, as a symbol of the solar beginning, resurrection and immortality; associated with Ra. It has been suggested that the phoenix also symbolized the spiral ascent of Sirius, which in ancient times was a sign of the flood of the Nile. Japan: Sun, directness, fidelity, justice, obedience. Rome: the rebirth and eternal existence of the Roman Empire, the divine origin of the empire.

Symbol Dictionary. 2000 .

Synonyms:

See what "Phoenix" is in other dictionaries:

Legendary sacred bird of the ancient Egyptians. Later, this myth became known in Ancient Greece, where it was told in two versions: Phoenix is ​​a bird covered with bright red, almost fiery plumage, which flies to Egypt every five hundred years, in ... ... Dictionary of winged words and expressions

phoenix- a, m. phénix m. gr. Phoenix. 1. A mythological bird that burns itself and is reborn from its own ashes. BAS 1. To renew one's honor, this privilege is given to the phoenix, which, being burned by the Sun, is born again from its ashes. ... ... Historical Dictionary of Gallicisms of the Russian Language

- (Phoenix, Φοίνιξ). 1) Son of Amyntor, teacher of Achilles. 2) The mythical sacred bird of the Egyptians, which, according to Herodotus, flew every 500 years from Arabia to Heliopolis, where her father was dying by this time. According to other legends, Phoenix burned himself, ... ... Encyclopedia of mythology

- (Greek phoenix). 2) the fabulous bird of Arabia, which, according to legend, lives for 300 years, and before death burns itself, and a young phoenix appears from its ashes; symbol of eternal renewal. 2) as a common noun: a rare person in his talents. 3) one ... ... Dictionary of foreign words of the Russian language

Phoenix- Phoenix. Fragment of a Sicilian mosaic. Phoenix. Fragment of a Sicilian mosaic. Phoenix in the myths of the ancient Greeks is a magical bird that lives somewhere in Ethiopia and lives for 500 years (: 1460 years or 12954); has the appearance of an eagle and a magnificent color of red ... ... Encyclopedic Dictionary "World History"

In the myths of the ancient Greeks, a magical bird that lives somewhere in Ethiopia and lives for 500 years (options: 1460 years or 12954); has the appearance of an eagle and a magnificent color of red gold and fiery tones. Anticipating its end, the phoenix burns itself every time in ... Historical dictionary

And husband. Star. redk.otch.: Feniksovich, Feniksovna. Origin: (Greek personal name Phoinix. From phoinix phoenix, fabulous bird.) Dictionary of personal names. Phoenix a, m. Star. rare Reporter: Feniksovich, Feniksovna. [Greek. personal name Phoenix. From phoinix… … Dictionary of personal names

Phoenix- (Voronezh, Russia) Hotel category: 4 star hotel Address: Koltsovskaya Street 43, Voronezh, Ro… Hotel catalog

See miracle Dictionary of synonyms of the Russian language. Practical guide. M.: Russian language. Z. E. Alexandrova. 2011. phoenix n., number of synonyms: 10 ... Synonym dictionary

PHOENIX, phoenix, husband. (Greek phoinix) (book rhetor., poet.). In ancient Greek mythology, a bird that had the ability to burn itself and be reborn from the ashes; use As a symbol of eternal renewal, rebirth. “Like a young phoenix, ... ... Explanatory Dictionary of Ushakov