The Imaginary Beast-the Phoenix Sign as the Bearer of the Chinese Bestial Cultural Code: the Evolution of Meanings

Yuan' Mengmeng PhD in Philosophy Research Engineer, Department of the History of Philosophy, Philosophical Anthropology, Aesthetics and Theory of Culture UrFU, Ural Federal University. the first President of Russia B. N. Yeltsin 125a Malysheva str., Yekaterinburg, Sverdlovsk region, Russia, 620049 739601405@qq.com

In the modern world, the exchange of important socio-cultural information between Russia and China is becoming increasingly important. For a more complete and subtle understanding of Chinese culture and the information being communicated, the addressee needs knowledge and understanding of specific cultural codes that are stable mechanisms of cultural continuity over many centuries from the culture of Ancient China to the present day. One of the most important cultural codes of China is the so-called bestial code. The Chinese bestiary as a sign-semiotic system based on the beast-sign and the beast-code is formed in the texts of ancient epics, in the art of bronze, and decorative and applied art of Ancient China. In the modern world, the Chinese bestiary as a cultural code develops and is broadcast in the works of the Chinese media industry, where the stories of new characters unfold on the basis of images of fictional iconic animals and birds for Chinese culture. Both in the works of ancient and medieval China, and in modern Chinese media products, each of the imaginary animals-signs of the Chinese bestiary bears a certain semiotic meaning.

Such Russian researchers as N.L. Adilkhanyan ^[1], O.N. Volkova ^[2], N.P. Martynenko^[3], O.A. Negodyaeva ^[4], U. devoted their works to the study of the Chinese bestiary based on the material of the ancient Chinese epic "Shan hai Jing" (The Book of Mountains and Seas).N. Reshetneva ^[5], A.P. Terentyev-Katansky ^[6], E.M. Yanshina ^[7].

The study of ancient epics has long been conducted by Chinese scientists, and recently the study of the bestiary and the image of the Phoenix was continued by Pan Bingzhang ^[8], Fan Wujie ^[9], Liu Renfeng ^[10], Li Daiping ^[11], Tang Xudong ^[12], Wu Yanzhong ^[13], Li Wei^[14], Wang Mengmen ^[15]. Chen Xuan ^[16], Zhu Li ^[17], Liuqing Yang ^[18], Lu Jiayu ^[19], studied the images of animals-signs of the Chinese bestiary in sculpture, ceramics, painting, design, costume, animation, computer games, music and Chinese opera.

Scientists' attention to the so-called bestial code of Chinese culture is explained by the fact that, according to V.N. Toporov, "in relation to the mythopoetic era, animals act as one of the variants of the mythological code" ^{[20, pp. 161-166]}, and myth, as is known, is one of the most stable ways of forming a holistic cultural picture of the world, and explanations of all processes taking place in the world of culture through actualization and re-mythologization of the original cultural phenomena.

To analyze the mythopoetic images of the Phoenix, one of the most revered and frequently encountered mythological creatures in various works of Chinese art, design and media industry, we will use the historical typology of animal images in culture, developed by the outstanding Russian semiotic V.N. Toporov. He argued that among the various fantastic or realistic images/descriptions of an animal or bird, the most ancient are totemic images of early religions that allow a person to carry out "mythological personification of himself in nature, emphasizing his unity (in the actual present and in terms of continuity) through the elements of nature" ^{[21, pp. 339-341]}. According to Demenova V.V., "a fictional bird in every culture bears its own name, has its own external and symbolic features, manifesting itself in different ways in mythology and literary sources" ^{[22, pp. 169-181]}.

In the history of Chinese culture, the semiotic sign-the image of the Phoenix has gone through several stages of the evolution of the image and meaning. The first stage that the image of the Phoenix experienced at its birth is totemic. The earliest monuments of the totemic cult of this mythological creature include ornaments with the image of a Phoenix that were found in the Neolithic era at the sites of the Hemudu culture.

According to V.N. Toporov, animals or birds bearing a certain cultural code often act as representatives of entire classes of animals and birds, and again, as an example, he writes: "The Phoenix is all birds." ^{[21, pp. 339-341]}. Agreement with this idea is found in Liu Chenhuai's book "Ancient Chinese Mythology", where it is stated that "The Phoenix is a typical image of a pheasant as the main body, including many signs of other birds, such as an eagle" ^[23]. Many other Chinese scientists also believe that the phoenix originated from a totemic cult and appeared as a result of the layering of iconic details of many other animals with the totemic image of a bird as the main one. One of the first fictional descriptions of the phoenix is given in the ancient Chinese epic "Shan hai Jin": "another five hundred li to the east is the mountain of Cinnabar Cave. From there flows the Cinnabar River, there is a bird. It looks like a rooster, five-colored, with streaks. It is called the phoenix (fenghuang)" ^[7]. At the beginning of the Qin Dynasty (Chunqiu and Zhanguo periods, up to 221 BC), the Phoenix was mainly depicted with a snake neck and high legs, but after the Han dynasties (206 BC — 220 AD) and Tang (June 18, 618 — June 4, 907), it gradually turned into the image of a bird with the body shape of a brocade chicken. After the Song Dynasty (960-1279), more peacock elements were added to the characteristics of the Phoenix.

Reading the articles and books by V.N. Toporov and S.A. Tokarev ^{[24, p. 51]}, we can say that totemism is a stage of encoding the symbolic kinship of a person with nature, when a real natural being, in this case a bird, is taken as the basis for the image of a beast–sign, and if a fictional creature becomes a totem, then it is endowed by a person with additional positive properties that further emphasize his perfection. This was the mechanism of the birth of the image of a fictional being – the Phoenix. On the basis of the appearance of various domestic birds, an image was formed symbolizing sunlight, summer, warmth, fire and a good harvest. Thus, the worship of the sun and the veneration of the totem of birds, the children of the sun, contributed to the birth of an important image of Chinese culture – the Phoenix bird sign.

As the next stage of the development of the animal code, we, following V.N. Toporov, distinguish zoomorphic images of the period of polytheism development, when the Gods of certain natural forces and elements are endowed with an animal appearance. According to V.N. Toporov, this happens when "individual elements of a zoomorphic code have values permanently assigned to them, which, however, can be transmitted by other code systems," such code systems can be different in sign carriers and isomorphic in executable functions. At the same time, "specific elements of the zoomorphic code gain the ability to act as classifiers that conditionally and symbolically describe this situation and, in addition, can be combined into whole complexes that unite different spheres of being (<...> this animal - plant — land of light — color — heavenly body — element / element — metal — taste — the time of the year is a deity, etc.)" ^{[25, p. 84]}. In modern culture, such chains of correspondences are best known as horoscopes. As V.N. Toporov writes, "examples of animals correlating with the countries of the world, the seasons, and the elements are especially common." As one example of such a correspondence, he cites the Phoenix and includes it in the following semiotic chain: "Phoenix — south — summer — fire". Scientists from China agree with the ideas of V.N. Toporov. In his article "Myth and Poetry – the Dragon and the Phoenix", Chinese scientist Wen Yiduo says that "the dragon and the phoenix are "symbols of the birth of our nation and the beginning of our culture"" ^[26]. About the origin of the phoenix in He Xin's book "The Origin of the Gods" it is said that "the phoenix and the phoenix bird are respectively animal images of two natural elements. The male phoenix is the god of the wind, and the female Phoenix is the solar bird, also known as the "fiery spirit", the living embodiment of the sun"" ^[27].

      The next stage in the development of the image of the beast-the Phoenix sign – is emblematic. The emblematic function was considered by prominent cultural anthropologists as a continuation of the totemic function, when the head, skin, feathers, claws and fangs of a totemic beast were used as symbols of belonging to a certain tribe, clan, and then the state. K. Levi-Strauss ^[28], J. Fraser ^[29], W. Turner ^[30], A.E. Makhov ^[31] wrote about the use of animal signs in the emblematic function, and first of all, according to scientists, animal signs were used to symbolize political power and patronage. The phoenix in Chinese antiquity had many symbolic meanings, the most famous of which is that, like the dragon, the phoenix is also a political symbol, usually an emblem used to denote political wisdom, the ability to achieve well-being and harmony.

In the epic "The Voice of the White Tiger" it is written, "Emperor Phoenix, the leader of the birds" ^[32]. Thus, the epic records that at the next stage of the evolution of the image of the Phoenix, there was a transition from the zoomorphic image of the God of one of the elements (Wind / Sun) to the emblematic image of the imperial power. This reflects the status of the Phoenix in ancient Chinese culture. The king bird in the ancient Chinese legend is a phoenix, a male named "feng", the Queen of birds is a female named "Huang(?)".

First of all, from now on the phoenix is a symbol of political success. It is said that he is so noble and exalted that he does not appear everywhere, but only during periods of political clarity. In the "Poetic Edda" there is a phrase "The Phoenix sings on Mount Qishan" ^[33], which refers to the time when the phoenix settled on Mount Qishan, the stronghold of the Zhou Dynasty, at the end of the Shang Dynasty, and sang. It was believed that this was a favorable omen for the prosperity of the Zhou dynasty, since the Zhou king Wen possessed virtue and thus attracted the phoenix. Later, King Wu of Zhou conquered the entire province of Zhou and really succeeded. For the ancients, the expression "The Phoenix comes to soar" meant that heaven bestows a favorable fate.

In classical Chinese novels (XIV – XVIII centuries), one can find many references to this symbolic allegory. For example, in the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, when Cao Pi wanted to become emperor instead of Emperor Xian of Han, at that time it was reported, "The Phoenix comes during the ritual, it is a sign of heaven"^[34]. This is a way of building up power for the success of political power.

Secondly, as an auspicious symbol associated with the emperor, the Phoenix also often became the emblem of the imperial family. For example, in the Emperor's harem, the Empress, princess and concubines wore Phoenix crowns and traveled in carriages with the Phoenix emblem to the "Tower of the Five Phoenixes" located on the territory of the imperial Palace at the main gate of the Forbidden City. The fact that the "Tower of the Five Phoenixes" is often used in novels and plays as a symbol of the imperial family is also associated with the emblematic symbolism of the Phoenix.

Gradually, the Phoenix began to denote an outstanding talent. Such a change in symbolic meaning occurs during the heyday of Chinese literature, when such masterpieces of classical Chinese literature as "The Three Kingdoms", "River Backwaters", "Journey to the West", "Dream in the Red Chamber" were created. In the poetry of the famous Chinese poet Qu Yuan, the Phoenix is often used as a symbolic image denoting a wise and capable person. Pang Tong, the famous warlord of the Three Kingdoms, was called the "Phoenix chick" because his talent was comparable to the outstanding talent of Zhuge Liang, a strategist, inventor and writer in Ancient China. 

In the novel The Dream in the Red Chamber, Prince Bei Jing praises Jia Baoyu in front of Jia Zheng, "Your son is truly the child of the dragon and the phoenix" ^[35]. It is also a way of praising Jia Baoyu's talent, comparing the virtues of a person with a Phoenix.

Gradually, the meaning of the images of the Phoenix becomes more and more out-of-class and out-of-religious. The use of ornaments with the image of the Phoenix became less and less strictly regulated by the rules. The imperial family and noble officials were allowed to use ornaments with the image of the Phoenix made of gold and silver, as well as commoners, but from cheaper materials. Legend has it that the "Phoenix hairpin", created by the first emperor of Qin, in later times was usually used only by concubines, but in the era of the Tang Dynasty, ordinary women began to use jewelry similar to it. The poet Wang Jian of the Tang Dynasty wrote a story about a poor girl who was getting married and could not afford a gold or silver hairpin with a Phoenix, so she made a copper hairpin with the image of a Phoenix ^[12].

Gradually, the emblematic function of the Phoenix as a symbol of queens, princesses or concubines was replaced by a symbol of love, and the ancient Chinese began to use accessories with a Phoenix as a sign of love. In the novel "The Dream in the Red Chamber" it is told that the lovers used gifts as signs of love, which were decorated with images of the Phoenix ^[35]. There are many love stories associated with various depictions of the Phoenix in Chinese epics.

So, there is a story "Xiao Shi attracting the phoenix". According to the "Legend of the Immortals"^[36] by Liu Xiang during the Han Dynasty, a man named Xiao Shi played the xiao so well that his music sounded like the singing of a Phoenix. Prince Qin's daughter, Lanyu, once heard the sound of his xiao, fell in love with him, and they subsequently married. Once they played their instruments together and attracted a flock of Phoenixes with the perfection of music, the birds lifted the lovers to heaven and granted them immortality.

The phoenix as a symbol of love is also reflected in the history of Sima Xiangru (a famous Chinese figure and poet of the Han Empire) and Zhuo Wenjun ^[37]. When he was poor, Sima Xiangru once visited the house of the rich Zhuo Wang Song and saw Zhuo Wenjun, the daughter of Zhuo Wang Song, looking out of the window of the banquet hall, so he sang the song "Feng is looking for Hong", revealing his heart in a song about the love of a phoenix woman and a phoenix man. Zhuo Wenjun instantly understood his feelings, she fell in love with him at first sight, and that same night they ran away.

The transformation of the Phoenix into a female symbol is associated with a key figure in the history of China – the Empress of the Tang dynasty Wu Zetian. To legitimize her rule, Wu Zetian preached the appearance of the Phoenix as the mandate of Heaven to show that she had replaced Tang with Zhou. She constantly emphasized the connection between Phoenix and women, seeking public support for her claim to the throne. The success of Wu Zetian's claim to the throne and the influence of her status led to the Phoenix gradually becoming a symbol of a noble woman after the Tang era.

In the course of the history of Chinese culture, the Phoenix gradually established a symmetrical correspondence with the dragon, the symbol of the emperor. Unlike the manly dragon, the image of the Phoenix gradually became feminine and graceful, and eventually began to represent women. Thus, we have revealed that the image of the imaginary Phoenix bird, formed in ancient Chinese fine art, folklore and ancient epics, and then turned into television series, cartoons, computer games, film adaptations of the novel "Dream in the Red Chamber" and many others, symbolized a state of joy and happiness, well–being and harmony at first as the imaginary totem beast of Chinese agricultural workers worshipping the Sun, Wind, Fire, heat and a good harvest, then became the emblem of the imperial power, and above all, its female representatives – the Empress, princesses and concubines, and then became a sign of love and happiness, femininity and grace. Thus, "the phoenix represents the Great Limit, that is, the state of perfect harmony of yin and yang" ^{[38, pp. 288-292]}.

The benevolent nature of the ancient image-the Phoenix sign has led to the fact that it has survived to the present day and is one of the most popular in modern design, which is reflected in clothing, food, housing and transport, for example, wearing a phoenix crown, phoenix shoes, paper cutting and embroidery of phoenix images – all this reflects the desire of millions of Chinese people to a better life and the pursuit of happiness.

The stability of the Phoenix image in Chinese culture for many millennia speaks of reliable mechanisms of continuity in Chinese culture, and the variability and development of the meaning of the Phoenix images speaks of the dynamics of Chinese culture, which has been developing for thousands of years on its own internal foundations and preserving the stability of development and the deep unity of values.