This character refers to birds. Before being standardized and simplified, its original figure neatly represented a perched bird. Specific birds are given hidden meanings in Chinese culture. Some birds are seen as an emblem of joy or good luck, including cranes and magpies. However, there are also birds of ill omens, such as owls and crows.

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百鸟朝凤
băi niăo cháo fèng

Bai niao means “hundreds of birds ” while chao means “paying homage to”, and feng signifies  “a phoenix.” The proverb, taken literally, means “hundreds of birds pay homage to a phoenix.” It indicates that a virtuous person has found favor with the general public.

The proverb originated from the Taiping Yulan, which is a massive Chinese leishu (category books) encyclopedia compiled by a number of officials from 977 to 983. It portrayed a phoenix followed by hundreds of birds, flying to Mount Cangwu. The phoenix appears in Chinese culture as a mythological bird, regarded as the King of Birds. Its rare appearance is said to be an omen foretelling peace and prosperity. It is also considered female and is paired with the dragon (male); and together the two symbolize marital harmony.

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倦鸟知还
juàn niăo zhī huán

Juan niao refers to “a tired bird” while zhi means “to know”, and huan is “to come back.” These characters together mean that a tired bird will come back to its nest. Usually, the proverb indicates someone who returns home after they tried to make a living outside or, who drops out of official life and moves to the countryside.

The proverb is derived from the famous poem of Tao Qian (365-427), the Ah, homeward bound I go. “There the clouds idle away from their mountain recesses without any intent or purpose, and birds, when tired of their wandering flights, will think of home.” Tao was one of China’s greatest poets and a noted recluse. He resigned from official life and retired to a village to live a farmer’s life. Inspired by pastoral scenes, Tao is considered as the first poet of landscape poetry. The verse about the tired bird reflects his back-to-basics lifestyle, indicating the Taoist outlook on life and death.

 

(edited by REN GUANHONG)