Northeast Asian History Network

Vermilion Bird (Right)

A male Vermilion Bird is painted on the right wall next to the southern entrance of the Great Tomb of Gangseo. According to written records, the Vermilion Bird originates from Fenghuang and is often treated as one and the same in terms of iconography and symbolism.
Much like the dragon, extremely diverse descriptions of Fenghuang exist in historical texts. Shanhaijing or The Classics of Mountains and Seas states, "A bird exists that resembles a rooster and features the five cardinal colors. Its name is Fenghuang." Shuowen Jiezi (literally “Explaining and Analyzing Characters”, A Chinese dictionary from the Han Dynasty) states, "Fenghuang is an ethereal bird featuring the five cardinal colors. Its front resembles the Qilin (a.k.a. Kirin: chimerical creature of Chinese mythology), and the rear resembles a deer. It has the neck of a snake, tail of a fish, scales of a dragon, shell of a tortoise, chin of a swallow, and the beak of a rooster." Therefore, the Fenghuang sometimes resembles a rooster or is a composite of several animals much like the Azure Dragon.
The Vermilion Bird displayed in the image is essentially identical to its counterpart painted on the left side of the entrance. As stated in ancient records, the bird resembles a rooster and features the five cardinal colors in a mystical yet alluring form. Particularly, the S-shaped curve from the neck down to the chest is snake-like, and the horizontal line of the body from the center of the chest down to the abdomen is similar to the Azure Dragon. Just as in its female counterpart, the face is more ornate than that of a rooster, and a flame-shaped crest sits on top of the head. A lotus branch with red buds is held in its beak. This lotus branch elegantly mimics the S-shaped curves of the Vermilion Bird's upper body. These two S-curves from the lotus bud to the body of the Vermilion Bird complement each other to create a fancy yet elegant design.
However, the splendor and elegance is noticeably subdued in comparison to the female to the left. The bird’s large black beak and four whiskers embody the power and valor of a male. The appearance of the spread wings and tail feathers is simple and concise yet dynamic when compared to the female's features. The hues are noticeably darker with an ominous sense of weight and the overall presence of masculine swagger is unmistakable. Once again, multiple mountain peaks depicted in white, red, and black below the Vermilion Bird provide a sense of perspective to the mural.