Brief Research On The Folk Custom Of The Phoenix Worship Of China

The folk custom of the phoenix worship is the custom caused by the fact that people worship phoenix. It is said that the phoenix is a spirit bird in the legend, regard chicken as original shape, has assembled many kinds of animal's characteristics in the integrative imagination animal, it is an auspicious bird in minds of people. In the Chinese folk custom, the phoenix has the spirits of characterizing with the king of hundred birds, predicting lucky, receiving morals, imaging love, driving evil etc. It is the symbol of auspicious sign, love, autocracy imperil power and national culture. The phoenix worship is originated from bird worship, it is enrichment and development of chicken worship. They have gone through a long developing course including the appearance, name, female and the cultural meanings of the phoenix. The phoenix worship of China is fetish worship not totem adoration. The folk custom of the phoenix worship of China has no negative meanings, and it has essential distinction with superstition. It has played agglomerating, inspiring, aesthetic and regulating functions etc. It is a masterpiece of imagination of the mankind, a kind of important folk faith and the outstanding cultural heritage of Chinese nation. Studying the folk custom of the phoenix worship is significant for carrying forward national culture, promoting the study of folk custom, strengthening national aesthetic consciousness, developing national cohesion. In this text, the author, using some theories and methods of folklore, in terms of folk custom history, carried on discussing on the questions, such as content, origin, development, nature, function, position, and the meanings of studying of the folk custom of the phoenix worship, etc., in the hope of making people have a scientific and intact understanding to the folk custom of the phoenix worship.