The Divine Bird in Ancient Mythology: Bifang

Bifang: This mythical bird resembles a crane. It is blue, has one leg, red markings, and a white beak. Bifang does not consume grains and its appearance is believed to signal unusual fires in the region (some legends claim it often brings fire to households, causing disasters). It is revered as a divine creature that protects the chariot of the Yellow Emperor, though some know it as a fire demon or the fire crow.

Bifang appears like a crane with one leg, red markings, and a white beak. In ancient Chinese mythology, Bifang is an omen of great fires, and its name might have originated from the crackling noise of burning bamboo and wood. Bifang looks similar to a red-crowned crane but has a blue body, red spots, and only one leg (some stories suggest it has one wing) along with its white beak.

It is believed that sighting a Bifang predicts a major fire. Legend has it that when the Yellow Emperor summoned spirits and deities to Mount Tai, he rode in a dragon-drawn chariot with Bifang alongside it. In older myths, Bifang is portrayed as the steed of Zhu Rong, the fire god of creation.

Bifang is cited in the "Shan Hai Jing," "Shen Yi Jing," and "Huai Nan Zi."

• "Shan Hai Jing · Western Mountains": Describes Bifang as a bird with the shape of a crane, one leg, red markings, a blue body, and a white beak. Its call mimics its name, and it is associated with bizarre fires wherever it appears.
• "Shan Hai Jing · Southern Seas": Places the Bifang bird east, west of the blue water, with a human face and one leg. Another account says it is located east of the two Eight Deities.
• "Huai Nan Zi · Fan Lun Xun": Mentions Sun Shuao, who remained untroubled after three dismissals, unaffected by hardship or fortune. The text explores how fear and perception are influenced by one's spirit, relating strange creatures like Bifang to unfamiliarity and fear.
• Zhang Heng in "Dongjing Fu" describes Bifang as a bird-like old father god with two legs and one wing, often associated with bringing disasters through fire.
• "Han Fei Zi · Ten Mistakes": Chronicles when the Yellow Emperor gathered spirits and deities on Mount Xiqin, escorted by Bifang, which brought harm along with it.
• "Ping Ya" identifies Bifang as an omen of fire, akin to the phoenix, which is also an emblem of calamity.

Legends Related to Bifang

1. Bringing Fire to Humanity

Long ago, the earth had no fire, forcing humans to consume raw food like wild animals. The icy cold of winter was even worse, with snow freezing everything and many people dying from the chill. Despite prayers to the Heavenly Emperor for help, he refused to share the life-preserving fire he kept hidden. Bifang, a young attendant of the Heavenly Emperor, couldn't stand to witness humanity's suffering. So, while the Heavenly Emperor slept, Bifang secretly took the fire and brought it to earth. At the time, the land was covered in snow, and finding a young man nearly frozen under a tree, Bifang used the fire to warm him, bringing him back to life. Worrying about being discovered by the Heavenly Emperor, Bifang entrusted the flame to the young man, urging him to spread warmth so no one would suffer from the cold again. Since then, wherever there's fire, there are traces of Bifang, spreading warmth to humanity.

2. Assisting the Yellow Emperor in Crisis

Background

The Yellow Emperor spent seven years unifying eastern tribes and ultimately defeated the southern warlord Chiyou with help from fierce creatures from Mount Zhongtiao, expanding his territory significantly.

Nevertheless, his chief minister, Feng Hou, gravely reported that sporadic rebellions persisted. Chiyou's remnants continued to threaten the borders, and to the southeast, the commander Xiang Liu gathered snakes and insects for a counterattack. Meanwhile, to the northwest, mediums were summoning Chiyou’s spirit to lead an army of the dead against the Yellow Emperor again. Alarmed, the Yellow Emperor nearly collapsed but was steadied by a maid. Feng Hou quickly proposed strategies to counter these threats.

The Crisis Emerges

A few days later, the Yellow Emperor traveled alone in a chariot adorned with fire symbols toward Mount Tai. After five days on rough paths, he noticed a shadow growing ahead of his chariot, which quickly took the shape of Chiyou. Recognizing the shadow, he was paralyzed with fear. He remembered ordering Chiyou's defeat in the frigid north, yet here was the shadow reaching for him again. Helpless, he shielded his face, bracing for impact.

Resolving the Crisis

No one could hear the Yellow Emperor's cries over a sharp sound. A bright flash of red light stopped the shadow's advance. When the Yellow Emperor lowered his arm, he saw the shadow had faded, and a large red bird was flying away. These events left the surroundings still and silent.

Years later, Feng Hou recounted the event to the Yellow Emperor, explaining that the red bird was Bifang. With its vibrant red feathers and patterned beak, Bifang was responsible for sealing away the spirits of enemies defeated by the Yellow Emperor within Mount Tai. Though Bifang also held the power to release these spirits, Feng Hou didn’t know how it could be done.

For over 4,600 years, Bifang did not appear again, until in the 18th year of Emperor Qianlong’s reign, "Chronicles of Baochang County, Volume Twelve, Annals" recorded an event in the summer of the 14th year of the Ming Dynasty (1586) when Bifang descended near Xiaomei Pass, preceding a great flood prompting Governor Zhou Baoxiu to build the Taiping Bridge.

Source from the internet