Fenghuang

Fenghuang
Fenghuang sculpture in Nanning, Guangxi
Creature information
Other nameChinese phoenix
GroupingMythical creature
Sub groupingPhoenix
FolkloreChinese mythology
Origin
CountryChina, Japan, Korea, Vietnam
Chinese name
Traditional Chinese鳳凰
Simplified Chinese凤凰
Hanyu Pinyinfènghuáng
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu Pinyinfènghuáng
Bopomofoㄈㄥˋ ㄏㄨㄤˊ
Gwoyeu Romatzyhfenqhwang
Wade–Gilesfêng4-huang2
Tongyong Pinyinfònghuáng
IPA[fə̂ŋ.xwǎŋ]
Wu
Romanizationvonwaon, bonwaon
Gan
Romanizationfung5uong4
Hakka
Romanizationfung55fong11
Yue: Cantonese
Yale Romanizationfuhngwòhng
Jyutpingfung6-wong4
IPA[fʊŋ˨.wɔŋ˩]
Southern Min
Hokkien POJhōnghông
Middle Chinese
Middle ChinesebɨungHhwang
Vietnamese name
Vietnamese alphabet
  • Phượng hoàng
  • Phụng hoàng
Vietnamese pronunciation: [fɨəŋ˧ˀ˩ hwaŋ˨˩]
Korean name
Hangul봉황
Transcriptions
Revised Romanizationbonghwang
McCune–Reischauerponghwang
Japanese name
Hiraganaほうおう
Transcriptions
Romanizationhōō

Fenghuang (/fʌŋˈwɑːŋ/ fung-HWAHNG) are mythological birds featuring in traditions throughout the Sinosphere. Fenghuang are understood to reign over all other birds: males and females were originally termed feng and huang respectively, but a gender distinction is typically no longer made, and fenghuang are generally considered a feminine entity to be paired with the traditionally masculine Chinese dragon.

In the West, they are commonly called Chinese phoenixes, although mythological similarities with the Western/Persian phoenix are superficial.