Phoenix Tree, Phoenix and Empress: Empress Historical-Cultural Symbol of Phoenix Tree and its Good Environmental Civilized Value

Abstract

This paper is intented to analyze the interrelation,mutual influence and integration of phoenix tree,phoenix and empress in ecological and cultural terms.The study indicates the historical-cultural symbolical meaning of Empress Wu of phoenix tree,and the ecological value.Empress Wu is the incarnation of dragon,rebirth of Maitreya Buddha with godship.From aspect of theology,phoenix stays at phoenix tree that is a myth by means of phoenix tree;phoenix and dragon keep abreast,phoenix represents outstanding woman,and Empress Wu is the incarnation of phoenix(super holy bird),phoenix liked to stay on phoenix tree(super sacred tree).Therefore phoenix tree represents the body of empress.In Buddhism,phoenix(tree's) imagery being the sacred tree of Chinese Buddhism is its feature,which is formed when the tree is cultivated in religious temple.Empress Wu is a human with humanity.In forest culture,imagery of phoenix tree is of aesthetic culture which represents pure love subjective intension by means of phoenix tree in gardens planting of past dynasties and composition of poetry.Love imagery of phoenix tree and phoenix symbolizes human emotion of Empress Wu.Lofty imagery of phoenix tree symbolizes the only one empress in China.That falling leaves of phoenix tree shows autumn comes which symbolized Empress Wu lost her Kingship and became queen for the rest of her life.Aesthetic cultural connotation,consisting of nobleness and hope of phoenix and misery and sad of phoenix tree,symbolized people's comment to Empress Wu in the passed one thousand and three hundreds years.Ecological value of phoenix imagery: nine holy birds which perch at bronze divine trees of Sanxingdui,and Sunbird of the Jinsha Site gives an impression that golden bird carries the sun to soar in the universe,in human's mental concept,phoenix tree symbolizes habitat for humanity of ecological civilization,phoenix symbolizes human's dream of flying.Phoenix likes to stay on phoenix tree which symbolizes harmonious civilization of human and human's earnest hope for good life.