Among the ancient famous birds on the mainland, the phoenix is the first and is the most famous totem creature. In the mythological system, the predecessor of the phoenix is the messenger of the legendary Queen Mother of the West, living in the Penglai Wonderland. People highly respected it, and in the Southern Tang Dynasty Lord Li Jing's "Mountain Flowers", there is a verse that "the blue bird does not pass on the letter from the clouds, and the lilac is sad in the rain".
It can be seen that the status of the blue bird in ancient times on the mainland is very high, but I am more curious about whether the prototype of this animal can be found in nature. After searching, I also found two birds that resemble the appearance of the "blue bird", let's see which two are!
Red-billed blue magpie
The description of the blue bird in the Classic of Mountains and Seas is too vague to determine the shape. In the Former Shu Du Guangting's "Records of the Collected Immortals of Yongcheng" (缑仙姑), there is a more detailed description of the blue bird: "shaped like a dove, with a red top and a long tail", "the tail is like an umbrella cover, and the green wing is red foot".
According to the superficial meaning, the appearance of the blue bird is a red crown, bird feet, a long tail, and dark green or light blue wings, which is very similar to the red-billed blue maw. The red-billed blue magpie comes from the same family as the crow, but the red-billed blue magpie is several times higher than the crow, and the red-billed blue magpie represents auspiciousness, while the crow represents misfortune, and the identity gap between the two is very large.
From the appearance, the red-billed blue magpie has red feet and mouth, black forebreast and neck, and white from the top of the head to the back of the neck. The wings and long tail are light blue, which is about 80% similar to the appearance of the blue bird recorded in ancient books.
Although the red-billed blue magpie looks harmless to humans and animals, they are more fierce in temperament and usually travel in groups. If a red-billed blue magpie is found in the wild, it means that there are at least three or more companions around it. They have a lively personality, jumping back and forth on the branches in search of plant fruits and insects, looking harmless to humans and animals.
However, in the face of danger, the red-billed blue magpie's combat power will burst out, and it will not fall behind in the face of some birds of prey in the sky. Especially during the breeding period of female birds, there is a strong sense of territory and cub protection behavior, for those who try to get close, will show a strong aggressiveness, at this time it is recommended that you do not easily approach the red-billed blue magpie, in order to prevent being attacked.
In addition to its appearance, the red-billed blue magpie is also very popular with the ancients. During the Tang Dynasty on the mainland, the most prosperous period, the nobles of the Tang Dynasty liked to raise some birds to watch. The red-billed blue magpie with outstanding shape and bright feathers has become everyone's first choice for "training birds".
Not only breeding, but also in the ancient paintings of the Tang Dynasty, there are also red-billed blue magpies. For example, in the painting of flowers and birds in the tomb of Princess Tang An, two red-billed blue magpies flying on the pond are lined with hundreds of flowers, which looks graceful and luxurious. As a country of poetry, there are also many poems in the Tang Dynasty that are used to describe the red-billed blue magpie, such as Sikong Tu's "Three Songs of the First Return of the Magpie".
It can be seen that the status of the red-billed blue magpie in the hearts of the ancients is still very high, and then again, the red-billed blue magpie is close to the legendary "blue bird" whether in appearance or in the status of the people's psychology. The ancients were likely to be bluebirds based on the red-billed blue magpie.
It says the birds that are most like bluebirds found on the mainland. Let's talk about the blue bird that resembles the blue bird in foreign countries - the blue jay!
Blue Jay
Although the red-billed blue magpie resembles a blue bird, it does not live on "PenglaiXian Island", which is a place that the ancients never reached. Therefore, among the foreign birds, I found a bird with a meaning and shape that fits the "blue bird" - the blue jay.
The blue jay, like the red-billed blue magpie, is a bird of the crow family, but it is a little smaller, only about 20 centimeters, and weighs only 70 grams. The upper part is mainly lavender blue, the lower part is white, and it also has a long tail, which also has the charm of "blue bird" when flying.
The bird lives mainly in North America and feeds on plant fruits and some small invertebrates. Easily recognizable when encountered in the wild, blue feathers, long tail, plus the iconic crown of the head are recognizable at a glance. The crown of the head will stand up during courtship and unfold when frightened, which is very strange.
In addition to its appearance, the blue jay is a bird that will bring happiness in the legends of the North American region. It can guide the lost to find a way out; it can also guide the soul to find its final destination. If the blue jay perchs under your eaves, it will bring you good luck. There are also many beautiful allegories and legends, all of which praise the blue chow.
From this point of view, the blue jay, like the "blue bird", is a bird that brings beauty to people, so the blue jay can be counted as a foreign "blue bird".
summary
Both the red-billed blue magpie and the blue jay have similarities to the "blue bird" in appearance, but neither fits perfectly. After all, the "blue bird" is an animal imagined by the ancients, and some other elements will be added when creating. But I still love these two birds, it's pleasing to the eye!
Which do you think is the prototype of the BlueBird?