View source for Vermilion Bird

{{short description|One of the Four Symbols of the Chinese constellations}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2021}}
{{Infobox Chinese
| pic = File:西漢 四神紋瓦當（白虎-朱雀）-Roof Tile End MET 39054.jpg
| piccap = Zhūquè sculpture on an eaves tile
| l = "Vermilion [[Peafowl]]"
| c = 朱雀
| w = Chu<sup>1</sup>-ch'üeh<sup>4</sup>
| p = Zhūquè
| mi = {{IPAc-cmn|zh|u|.|q|üe|4}}
| j = Zyu1-zoek3
| y = Jyūjeuk
| ci = {{IPAc-yue|z|yu|1|.|z|oek|3}}
| poj = Chu-chhiok
| kanji = 
| hiragana = 
| revhep = 
| kunrei = Suzaku or Syuzyaku
| hangul = 
| hanja = 
| rr = 
| qn = 
| chuhan = 
}}

The '''Vermilion Bird''' ({{lang-zh|c=朱雀|p=Zhūquè}}) is one of the [[Four Symbols]] of the [[Chinese constellations]]. According to [[Wuxing (Chinese philosophy)|Wu Xing]], the [[Taoism|Taoist]] five elemental system, it represents the [[Fire (Wu Xing)|Fire]] element, the direction [[south]], and the season of summer correspondingly. Thus it is sometimes called the '''Vermilion Bird of the South''' ({{lang-zh|c=南方朱雀|p=Nán Fāng Zhū Què}}). It is described as a red [[Phoenix (mythology)|bird]] that resembles a [[pheasant]] with a fire-colored plumage and is perpetually covered in flames. It is known as '''Suzaku''' in Japanese, '''Jujak''' in Korean and '''Chu Tước''' in Vietnamese.

It is often mistaken for the [[Fenghuang]] due to similarities in appearance, but the two are different creatures.<ref>{{cite book | last=Strassberg | first=Richard | title=A Chinese Bestiary | year=2002 | isbn=978-0520218444 }}</ref> The Fenghuang is a legendary ruler of birds who is associated with the Chinese Empress in the same way the dragon is associated with the Emperor, while the [[Vermilion]] Bird is a mythological spirit creature of the Chinese constellations.

== Seven Mansions of the Vermilion Bird ==
As with the other three [[Four Symbols|Symbols]], there are seven astrological "Mansions" (positions of the [[Moon]]) within the Vermilion Bird. The names and determinative stars are:<ref>{{cite web | url=http://idp.bl.uk/education/astronomy/sky.html | title=The Chinese Sky | publisher=[[International Dunhuang Project]] | access-date=25 June 2011 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151104154237/http://idp.bl.uk/education/astronomy/sky.html | archive-date=4 November 2015 }}</ref><ref>{{cite book | last=Sun | first=Xiaochun | editor=Helaine Selin | editor-link=Helaine Selin | title=Encyclopaedia of the History of Science, Technology, and Medicine in Non-Western Cultures  | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=raKRY3KQspsC&pg=PA517 | date=1997 | pages=517 | publisher=Kluwer Academic Publishers | isbn=0-7923-4066-3  | access-date=25 June 2011}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Mansion no. !! Name ([[pinyin]]) !! Translation !! Determinative star
|-
| 22 || {{zhi|c=井|p=Jǐng|out=c}} || [[Well (Chinese constellation)|Well]] || [[Mu Geminorum|μ Gem]]
|-
| 23 || {{zhi|c=鬼|p=Guǐ|out=c}}|| [[Ghost (Chinese constellation)|Ghost]] || [[Theta Cancri|θ Cnc]]
|-
| 24 || {{zhi|c=柳|p=Liǔ|out=c}} || [[Willow (Chinese constellation)|Willow]] || [[Delta Hydrae|δ Hya]]
|-
| 25 || {{zhi|c=星|p=Xīng|out=c}} || [[Star (Chinese constellation)|Star]] || [[Alphard|α Hya]]
|-
| 26 || {{zhi|c=張|p=Zhāng|out=c}} || [[Extended Net (Chinese constellation)|Extended Net]] || [[Upsilon1 Hydrae|υ¹ Hya]]
|-
| 27 || {{zhi|c=翼|p=Yì|out=c}} || [[Wings (Chinese constellation)|Wings]] || [[Alpha Crateris|α Crt]]
|-
| 28 || {{zhi|c=軫|p=Zhěn|out=c}} || [[Chariot (Chinese constellation)|Chariot]] || [[Gamma Corvi|γ Crv]]
|}

== Nature of the symbol ==
[[File:Segalen-24-Shen-Que-Red-Bird.jpg|thumb|left|The Vermilion Bird on the gates of a [[Han dynasty]] mausoleum complex]]
The Vermilion Bird is elegant and noble in both appearance and behavior, with feathers in many different hues of [[vermilion]]. It is very selective about what it eats and where it perches.{{Citation needed|date=February 2020}}
[[File:铜朱雀衔环杯.jpg|thumb|Han dynasty decorative bronze cup in the shape of ''zhuque'', from Tomb of Dou Wan.]]
{{clear}}

== Stars ==
<div class="noprint">
{|class="wikitable"
|-
|style="background: #E34234"|'''Four Symbols'''||style="background: #E34234"|'''Mansion (Chinese name)'''||style="background: #E34234"|'''Romanization'''||style="background: #E34234"|'''Translation'''||style="background: #E34234"|'''Asterisms (Chinese name)'''||style="background: #E34234"|'''Romanization'''||style="background: #E34234"|'''Translation'''||style="background: #E34234"|'''Western star name'''|| style="background: #E34234"|'''Chinese star name'''||style="background: #E34234"|'''Romanization'''||style="background: #E34234"|'''Translation'''
|-
| bgcolor="#ffd700" rowspan="54" | '''Vermilion Bird of the South ({{lang|zh|南方朱雀}})'''
| rowspan="4" style="background: #E34234; color: #FFD700"|{{lang|zh|鬼}}
| rowspan="4"|{{Transliteration|zh|pinyin|Guǐ}}
| rowspan="4"|[[Ghost (Chinese constellation)|Ghost]]
| rowspan="4" style="background: #E34234; color: #FFD700"|{{lang|zh|外廚}}
| rowspan="4"|{{Transliteration|zh|pinyin|Wàichú}}
| rowspan="4"|Outer Kitchen
|-
|[[2 Hydrae|2 Hya]]||style="background: #E34234; color: #FFD700"|{{lang|zh|外廚一}}||{{Transliteration|zh|pinyin|Wàichúyī}}||1st star
|-
|[[3 Hydrae|3 Hya]] / [[HD 74395]]||style="background: #E34234; color: #FFD700"|{{lang|zh|外廚二}}||{{Transliteration|zh|pinyin|Wàichúèr}}||2nd star
|-
|[[14 Hydrae|14 Hya]]||style="background: #E34234; color: #FFD700"|{{lang|zh|外廚三}}||{{Transliteration|zh|pinyin|Wàichúsān}}||3rd star
|-
| rowspan="15" style="background: #E34234; color: #FFD700"|{{lang|zh|柳}}
| rowspan="15"|{{Transliteration|zh|pinyin|Liǔ}}
| rowspan="15"|[[Willow (Chinese constellation)|Willow]]
| rowspan="15" style="background: #E34234; color: #FFD700"|{{lang|zh|柳}}
| rowspan="15"|{{Transliteration|zh|pinyin|Liǔ}}
| rowspan="15"|Willow<ref name=sb1>{{in lang|zh}}  [http://aeea.nmns.edu.tw/2006/0605/ap060528.html AEEA (Activities of Exhibition and Education in Astronomy) 天文教育資訊網 2006 年 5 月 28 日]</ref>
|-
| rowspan="7"|[[Delta Hydrae|δ Hya]]
|-
|style="background: #E34234; color: #FFD700"|{{lang|zh|柳宿一}}||{{Transliteration|zh|pinyin|Liǔxiùyī}}||1st star
|-
|style="background: #E34234; color: #FFD700"|{{lang|zh|柳宿距星}}||{{Transliteration|zh|pinyin|Liǔxiùjùxīng}}||Separated star
|-
|style="background: #E34234; color: #FFD700"|{{lang|zh|柳宿西头第三星}}||{{Transliteration|zh|pinyin|Liǔxiùxītoudìsānxīng}}||3rd star in the upper west
|-
|style="background: #E34234; color: #FFD700"|{{lang|zh|玉井西北星}}||{{Transliteration|zh|pinyin|Yùjǐngxīběixīng}}||Star in northwest of [[Three Stars (Chinese constellation)|Jade Well]] constellation
|-
|style="background: #E34234; color: #FFD700"|{{lang|zh|午}}||{{Transliteration|zh|pinyin|Wǔ}}||The thong 
|-
|style="background: #E34234; color: #FFD700"|{{lang|zh|鹑火星}}||{{Transliteration|zh|pinyin|Chúnhuǒxīng}}||The phoenix
|-
|[[Sigma Hydrae|σ Hya]]||style="background: #E34234; color: #FFD700"|{{lang|zh|柳宿二}}||{{Transliteration|zh|pinyin|Liǔxiùèr}}||2nd star
|-
|[[Eta Hydrae|η Hya]]||style="background: #E34234; color: #FFD700"|{{lang|zh|柳宿三}}||{{Transliteration|zh|pinyin|Liǔxiùsān}}||3rd star
|-
|[[Rho Hydrae|ρ Hya]]||style="background: #E34234; color: #FFD700"|{{lang|zh|柳宿四}}||{{Transliteration|zh|pinyin|Liǔxiùsì}}||4th star
|-
|[[Epsilon Hydrae|ε Hya]]||style="background: #E34234; color: #FFD700"|{{lang|zh|柳宿五}}||{{Transliteration|zh|pinyin|Liǔxiùwǔ}}||5th star
|-
|[[Zeta Hydrae|ζ Hya]]||style="background: #E34234; color: #FFD700"|{{lang|zh|柳宿六}}||{{Transliteration|zh|pinyin|Liǔxiùliù}}||6th star
|-
|[[Omega Hydrae|ω Hya]]||style="background: #E34234; color: #FFD700"|{{lang|zh|柳宿七}}||{{Transliteration|zh|pinyin|Liǔxiùqī}}||7th star
|-
|[[Theta Hydrae|θ Hya]]||style="background: #E34234; color: #FFD700"|{{lang|zh|柳宿八}}||{{Transliteration|zh|pinyin|Liǔxiùbā}}||8th star
|-
| rowspan="11" style="background: #E34234; color: #FFD700"|{{lang|zh|星}}
| rowspan="11"|{{Transliteration|zh|pinyin|Xīng}}
| rowspan="11"|[[Star (Chinese constellation)|Star]]
| rowspan="11" style="background: #E34234; color: #FFD700"|{{lang|zh|星}}
| rowspan="11"|{{Transliteration|zh|pinyin|Xīng}}
| rowspan="11"|Star<ref name=sb2>{{in lang|zh}}  [http://aeea.nmns.edu.tw/2006/0605/ap060529.html AEEA (Activities of Exhibition and Education in Astronomy) 天文教育資訊網 2006 年 5 月 29 日]</ref>
|-
| rowspan="4"|[[Alphard|α Hya]]
|-
|style="background: #E34234; color: #FFD700"|{{lang|zh|星宿一}}||{{Transliteration|zh|pinyin|Xīngxiùyī}}||1st star
|-
|style="background: #E34234; color: #FFD700"|{{lang|zh|星宿距星}}||{{Transliteration|zh|pinyin|Xīngxiùjùxīng}}||Separated star
|-
|style="background: #E34234; color: #FFD700"|{{lang|zh|星宿中央大星}}||{{Transliteration|zh|pinyin|Xīngxiùzhōngyāngdàxīng}}||Big star in the center
|-
|[[Tau Hydrae|τ<sup>1</sup> Hya]]||style="background: #E34234; color: #FFD700"|{{lang|zh|星宿二}}||{{Transliteration|zh|pinyin|Xīngxiùèr}}||2nd star
|-
|[[Tau Hydrae|τ<sup>2</sup> Hya]]||style="background: #E34234; color: #FFD700"|{{lang|zh|星宿三}}||{{Transliteration|zh|pinyin|Xīngxiùsān}}||3rd star
|-
|[[Iota Hydrae|ι Hya]]||style="background: #E34234; color: #FFD700"|{{lang|zh|星宿四}}||{{Transliteration|zh|pinyin|Xīngxiùsì}}||4th star
|-
|[[26 Hydrae|26 Hya]]||style="background: #E34234; color: #FFD700"|{{lang|zh|星宿五}}||{{Transliteration|zh|pinyin|Xīngxiùwǔ}}||5th star
|-
|[[27 Hydrae|27 Hya]]||style="background: #E34234; color: #FFD700"|{{lang|zh|星宿六}}||{{Transliteration|zh|pinyin|Xīngxiùliù}}||6th star
|-
|[[HD 82477]] & [[HD 82428]]||style="background: #E34234; color: #FFD700"|{{lang|zh|星宿七}}||{{Transliteration|zh|pinyin|Xīngxiùqī}}||7th star
|-
| rowspan="7" style="background: #E34234; color: #FFD700"|{{lang|zh|張}}
| rowspan="7"|{{Transliteration|zh|pinyin|Zhāng}}
| rowspan="7"|[[Extended Net (Chinese constellation)|Extended Net]]
| rowspan="7" style="background: #E34234; color: #FFD700"|{{lang|zh|張}}
| rowspan="7"|{{Transliteration|zh|pinyin|Zhāng}}
| rowspan="7"|Extended Net<ref name=sb3>{{in lang|zh}}  [http://aeea.nmns.edu.tw/2006/0605/ap060530.html AEEA (Activities of Exhibition and Education in Astronomy) 天文教育資訊網 2006 年 5 月 30 日]</ref>
|-
|[[Upsilon1 Hydrae|υ<sup>1</sup> Hya]]||style="background: #E34234; color: #FFD700"|{{lang|zh|張宿一}}||{{Transliteration|zh|pinyin|Zhāngxiùyī}}||1st star
|-
|[[Lambda Hydrae|λ Hya]]||style="background: #E34234; color: #FFD700"|{{lang|zh|張宿二}}||{{Transliteration|zh|pinyin|Zhāngxiùèr}}||2nd star
|-
|[[Mu Hydrae|μ Hya]]||style="background: #E34234; color: #FFD700"|{{lang|zh|張宿三}}||{{Transliteration|zh|pinyin|Zhāngxiùsān}}||3rd star
|-
|[[HD 87344]]||style="background: #E34234; color: #FFD700"|{{lang|zh|張宿四}}||{{Transliteration|zh|pinyin|Zhāngxiùsì}}||4th star
|-
|[[Kappa Hydrae|κ Hya]]||style="background: #E34234; color: #FFD700"|{{lang|zh|張宿五}}||{{Transliteration|zh|pinyin|Zhāngxiùwǔ}}||5th star
|-
|[[Phi Hydrae|φ Hya]]||style="background: #E34234; color: #FFD700"|{{lang|zh|張宿六}}||{{Transliteration|zh|pinyin|Zhāngxiùliù}}||6th star
|-
| rowspan="7" style="background: #E34234; color: #FFD700"|{{lang|zh|翼}}
| rowspan="7"|{{Transliteration|zh|pinyin|Yì}}
| rowspan="7"|[[Wings (Chinese constellation)|Wings]]
| rowspan="7" style="background: #E34234; color: #FFD700"|{{lang|zh|翼}}
| rowspan="7"|{{Transliteration|zh|pinyin|Yì}}
| rowspan="7"|Wings<ref name=sb4>{{in lang|zh}}  [http://aeea.nmns.edu.tw/2006/0605/ap060531.html AEEA (Activities of Exhibition and Education in Astronomy) 天文教育資訊網 2006 年 5 月 31 日]</ref><ref>{{in lang|zh}} [https://web.archive.org/web/20110902003808/http://wbbs.cc.ncku.edu.tw/ccns/index.php/8/179/485635  夢之大地 @ 國立成功大學 WebBBS DreamLand @ National Cheng Kung University WebBBS System]</ref>
|-
|[[Nu Hydrae|ν Hya]]||style="background: #E34234; color: #FFD700"|{{lang|zh|翼宿五}}||{{Transliteration|zh|pinyin|Yìxiùwǔ}}||5th star
|-
|[[HD 100307]]||style="background: #E34234; color: #FFD700"|{{lang|zh|翼宿十八}}||{{Transliteration|zh|pinyin|Yìxiùshíbā}}||18th star
|-
|[[HD 96819]]||style="background: #E34234; color: #FFD700"|{{lang|zh|翼宿十九}}||{{Transliteration|zh|pinyin|Yìxiùshíjiǔ}}||19th star
|-
|[[Chi1 Hydrae|χ<sup>1</sup> Hya]]||style="background: #E34234; color: #FFD700"|{{lang|zh|翼宿二十}}||{{Transliteration|zh|pinyin|Yìxiùèrshí}}||20th star
|-
|[[HD 102620]]||style="background: #E34234; color: #FFD700"|{{lang|zh|翼宿二十一}}||{{Transliteration|zh|pinyin|Yìxiùèrshíyī}}||21st star
|-
|[[HD 103462]]||style="background: #E34234; color: #FFD700"|{{lang|zh|翼宿二十二}}||{{Transliteration|zh|pinyin|Yìxiùèrshíèr}}||22nd star
|-
| rowspan="10" style="background: #E34234; color: #FFD700"|{{lang|zh|軫}}
| rowspan="10"|{{Transliteration|zh|pinyin|Zhěn}}
| rowspan="10"|[[Chariot (Chinese constellation)|Chariot]]
| rowspan="9" style="background: #E34234; color: #FFD700"|{{lang|zh|青丘}}
| rowspan="9"|{{Transliteration|zh|pinyin|Qīngqiū}}
| rowspan="9"|Green Hill<ref name=sb5>{{in lang|zh}}  [http://aeea.nmns.edu.tw/2006/0607/ap060722.html AEEA (Activities of Exhibition and Education in Astronomy) 天文教育資訊網 2006 年 7 月 22 日]</ref>
|-
|rowspan="3"|[[Beta Hydrae|β Hya]]
|-
|style="background: #E34234; color: #FFD700"|{{lang|zh|青丘一}}||{{Transliteration|zh|pinyin|Qīngqiūyī}}||1st star
|-
|style="background: #E34234; color: #FFD700"|{{lang|zh|土公西星}}||{{Transliteration|zh|pinyin|Tǔgōngxīxīng}}||Star in the west of [[Wall (Chinese constellation)|Official for Earthworks and Buildings]] constellation
|-
|[[HD 103596]]||style="background: #E34234; color: #FFD700"|{{lang|zh|青丘二}}||{{Transliteration|zh|pinyin|Qīngqiūèr}}||2nd star
|-
|[[17 Crateris|17 Crt]]<ref>the star is actually located in the [[constellation]] [[Hydra (constellation)|Hydra]]</ref>||style="background: #E34234; color: #FFD700"|{{lang|zh|青丘三}}||{{Transliteration|zh|pinyin|Qīngqiūsān}}||3rd star
|-
|[[HD 100393]]||style="background: #E34234; color: #FFD700"|{{lang|zh|青丘四}}||{{Transliteration|zh|pinyin|Qīngqiūsì}}||4th star
|-
|[[Xi Hydrae|ξ Hya]]||style="background: #E34234; color: #FFD700"|{{lang|zh|青丘五}}||{{Transliteration|zh|pinyin|Qīngqiūwu}}||5th star
|-
|[[Omicron Hydrae|ο Hya]]||style="background: #E34234; color: #FFD700"|{{lang|zh|青丘七}}||{{Transliteration|zh|pinyin|Qīngqiūqī}}||7th star
|-
| style="background: #E34234; color: #FFD700"|{{lang|zh|軍門}}||{{Transliteration|zh|pinyin|Jūnmén}}||Military Gate||[[HD 104309]]||style="background: #E34234; color: #FFD700"|{{lang|zh|軍門一}}||{{Transliteration|zh|pinyin|Jūnményī}}||1st star
|}
</div>

== In popular culture ==

In the [[MMORPG]] [[Final Fantasy XIV Online]] by [[Square Enix]], a trial named "Hell's Kier" was added in [[Final Fantasy XIV: Stormblood|Patch 4.4's]] Four Lords quest-line. The boss of this trial is named '''Suzaku''' and bears a resemblance to the Vermilion Bird.<ref>{{cite web| url=https://na.finalfantasyxiv.com/lodestone/topics/detail/cc70f5b1c61174463b431d06424e6be8f2701ef6 | title=Patch 4.4 Notes | publisher=[[Square Enix]] | access-date=4 April 2025 | url-status=live}}</ref>

In Kagurabachi, the character Seichi Samura wields the enchanted blade Tobimune that harnesses the power of Suzaku, the vermilion bird, giving him regenerative powers.

== See also ==
*[[Birds in Chinese mythology]]
*[[Four Holy Beasts]]

== References ==
{{Reflist|30em}}

== External links ==
* [https://archive.today/20121205054505/http://www2.gol.com/users/stever/charts.htm "Star Charts and Moon Stations"]
* [https://archive.today/20121208130243/http://www2.gol.com/users/stever/summer.htm The Red Bird of the South]

{{Chinese mythology}}
{{Chinese constellations}}

[[Category:Chinese constellations]]
[[Category:Four Symbols]]
[[Category:Birds in Chinese mythology]]
[[Category:Onmyōdō deities]]
[[Category:Phoenix birds]]