Appearance
The phoenix is sometimes shown has having a bird's beak, a swallow's jaw, and a snake's neck; the front half of its body is thought to resemble a giraffe, the back half a deer. Its back resembles a tortoise, and its tail is like a fish. It is often shown in a paulownia tree (Chinese parasol tree).
Personality
Often represented as more of a female nature, it values justice, obedience and fidelity. Not much else is known about the personality of this particular creature.
Lore
Also called the "Vermilion bird", it is one of the Four Symbols of the Chinese constellations. According to Wu Xing, the Taoist five-elemental system, it represents the fire-element, the direction south, and the season summer correspondingly. Thus it is sometimes called the Vermilion bird of the South (南方朱雀, Nán Fāng Zhū Què) and it is also known as Suzaku in Japan and Jujak in Korea.
In China, early artifacts show the Phoenix (female) as intimately associated with the Dragon (male) -- the two are portrayed either as mortal enemies or as blissful lovers. When shown together, the two symbolize both conflict and wedded bliss, and are a common design motif even today in many parts of Asia.
NOTE : Please note that we realize that some sources separate the Phoenix from the Vermillion Bird. But to make things more simple, we have decided to mix them together as one.
