#ho-o

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The original legend of the Hō-ō was described with black and red feathers and was said to be able to be spotted anywhere around the country. It was said that their call was like a mixture between a hawk and an eagle. Their body was built for power and was known to fly very quickly. In Chinese mythology, the Hō-ō was the symbol for fire, justice, obedience, fidelity, and the sun. It is often used as a symbol for royalty. The Hō-ō appears during peaceful times and hides during danger.

Hō-ō are creatures of utter peace and they never cause harm to other living things. They eat only bamboo seeds, and nest only in paulownia trees. When a hō-ō flies, it is said that the wind stops, dust settles, and birds and insects grow quiet. Because of their purity, they only appear in lands that are blessed with peace, prosperity, and happiness – they flee to the heavens during times of trouble. The appearance of a hō-ō is an extremely good omen, said to signify the beginning of a new era in history. Hō-ō originally come from Chinese mythology, where they are known as fenghuang. Originally they were considered to be two distinct birds: the male hō (feng) and the female ō (huang), symbolizing yin and yang and the duality of the universe. Eventually the two creatures merged into one term and their combined name was used. 

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Fenghuang, or Ho-o as they are known in Japan, are mythical birds that reign over other birds. The males are called Feng while the females Huang. It is said to have a rooster's beak, a fowl's forehead, a snake's neck, a goose's breast, a tortoise's back, a stag's hindquarters, and a fish's tail. Others describe it as a golden pheasant having a mandarin duck's body, a peacock's tail, a crane's legs, a parrot's mouth, and a swallow's wings.