Sheep have another name. In Strange Tales from a Lonely Studio written by the Southern Dynasties, sheep are wolves, also known as bluebirds. "
There is also an ancient official name in myths and legends: Jade Bird, who is in charge of beginning of spring and Changxia.
The word "Jade Bird" comes from Shan Hai Jing and Shan Hai Jing ·Xi· Shan Jing: "220 miles to the west, it is called the Mountain of Three Dangers, where three Jade Birds live." Shan Hai Jing Hai Jing "The Queen Mother of the West has several ladders, Dai Sheng sticks, and there are three bluebirds in the south, which feed on the Queen Mother of the West."
The most common meaning is a bird as a messenger.
In myths and legends, the Jade Bird is a god bird that feeds on the Queen Mother of the West, so it is often used as a messenger in poetry.
When I talk about Jade Bird, the first thing that comes to my mind is this sentence: Oh, Jade Bird, please listen! -Give me what she said! . This poem is often used as an example of the word "flat": look, here, it is used as flat. This poem is from Li Shangyin's Untitled Seven Laws:
It was a long time ago that I met her, but since we separated, the time has become longer, the east wind is blowing, and a hundred flowers are blooming. Silkworms in spring will weave until they die, and candles will drain the wick every night.
In the morning, she saw her hair cloud changing in the mirror, but she bravely faced the cold of the moonlight with her evening song. There are not many roads to Pengshan. Oh, Bluebird, listen! -Give me what she said! .
Oh, bluebirds, listen! -Give me what she said! , this allusion comes from Ban Gu's Hanwu Story:
"On July 7th, (Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty) went to Chenghua Temple. In the middle, suddenly a bluebird flew from the west and gathered in front of the temple. When Shuo asked, he said, "The Queen Mother of the West wants to come." After a while, the queen mother arrived, and there were two bluebirds waiting beside her, including Wu. "
Common combinations in poetry
Later generations took "Jade Bird" as the name of messenger, and there were several usages in poems, such as Jade Bird Messenger, Three Jade Birds, Jade Bird Delivered Books, Jade Bird Presented Books, Jade Bird Rumors, Jade Bird Inscriptions and so on.
For example, the Jade Bird in Hao Ran's Mei 'an Night Banquet: "A Jade Bird flashed and called me into the home of the Red Pine Fairy."
I was lying in bed in the Woods, sad that spring was coming to an end, and I lifted a curtain on the flower path. A shining bluebird called me to the residence of the Korean pine elf. The golden stove burns first, and the peach tree magically shoots! . Also because he held his youth in his face, the rosy flowing wine! .
Such as Sanqingniao, Wei and Qian's Reading Thirteen Classics of Mountains and Seas.
Graceful three bluebirds, with pitiful fur. The imperial court is the envoy of the Empress Dowager and returns to Sanxing Mountain at dusk.
I want to tell the queen mother about this bird. There is nothing in the world except wine and time.
If you hold a book, you will be a bluebird. In the Northern and Southern Dynasties, Shen Yue's "Mr. Huayang will never give a poem upstairs"
From the side, the staff sergeant said that the ruler is the sky. Clouds don't show up, and they live in Li Duo firewood.
Lie down and wait for the Three Knowledge Show, and sit opposite the Hundred Gods. Books must be bluebirds, and hospitality believes in dragons and dragons. If you stop the peach, you can't see the big toon withering.
For example, the jade bird is not outside the cloud, and Li Jing's "spread the jade hook on the real pearl in Huanxisha"
Roll up pearls to make curtains and hang hooks. In the tall building, I look like before, and my depression is still locked. When the flowers fall in the wind, who is the master?
The messenger didn't bring news to the pedestrians far away. The lilacs in the rain reminded me of sadness. I looked back at the Three Gorges at dusk and saw the river falling from the sky.
Concluding remarks
Allusions are often used in ancient poems, and there is even a saying that there is no source for a word. As a messenger, bluebird often appears in poems expressing lovesickness.
But bluebirds sometimes refer to blue-green birds. For example, a quatrain written by a servant with a sword in the Tang Dynasty:
green