The nine-headed bird (九頭鳥), also called the "Nine Phoenix" (九鳳), is one of the earliest forms of the fenghuang, worshipped by ancient natives in Hubei Province, which during the Warring States period was part of the kingdom of Chu (楚).[1] Due to the hostile relationship between the Kingdom of Chu and its former overlord, the reigning Zhou Dynasty, the nine-headed bird, being the totem creature of the Chu people, was demonised as a result.
In modern China, "nine-headed bird" is a derogatory term for Hubei people, used to mock Hubei people for being "cunning and deceitful." A famous proverb is "Above heaven there are nine-headed birds, on earth there are cunning Hubei people".[2][3]
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