Bifang 毕方(bì fāng)

Watercolor and Alcohol Markers, 2020
Wen Ting Dong 董文婷

Bifang is a giant bird from Mount Zhanger (章莪山) and a spirit of fire. It’s shaped like a crane, covered in blue feathers, only one leg, a white beak, and speckled over its body. Bifang gives off sparks of fire when he flys and was said to be an omen of great wildfire. Bifang lives among the woods and bamboo forest causing early people to believe he was a plant spirit, but then people noticed his habit of setting homes and forest on fire and concluded that he was actually a fire spirit. Its name came from the “bipo” popping noise that trees and bamboos make when they are burned. Bifang helped the Yellow Emperor in his battle with Chiyou (蚩尤) and followed by his flaming carriage. He even saved the Yellow Emperor after Chiyou captured him. He also did the Yellow Emperor a great deed by sealing Chiyou’s ghost army in a mountain with soul trapping spells. After the war, Bifang then served for the god of Fire.

FunFact - Some legends claimed that there was no fire in the ancient days, and as a result, many people died of the cold in the winter. Bifang noticed this and out of pity he brought down fire from heaven and gave it to humans.