Luan_(mythology)
Luan (mythology)
Mythological bird in East Asian mythology
Luan (traditional Chinese: 鸞; simplified Chinese: 鸾; pinyin: luán; Wade–Giles: luan²), also known as luanniao (simplified Chinese: 鸾鸟; traditional Chinese: 鸞鳥; pinyin: luánniao; lit. 'Luan bird'),[1]: 102 is a mythological bird in East Asian mythology. The name is sometimes reserved for males, while female luan are called Jīnjī (金雞; lit. golden chicken).[citation needed] The luan is sometimes referred as simurgh by western sinologists when they translate the Chinese term luan; however, they do not refer to the same bird creature[2][3] and is therefore an inappropriate translation of the term.[1]: 255 It is also sometimes inappropriately translated as roc and phoenix.[1]: 255 The luan is one of the birds which have been deified in ancient China.[4]: 44 It is also sometimes confused with the fenghuang by western scholars.[3]