There is an old man in his sixties, Guo Cunsuo, in Liulinhe Village, Pinglu County, Shanxi. This village is not wealthy. People have lived here for generations and can only make a living by farming and herding cattle and sheep.
In 2018, by chance, Guo Cunsuo, who was herding sheep in the mountains, heard something nearby. It seemed that pheasants were pecking at rice. Guo Cunsuo cautiously stepped forward to find out. The scene that appeared in front of him the next second almost made him shout out in excitement.
"That is the most beautiful animal I have ever seen. It has red feathers on its belly, a golden head, and a colorful body. It also drags a long tail, which is about the size of a chicken."
"At that time, I felt , I am so lucky to be able to see the "Phoenix" in my lifetime! "
Recalling the scene of seeing the Phoenix for the first time, Guo Cunsuo is still very excited. It can be seen that the arrival of this little creature has injected too much joy and expectation into Guo Cunsuo's ordinary life.
mentioned the first encounter with Phoenix, Guo Cunsuo's face was filled with a happy smile. To this day, he can't forget the shock and excitement it brought to his soul when he saw Phoenix for the first time that day.
Nowadays, as the urbanization process continues to accelerate, many people in the village have moved to the city one after another. Only Guo Cunsuo's family remains in the village. It's not that he is obsessed with the village, but because he wants to guard the "Phoenix" in the mountains.
Phoenix
The phoenix, like the dragon, is a bird and mythical beast in ancient Chinese myths and legends. The male is phoenix and the female is phoenix. The earliest record of this magical bird appears in "The Classic of Mountains and Seas", "In the west there are mountains, valleys and sea mountains of the Queen Mother. There is a fertile country with fertile people. In a fertile field, there are phoenixes." The eggs of the birds are food, and the nectar is the drink. Wherever they want, the taste is preserved, including sweet flowers, sweet oranges, white willows, white meats, three thorns, roses, Yaobi, white wood, Langgan, and white. Dan and Qingdan are rich in silver and iron. Luans and phoenixes sing, and phoenixes dance by themselves. There are hundreds of beasts in love, and they are in harmony. This is a fertile field. "
means that wherever the phoenix is, it is an auspicious place. People can live and work in peace and contentment, live a prosperous life, and people and animals can live in harmony. Therefore, the phoenix has been regarded as a symbol of auspiciousness since ancient times. To this day, people are still accustomed to using the Phoenix totem on some important occasions and products to express their expectations for a better life, which is quite traditional in China.
Later, it was also recorded in the "Bird Classic": "Phoenix male and phoenix female. Phoenix, Hong in front, Lin in the back, snake head, fish tail, dragon pattern, turtle body, swallow's chin, chicken's beak, parallel wings. The first carries virtue, The phoenix has righteousness on its head, benevolence on its back, loyalty in its heart, faith in its wings, and integrity on its feet. "
The article describes the appearance of the phoenix in detail. It looks about the same size as the chicken we see, but the whole body of the phoenix is covered with colorful flowers. The feathers are very beautiful. The phoenix has the head of a chicken, the chin of a swallow, the neck of a snake, the back of a turtle, and a long tail like a fish, with dragon patterns all over its body.
The pattern on the Phoenix's head is "Tao", the pattern on its wings is "Yi", the pattern on its back is "Li", the pattern on its chest is "Benevolence", and the pattern on its belly is "Faith".
The reborn phoenix combines the characteristics of various animals and represents auspiciousness, eternal life, love and national culture. It is a kind of totem worship in ancient times and does not really exist.
So how did this old Shanxi man meet Phoenix five years ago?
An encounter with Phoenix
Guo Cunsuo is an out-and-out farmer in Liulinhe Village. When he was a child, his family's economic conditions were not good and he did not read many books. But Guo Cunsuo, who has loved listening to stories since he was a child, once heard his father mention that his father had seen a real phoenix in the mountains and forests when he was a child. Guo Cunsuo recalled that since then, he often fantasized about seeing the phoenix in colorful clothes with his own eyes, but he had never been able to do so.
Before he knew it, Guo Cunsuo had reached his seventies. Because of his poor health, he no longer did much farm work and only helped herd sheep.
Until I accidentally saw the "Phoenix" in the mountains in 2018.
At that time, Guo Cunsuo wanted to step forward and take a closer look at the phoenix, but it was very alert. Before Guo Cunsuo could go any further, the phoenix flew away. Guo Cunsuo was very disappointed, but he felt very satisfied when he thought that he and Fenghuang had a relationship.
After returning home, Guo Cunsuo told his family what he saw and heard. But his family didn't believe it, thinking that the phoenix was just a fictitious myth and could not really exist. Guo Cunsuo must have been dazzled by it.
Being poured cold water on his full desire to share, Guo Cunsuo felt very uncomfortable. He decided at that time that he must find Phoenix again and use evidence to prove that he had really seen Phoenix.
From then on, when Guo Cunsuo was herding sheep, he would always go to the place where he had seen phoenixes to see if he could encounter them again. But for a long time, Guo Cunsuo always left in good spirits and returned in despair.
A month passed. Guo Cunsuo, who had almost given up looking for the phoenix, heard another noise while herding sheep. Could it be that the phoenix was coming again? The excited Guo Cunsuo approached cautiously and took a closer look. Two colorful phoenixes were looking for food in the mountains.
Phoenix! It’s really a phoenix!
Looking for the Phoenix
After the last experience of accidentally scaring away the Phoenix, Guo Cunsuo became much more careful this time. He just stood and watched from a distance, admiring the unparalleled beauty of this creature in his heart.
Guo Cunsuo later recalled: "At that time, I was thinking, how can I keep the phoenixes here so that they can come every day, so that I can prove to everyone that I really saw the phoenixes, and no one will say that I am just looking at them. , That’s nonsense.”
Guo Cunsuo had never studied, and he didn’t know how to feed this auspicious bird. But he saw that the phoenix looked like a bird and also resembled a chicken, so he took some corn from home, which chickens and birds like to eat, and quietly Spread it where he saw the phoenix.
The next day, Guo Cunsuo got up early and went to the place where the corns were scattered. Sure enough, all the corns were gone. It seemed that Phoenix liked to eat them.
In this way, when Guo Cunsuo went out to herd sheep every day, he would bring some corn and sprinkle it on the rocks where the Phoenix moved, hoping that they would like it. As time passed, Guo Cunsuo discovered that there were actually several phoenixes living in the mountains. But what is particularly strange is that among these phoenixes there is a "bird" the size of a chicken, with dark brown markings all over its body. Phoenix gets along very happily with these "big birds", but it only forages and moves with these "big birds".
Guo Cunsuo was really looking forward to close contact with the phoenixes, but he was afraid of scaring them away, so he had to quietly shorten the feeding distance every time, gradually getting closer to the phoenixes.
Ever since he saw the phoenix, Guo Cunsuo's life has been almost completely occupied by them. Even the task of herding sheep to make a living has been put in the back of his mind. I have to get up before dawn every day and come to the mountain early to feed the phoenix.
An accidental chat made Guo Cunsuo learn that some animals must eat special feed so that their coat color will look good. The speaker was unintentional, but the listener was intentional. Guo Cunsuo felt that just feeding the phoenixes corn was not enough, so he went to the market to buy bird feed and gave the phoenixes extra food.
's persistence and hard work day after day made the Phoenix people gradually relax their vigilance towards Guo Cunsuo, and even formed a dependence mentality. Every day they would wait early in the morning near where Guo Cunsuo kept food. Occasionally they would take a walk in front of Guo Cunsuo if they were in a good mood. It's just that these extremely vigilant animals will not be touched by Guo Cunsuo no matter what.
Guo Cunsuo loves them and respects their lives. He never disturbs their lives every time he puts down food, but watches silently from a distance.
Just like that, under Guo Cunsuo's "care", some little phoenixes appeared in the mountains, following the old phoenixes out to look for food. As the little phoenixes grew up, Guo Cunsuo also faced troubles.
Lao Guo ’s Troubles
Speaking of his family’s attitude, Guo Cunsuo said: “When I first started feeding Phoenix five years ago, my family was really against it. Our family was poor and we didn’t have much food, so I had to take it out. Feed them. I don’t care about herding the sheep. I just want to see the Phoenix and make some money by raising sheep. I also want to buy some feed for the Phoenix. Because of this, my family is often angry with me. Phoenixes are auspicious, taking care of them will bring blessings!"
Speaking of this, Guo Cunsuo himself felt a little sorry for his family. After all, because of his stubbornness, he did add to the burden on his family. However, Guo Cunsuo does not regret the decision he made, because it was a kind act and brought him happiness.
In addition to the incomprehension and opposition from his family, Guo Cunsuo also has another worry, that is, the Phoenixes need a bigger home. The first place where phoenixes appeared was in Dongpo Mountain. At that time, the number of phoenixes was small and they could still move around. But under Guo Cunsuo's special care, the number of phoenixes increased, reaching as many as forty or fifty. As a result, Guo Cunsuo's feeding location could not accommodate so many phoenixes at the same time.
A worried Guo Cunsuo wandered around the area, hoping to find an area suitable for Phoenix to live. Fortunately, there was an open area not far from the west side of the mountain, which was very suitable for feeding Phoenix.
Guo Cunsuo was in a happy mood after solving the problem, but he ran into difficulties again on the way back: "Phoenixes are not human. They cannot understand human speech. It will definitely not work to communicate by talking. They also don't want people to come close to them. I can't go. What should I do?"
Thinking about it, Guo Cunsuo couldn't sleep well for several days, his eyes and heart were full of these treasures.
Guo Cunsuo, who was feeding that day, suddenly thought that the phoenixes recognized the feeding place. Wouldn't it be nice to just change the position a little bit and slowly lead the phoenixes there?
From then on, Guo Cunsuo deliberately moved closer to a new place when feeding every day. Within half a month, the Phoenixes got used to the new feeding place and were waiting for Guo Cunsuo early.
The phoenix is actually a national protected animal
At first everyone thought Guo Cunsuo was bragging. How can there be a phoenix in the world? Seeing Guo Cunsuo going up the mountain to feed the phoenix in a serious manner every day, the villagers' curiosity was also aroused, and they begged Guo Cunsuo to take them with him to see the phoenix.
Guo Cunsuo said: "Someone asked me to take them to see the Phoenix, so I took them. It allows more people to see their beauty, not only me can see it, but also allows everyone to work together to protect them. However, I always tell everyone not to get close to the phoenix, and not to scare the phoenix. They are very timid!"
There are more people who have seen the phoenix, and there are more people helping Guo Cunsuo to promote it, Liu. The news about the phoenix on the north mountain of Linhe Village gradually spread to Luping County, then to the province, and to all parts of the country.
Some people are curious, is there really a phoenix in this world? Some people also believe that it must be a known species, but the locals have never seen it and mistakenly thought it was a phoenix. In short, people came to Guo Cunsuo with various questions, hoping to see Phoenix.
After an animal expert heard about Guo Cunsuo raising a phoenix, he also came to Liulinhe Village to study it. After taking a look at the phoenix from a distance, the expert excitedly said to Guo Cunsuo: "Old Guo, you have made a great contribution! This is not a phoenix. , it's Golden Pheasant ! Our country's second-level protected animal! "
Guo Cunsuo was confused. It's obviously a phoenix. How do experts say it's a chicken?
Experts patiently explained to Guo Cunsuo that the male and female golden pheasants are very different. The female bird is more like a big bird, with black and brown patterns all over its body. The male bird is very beautiful, with golden feathers on his head, as if he is wearing a golden feather crown . The face, neck and belly are all bright red, and the back is covered with colorful feathers.
Through historical data research, the golden pheasant is actually one of the prototypes of the phoenix. Therefore, it is quite normal for Guo Cunsuo to mistake the golden pheasant for the phoenix.
But since the golden pheasant is a known animal, why has no one discovered it and thought it was a phoenix like Guo Cunsuo?
The beauty of Golden Pheasant has become its talisman. In ancient times, nobles raised golden pheasants and then made handicrafts from the skins of the male birds as a symbol of status. After the founding of the People's Republic of China, the state strictly prohibited the hunting of Golden Pheasants. However, there are still some lawless people who do not hesitate to kill Golden Pheasants in order to obtain profits. It is such poaching behavior that has led to a sharp decline in the number of Golden Pheasants, making it an easy prey. Endangered Animals.
Very few people have seen the golden pheasant. Due to lack of relevant knowledge, it is natural to mistake it for a phoenix.
The fact that this animal can be seen again in Liulinhe Village shows that the local ecological environment is improving day by day, hunting and poaching has also been restrained, the population has been protected, and the golden pheasant has been able to breed, and the number has gradually increased.
Golden Pheasant brings unexpected income
Today in 2022, Guo Cunsuo is still insisting on feeding the Golden Pheasant. With his continuous efforts, his family has gradually accepted the Golden Pheasant and participated in the action of feeding and protecting the Golden Pheasant.
After hearing that dozens of golden pheasants were seen in Luping, Shanxi, many photographers came to Liulinhe Village carrying "long guns and short cannons" and asked Guo Cunsuo to be their guide to lead everyone to "shoot birds".
(bird shooting is a photography term, which does not mean using tools to harm birds. It means that when shooting birds, photographers often shoot from very far away, so they need to use telephoto lens . Aiming, fixed focus, The action of pressing the shutter button is very similar to target shooting, so shooting birds is also called "shooting birds")
There are not many people in the small mountain village. In recent years, as people have gone out to work one after another and left the mountain village, the village has gradually become more crowded. Only Guo Cunsuo's family was left, and Lao Guo's family also received an unexpected surprise.
These people who come to hunt birds may spend a whole day shooting, and sometimes they may even have to stay for a night. There are no hotels in the mountains, let alone takeaway restaurants. Guo Cunsuo came up with an idea to simply tidy up his old house. If someone comes to hunt birds and it is inconvenient to go home, they can stay at Guo Cunsuo's house. All water and electricity are included for only 20 yuan.
Guo Cunsuo also prepared three meals a day. He simply fried five or six dishes. Although he was not at the level of a professional chef, it had a farmhouse flavor. Guo Cunsuo also only charged for some ingredients, 10 yuan per person, including steamed buns, vegetables and soup. Still full.
Although the fee is not high, due to the large number of people coming, it also brings a certain amount of income to the family.
Someone gave Guo Cunsuo advice: "Anyway, your family is the only one here who has food and drink. Everyone wants you to lead the way to see the Golden Pheasant. Why don't you raise the price and pay for more travel expenses?"
Guo Cunsuo just smiled. : "Everyone comes to see the golden pheasant, which means that everyone likes it. How can I make money with them? It's just a courtesy to charge some food and accommodation fees."
The kindness and simplicity of Guo Cunsuo's family has attracted the attention of outsiders who have met them. The memory is particularly vivid. In an inconspicuous mountain village, there was only one family living there. They go out to feed the golden pheasants every day before dawn, and then start busy guiding everyone and preparing meals.
However, Guo Cunsuo did not expect that his kind deeds would one day cause controversy.
Different voices
Some people think that Guo Cunsuo's actions will cause the golden pheasant to gradually lose its hunting ability and become overly dependent on human feeding. This is not a good phenomenon. Like the monkeys in Mount Emei, they are fat and ferocious, and their bodies have lost flexibility. Once they are allowed to return to nature, it will be difficult for them to continue to survive.
Therefore, many people now propose that if you truly care for animals, you should not interfere with their lives, but keep animals in a wild state as much as possible.
It is this view that makes some people think that Guo Cunsuo's seemingly protective behavior will destroy the wildness of the golden pheasant, and ultimately lead to the golden pheasant not being able to adapt to life in nature, making it difficult to truly protect it.
Some people also expressed the opposite opinion. The golden pheasant itself is an endangered second-level protected animal. Guo Cunsuo's approach can make people pay attention to this species and also increase everyone's attention to the golden pheasant. Some people come to "fight" birds” and also avoid being hunted by poachers.
Although Guo Cunsuo feeds the golden pheasants, he never interferes with their lives and rarely comes into close contact with them. In other words, Guo Cunsuo just gave the golden pheasant more food, and nothing else interfered with the golden pheasant's life.
Until now, people are still arguing about Guo Cunsuo's behavior. But it can also be seen from the debate that no matter which direction everyone stands, their ultimate goal is only one, and that is to hope that the Golden Pheasant will have a more suitable living environment, and that everyone can pay attention to the protection of the Golden Pheasant. Work, hoping that humans can live in peace with animals in nature.
In 2022, with the efforts of Guo Cunsuo’s family, the number of golden pheasants in Liulinhe Village is still increasing. I believe that in the near future, the golden pheasants will also be protected in the most appropriate way, so that they can live freely. In the mountains and forests.
