The sun and immortal bird:

People often ask me about the unusual symbol on my necklace that my husband bought for me when working in Chengdu, China.

The symbol is the official city logo, inspired by the Golden Sun Bird, an ancient relic unearthed in 2001 from the Jinsha Site. The four birds in the symbol represent the four seasons, while the 12 inner rays stand for the 12 months of the year, and the encapsulating ring shows the endless cycle of both.

The Golden Sun Bird has a beautiful legend that explains its symbolism.

Legend of the Sun Bird:

One day, the Sun in Jinsha in the ancient Shu Kingdom (now Chengdu in the Sichuan province) suddenly disappeared from the sky. The tribal people, understandably anxious, elected four elders to find the Sun.

The four elders set out on their journey. First they met the Moon in a forest. The Moon told the elders that the Sun had been arrested by a Great Evil Wizard. The Moon gave the elders a box to help them when they found the Sun.

Next the elders found the Stars on a mountain. The Stars gave the elders a sack, and cautioned them to open their first sack when they found the Sun, and then open the box from the Moon.

The four elders finally found the Sun, held captive by the Evil Wizard, near the Jinsha River. They immediately opened the sack from the Stars. Twelve golden beams of light shot toward the Wizard! Blinded, the Wizard could not open his eyes. The elders quickly opened the box from the Moon, and four golden ropes sprung into the hands of the four elders. They quickly used the ropes from the Four Corners (east, south, west, and north) to capture and bind the Wizard.

In order to prevent the Sun from ever being in the same predicament again, the four elders turned themselves into four beautiful Sun Birds to protect the Sun. Now, owing to their guardians, the Sun shines out twelve golden rays and is even more beautiful and charming than before.

In 2001, a gold foil explaining the symbol was unearthed at Jinsha Site Museum in Chengdu, and the mystery of the legend was finally revealed.

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Spicy Chengdu

Chengdu is in central Sichuan. You may have heard of the massive 2008 earthquake in the Sichuan province that killed 4,300 people and injured more than 26,000 others. Fortunately, my husband wasn’t there and the manufacturing plant he frequented was not damaged.

The Chengdu Plain is known as the “Country of Heaven” and the “Land of Abundance.” Considered a hub of southwest China, it is famous for its brocades and satins, and refined culture. Among its many historical monuments and buildings is the cottage of the Tang-era poet Du Fu. They also have a panda-breeding facility.

Chengdu hosts many international companies, including the one my husband worked for, and more than 16 consulates. The city is also recognized by UNESCO as a city of gastronomy!

The first time I ever heard of spicy Sichuan food ( also called Szechuan or Szechwan) was when I was in art school and waitressing at an upscale Chinese restaurant called Pan Asia in Cleveland in the seventies (that is also when I met my husband). Until then, most Americans had only sampled carry-out Cantonese food.

Now you can find Sichuan cuisine in any good Chinese restaurant, my husband has retired, and I get to share the legend of my Sun Bird Crest necklace. Someday I hope to go there.

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Linda K. Sienkiewicz is a writer, poet, and artist.
Learn more about her multi-award winning novel, In the Context of Love.
Learn more about her picture book, Gordy and the Ghost Crab.
Learn more about her poetry chapbook, Sleepwalker

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