Flying over Boundaries
Auspicious Birds in Sino-Sogdian Funerary Art
abstract
The focus is on the representation of auspicious birds in Sino-Sogdian funerary monuments. These birds can be portrayed with a halo behind the head and ribbons attached to their neck. Special emphasis is given to their connection with the mythical Iranian bird, the Simurgh, and the concept of Farr (‘glory, charisma’). In particular, an attempt is made to shed some light on the possible association between the Simurgh, the ‘Western’ Phoenix, and the Chinese Fenghuang.
Keywords: Fenghuang • Phoenix • Sino-Sogdian art • Simurgh