In the Wei and Jin dynasties, craftsmen injected a new spirit of ideas into the image of the phoenix. The dragon-phoenix pattern absorbed the essence of foreign and Chinese traditional architectural art. The phoenix on the steles of the Sui and Tang dynasties was more similar to raptors. In the Song and Yuan dynasties, the phoenix was overwhelming and vigorous, which was full of romanticism. The dragon, phoenix and peony were common decoration themes in the Ming and Qing dynasties. The phoenix was generally decorated with a ribbon and colorful feather, which is gloriously beautiful.
Chinese architecture is famous for timberwork, which is a platform for the dragon and phoenix totem. In the imperial palaces, the dragon and the phoenix were the principal motifs for decorative designs on the buildings. The daily clothing and articles for emperors and empresses were decorated with the dragon and phoenix. The throne hall was supported by columns entwined by gilded dragons, the central ramps on marble steps were paved with huge slabs carved in relief with the dragon and phoenix, and the screen walls display dragons in brilliant colors.
As a kind of unique building decoration style in China, the dragon and phoenix decorative patterns have been developed over thousands of years in the fertile land of the ancient Chinese civilization and showed social ideology and humanities in the spirit of Chinese ancestors. As Chinese style is prevalent today, the ancient Chinese dragon and phoenix totem shows the oriental fashion, and the culture of the dragon and phoenix have become an indispensable decorative element in Chinese architecture.
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