Chinese folktale: Hundred Birds Pay Homage to Feng (the Phoenix)

Preface: Feng (the Phoenix) refers to Feng Huang (the phoenix), the king of birds in ancient legends. In the olden days, it was a metaphor for a wise and holy monarch to whom the whole world was attached, and later it was also a metaphor for a person of high moral standing to whom all the people belonged.

很Hěn久jiǔ很hěn久jiǔ以yǐ前qián ， 凤fèng凰huáng不bù过guò是shì一yī只zhī平píng凡fán的de小xiǎo鸟niǎo 。
In times immemorial, Feng Huang (the Phoenix) was merely an unremarkable little bird.

它Tā的de羽yǔ毛máo并bìng无wú特tè别bié之zhī处chù ， 远yuǎn非fēi传chuán说shuō中zhōng的de那nà般bān绚xuàn丽lì 。
Its feathers lacked any special radiance, far from the dazzling beauty depicted in legends.

但Dàn它tā拥yōng有yǒu一yī项xiàng美měi德dé ： 异yì常cháng勤qín奋fèn ， 不bù像xiàng其qí他tā鸟niǎo儿ér那nà样yàng吃chī饱bǎo了le就jiù嬉xī戏xì 。
Yet, it possessed one virtue: it was incredibly diligent. Unlike other birds that frolicked after eating their fill.

它Tā终zhōng日rì忙máng碌lù ， 搜sōu集jí其qí他tā鸟niǎo儿ér丢diū弃qì的de果guǒ实shí ， 储chǔ存cún在zài洞dòng穴xué中zhōng 。
it worked tirelessly throughout the day, gathering fruits discarded by others, and storing them in caves.

有Yǒu一yī年nián ， 森sēn林lín遭zāo遇yù大dà旱hàn 。
In a year when the forest faced a severe drought。

鸟Niǎo儿ér们men找zhǎo不bù到dào食shí物wù ， 饿è得de虚xū弱ruò无wú力lì ， 几jī乎hū无wú法fǎ生shēng存cún 。
The birds couldn’t find food, starving and barely able to survive.

这Zhè时shí ， 凤fèng凰huáng赶gǎn紧jǐn打dǎ开kāi洞dòng穴xué ， 拿ná出chū多duō年nián积jī攒zǎn的de干gān果guǒ和hé草cǎo籽zǐ ， 与yǔ大dà家jiā分fēn享xiǎng ， 共gòng度dù难nán关guān 。
At this moment, Feng Huang hastily opened its cave, took out the dried fruits and grass seeds it had accumulated over the years, sharing them with everyone to overcome the hardship together.

一Yī日rì ， 伏fú羲xī巡xún游yóu至zhì西xī山shān桐tóng林lín ， 只zhǐ见jiàn金jīn 、 木mù 、 水shuǐ 、 火huǒ 、 土tǔ五wǔ行xíng之zhī精jīng ， 纷fēn纷fēn飘piāo落luò在zài梧wú桐tóng树shù上shàng 。
One day, Fu Xi patrolled the Tong Forest in the Western Mountains, where he saw the essences of the five elements—Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth, descending onto the Wutong tree.

顿Dùn时shí ， 仙xiān乐yuè缭liáo绕rào ， 香xiāng气qì弥mí漫màn 。
Immediately, celestial music filled the air, and a fragrant aroma spread.

天Tiān空kōng中zhōng出chū现xiàn万wàn道dào霞xiá光guāng 。
A radiant display of light shone in the sky.

两Liǎng只zhī美měi丽lì的de大dà鸟niǎo ， 在zài五wǔ彩cǎi祥xiáng云yún的de托tuō举jǔ下xià ， 翩piān翩piān降jiàng落luò在zài梧wú桐tóng树shù上shàng 。
two beautiful big birds, carried by colorful auspicious clouds, gracefully landing on the Wutong tree.

其Qí他tā鸟niǎo儿ér纷fēn纷fēn飞fēi来lái ， 聚jù集jí在zài各gè处chù树shù上shàng ， 向xiàng着zhe这zhè两liǎng只zhī大dà鸟niǎo齐qí鸣míng 。
Other birds flew over, gathering on trees everywhere and chirping towards the two big birds in unison.

伏Fú羲xī见jiàn状zhuàng ， 大dà为wéi惊jīng奇qí ， 连lián忙máng召zhào来lái辅fǔ佐zuǒ他tā的de木mù神shén句jù芒máng询xún问wèn 。
Seeing this, Fu Xi was greatly amazed, and quickly summoned his assistant, the Wood God Gou Mang, to inquire.

句Jù芒máng笑xiào道dào ：“ 那nà两liǎng只zhī最zuì大dà的de鸟niǎo ， 便biàn是shì凤fèng凰huáng ！”
Gou Mang smiled and said, “Those two biggest birds are Feng Huang!”

通过阅读中国神话、民间故事、历史典故、人物传记学汉语，简单易学，中英对照，适合初学者！
Learning Chinese through reading Chinese mythology, folk stories, historical allusions, and biographies is easy to learn and bilingual, suitable for beginners!