The Phoenix symbolizes immortality, resurrection and life after death. In ancient Greek and Egyptian mythology the Phoenix is a mythical sacred fire-bird associated with the sun god Ra a symbol of fire and Osiris as the symbol of divinity. The Phoenix was usually depicted as a heron or Benu in the Egyptian texts, but in Greek literature as a peacock or an eagle.

According to the Greeks, the bird lives in Egypt, near a cool well. Every morning at dawn, the sun god would stop his chariot to listen to the bird sing a beautiful song while it bathed in the well. The Phoenix is said to have beautiful plumage made up of red and gold coloured feathers and be of great size. The Phoenix is exceedingly gentle and in some texts the tears of the Phoenix are said to be able to cure wounds, something that J K Rowling uses in the Harry Potter books on one occasion when Harry is injured as he fights Voldermort.

Only one Phoenix exists at any point in time. When the bird feels its death is near, every 500 to 1,461 years, it builds a nest of aromatic wood comprising mainly of cinnamon twigs and sets it on fire. The bird and the nest are then consumed by the flames and reduced to ashes. A new Phoenix then arises as a chick quickly growing to full size. The new Phoenix then embalms the ashes of its predecessor in an egg made of myrrh and flies with it to the ancient Egyptian city of Heliopolis, "city of the sun," where the egg is deposited on the altar of the sun god Ra.

The Phoenix is also able to regenerate if it gets hurt or is wounded by an enemy or foe. Therefore it has become a symbol of immortality and invincibility. In one legend, the bird flew to Heliopolis and was immolated on the altar fire; in another, it builds a nest of spices which is ignited by the sun, the bird fanning the flames with its wings. In either case, the Phoenix remains dead for three days - symbolizing the dark of the moon - then rises from its own ashes. The Phoenix has dual symbolism, lunar in its associations with the moon, but also solar, being a fire-bird. The bird is the epitome of gentleness as it kills nothing, feeding only on dew and crushing nothing it touches.

There are varying accounts as to the phoenix's age. Some say it lives 1000 years. Pliny says it lives 660 years, Herodotus 540 years, Seneca 500 years and Albertus 350 years. Ovid says its tears are of incense and its blood of balsam. The Talmud version is that after 1000 years it shrivels to the size of an egg, and then emerges once more. The Phoenix is of outstanding importance in Chinese myth and symbolism. It is one of the Four Spirituality Endowed or Sacred Creatures. Like the dragon or the Ky-Lin [Serene Dragon], combining the quality the Yin and Yang powers known as the Feng Huang the Feng relating to solar and masculine influence and the Huang to Lunar and feminine influence.

In Chinese myth the Dragon is the "Emperor" and represents Yang, masculinity and strength and the Phoenix is the "Empress" and represents Yin and femininity, beauty, delicacy and peace. The Phoenix is also a bridal symbol of inseparable fellowship for the couple personally but also for the Yin-Yang balance and harmony in the universe. Again, the dragon or Ky-lin is a composite creature composed of different elements and symbolizing the entire cosmos, having the head of the solar c**k, the back of the swallow as the lunar crest, its wings as the wind, its tail representing trees and flowers and its feet, the Earth. In other descriptions it has head of a dragon, single horn, lion's mane, stag's body, and ox's tail. The Ky-lin has the five colours of the five virtues. An ancient manual of Chinese rites said: "Its colour delights the eye, its comb expresses righteousness, its tongue utters sincerity, its voice chants melody, its ear enjoys music, its heart conforms to regulations, its breast contains the treasures of literature and its spurs are powerful against transgressors.

The Ho-ho is the Phoenix of Japanese myth. It appears on Earth in different ages to accomplish a new era, after which it ascends to Heaven until it comes again to establish the next cycle. It represents the sun, justice, fidelity and obedience. Again the Ho-ho is associated with the Empress and femininity.

The Greek words for palm-trees and Phoenix are the same, as the tree was said to die and rise again and the bird and the tree can appear together. In Roman literature Tacitus says the Phoenix is consecrated to the Sun and is distinguished by its rich appearance and variegated colours, symbolizing those in Paradise enjoying eternal youth and pleasure. Though descriptions and life-span vary, the Phoenix became popular in early Christian art, literature and Christian symbolism, as a symbol of Christ, and represented the resurrection, immortality, and the life-after-death of Jesus Christ. The Old Testament says: "I shall die in the nest and shall multiply my days like the Phoenix" (Job 29:18). Christianity adopted the bird as a symbol of resurrection, of Christ rising again on the third day, triumphant over death.

In the medieval Bestiaries [a Bestiary is a medieval collection of short descriptions about all sorts of animals, real and imaginary, birds and even rocks, accompanied by a moralising explanation] the Phoenix [sometimes spelt as Fenix] also carries the same significance. The Physiologus which is a probably one of the earliest bestiaries was one of the most popular books of the Middle Ages, appearing in most of the languages of Europe, as well as Greek (its original language) and Latin. It was the basis of the later bestiaries, which added to the stock of stories and to the moralisations. Many versions of it were written by a variety of authors, both in prose and in verse says that the Phoenix is a native of India and Arabia and, when 500 years old, flies to Lebanon, fills its wings with fragrant gum, then hastens to Heliopolis in Egypt where it burns itself on the High Altar at the Temple of the Sun. The priest comes the next day to remove the ashes and finds a small worm of exceedingly sweet odour, which in three days, the develops into a young bird and on the fourth day attains full plumage, then, greeting the priest, it returns home. In this medieval moralization the Phoenix symbolizes Jesus who said, "I have the power to lay down my life and I have power to take it again". The perfume denotes' the sweetness of divine grace.