Bixi

Bixi
Sculpted c. 1810, donated 1936
The Xi'an Stele (781) is borne by a Bixi in the pedestal.
Chinese name
Traditional Chinese贔屭, 贔屓
Simplified Chinese赑屃
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu Pinyinbìxì
Wade–GilesPi-hsi
Yue: Cantonese
Jyutpingbei6 hei3
Pa-hsia Dragon
Chinese
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinBàxià
Wade–GilesPa-hsia
guifu
Traditional Chinese
Simplified Chinese
Literal meaningturtle tablets
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu Pinyinguīfū
Wade–Gileskuei-fu
Vietnamese name
Vietnamese alphabetBí Hí
Bá Hạ
rùa đội bia
Chữ Hán贔屭
霸下
Chữ Nôm𧒌隊碑
Japanese name
Kanji贔屓
Hiraganaひき
Transcriptions
RomanizationHīki

Bixi, or Bi Xi (Wade–Giles: Pi-hsi), is a figure from Chinese mythology. One of the nine sons of the Dragon King,[citation needed] he is depicted as a dragon with the shell of a turtle. Stone sculptures of Bixi have been used in Chinese culture for centuries as a decorative plinth for commemorative steles and tablets,[1] particularly in the funerary complexes of its later emperors and to commemorate important events, such as an imperial visit or the anniversary of a World War II victory. They are also used at the bases of bridges and archways.[2] Sculptures of Bixi are traditionally rubbed for good luck, which can cause conservation issues.[3] They can be found throughout East Asia and the Russian Far East.

  1. ^ Welch, Patricia Bjaaland (2008), Chinese Art, Tuttle, pp. 122–123, ISBN 978-0-8048-3864-1
  2. ^ Roberts, Jeremy (2010), "Dragon's Nine Sons", Chinese Mythology, A to Z (2nd ed.), New York: Chelsea House, p. 61, ISBN 9781438127996
  3. ^ "Văn Miếu – Quốc Tử Giám – Hà Nội: 82 bia Tiến sĩ cần được bảo vệ nghiêm ngặt". Pháplý Online (in Vietnamese). 30 November 2011. Archived from the original on 2014-04-07. Retrieved 22 Nov 2013.