Bi Fang were evil spirits from Chinese folklore that manifested as supernatural avians. Messengers of misfortune (especially fire), they were a malignant force and like many monstrous animals likely came into being due to real encounters with exotic birds, combined with local belief and superstition. The idea of birds as messengers of both good and bad fortune can be found across countless cultures in the world. They are also commonly believed to have connections to afterlives, death or rebirth (such as the famous phoenix).
History[]
Bi Fang are evil spirits from Chinese mythology that take the form of large cranes with one leg. They were greatly feared for their presence being an omen of an impending and inevitable disaster, especially fire. Their name came from the distinct sounds they made.
The Bi Fang were part of a group of evil entities in Chinese cosmology known as Yaouguai.