Cranes in Chinese mythology

Cranes (simplified Chinese: 鹤; traditional Chinese: 鶴; pinyin: Hè) are an important motif in Chinese mythology. There are various myths involving cranes, and in Chinese mythology cranes are generally symbolically connected with the idea of longevity. In China, the crane mythology is associated with the divine bird worship in the animal totemism; cranes have a spiritual meaning where they are a form of divine bird which travels between heaven and man's world. Cranes regularly appear in Chinese arts such as paintings, tapestry, and decorative arts; they are also often depicted carrying the souls of the deceased to heaven. The crane is the second most important bird after the fenghuang, the symbol of the empress, in China.
The motifs of cranes may vary in a range from reference to real cranes (such as the red-crowned crane) referring to transformed Taoist immortals (xian), who sometimes were said to have magical abilities to transform into cranes in order to fly on various journeys. When a taoist priest dies, it is referred as yuhua (羽化; lit. "turning into a feathered (Crane)").
Chinese mythology refers to those myths found in the historical geographic area of China. The geographic area of "China" is of course a concept which has evolved of changed through history. Chinese mythology include myths in Chinese and other languages, as transmitted by Han Chinese as well as other minority ethnic groups.
According to some Chinese legends, there are 4 kinds of cranes which differ in colours: white, yellow, blue, and black. The black crane is believed to have lived for centuries. According to Chinese legends, at the age of 1000, a crane would turn grey and after another 1000 years, the crane would turn dark; thus being termed as "the mysterious crane". According to some legends, a black crane no longer eats food and only drinks water when it turns 600 years old.
A crane which is used as a form of immortal ride is called an immortal crane.
In East Asian culture (China, Korea, Japan, Vietnam), the red-crowned crane is a symbol of happiness. good luck, long life, and marital bliss.
In ancient Chinese legends, the crane shows the elegance of the immortals, which included the meaning of elegance, moral integrity and the personal dignity of the immortals. The crane is often praised in classical Chinese literature and is perceived as elegant and graceful, and when a crane spreads its wings, it reflects an outstanding temperament.
Cranes are one of the symbols of longevity in Chinese culture; as such, they are often depicted together with a pine tree or a stone, or together with a tortoise or a deer. It is also customary for Chinese people to give the picture of a crane to elderly people on their birthdays as it symbolizes good health and longevity.
Pine trees and cranes together are symbols of longevity and also symbolize the last years of a long life. When flying cranes are combined with growing pines, the symbol of longevity is intensified.
In popular prints, a crane is sometimes depicted with the herb of immortality (zhi) in its beak; this is a double symbol of longevity.
According to Chinese beliefs, the combination of a tortoise and crane is associated with longevity. Like the crane, the tortoise is also one of the symbols of longevity in Chinese culture.
The combination of a crane with peaches is one of the Chinese symbols of longevity, due to their associations with immortals (i.e. they were used as conveyance for immortals). Both of them are symbols of longevity in Chinese mythology. Immortals are often depicted on the back of cranes while mythical peaches are believed to grow in the orchard of Xiwangmu; therefore the combination of peaches and immortals evoke penglai, which is an isle for immortals.
Cranes were depicted on the mandarin square of the Ming and Qing dynasties' court robes. In the Ming dynasty, the first class civil official would wear a buzi with a fairy crane (Chinese: 仙鹤; pinyin: xiānhè). The crane mandarin square when combined in a crane, water, clouds, and blue sky design reflects the emphasis on the wisdom and talent of the Chinese Imperial court's civil officials.
The illustrations of two cranes flying up towards the sun is used to express the wishes that the recipient of the illustration may 'rise high'.
When a crane is depicted with a fenghuang, mandarin duck, heron and a wagtail, this represents the Confucianist concepts of the five relationship between people (五伦). In this particular combination, the crane symbolizes the relationship between father and son.
Depictions of cranes in pairs were also associated with elderly couples as white feathers give the impression of the white hair of an elderly.
The Japanese accepted the concept that the crane represented longevity when Chinese culture gradually influenced Japanese culture; the Japanese then gradually modified into becoming a symbol of joy. Since the 9th century, cranes are considered a symbol of happiness and the combination of a crane and tortoise is used in marriage ceremonies to represent both happiness and longevity.