1. 宜城）出门肉不香，在家水也甜。

1. (Yicheng) When you go out, the meat doesn't smell good; when you're home, the water tastes sweet.

2. 郧阳）人走千里，家乡难忘。

2. Yu Yang) A person may travel a thousand miles, but never forget their hometown.

3. 黄梅）黄梅四祖和五祖，离了爹娘不开口。

3. Huangmei (Huangmei) the Fourth Ancestor and the Fifth Ancestor, could not speak without their parents.

4. 京山）宋河十八哪，京山十八哒。

4. Jingshan) Songhe has eighteen, Jingshan has eighteen too.

5. 秭归）丢了家乡口，不如守家狗。新滩两道峡，不带老子就带杂。

5. Zigui) Losing one's hometown accent is better than being a stray dog. The Xintan has two gorges, and it doesn't take me along but takes others.

6. 关于九头鸟染上妖邪之气，在中国民俗中演变成招人厌恶的反面角色，是从汉代小说所载“周公居东，恶闻此鸟，命庭氏射之，血其一首，犹余九首”开始的，后来的《荆楚岁时记》、《酋阳杂俎》、《齐东野语》诛书的记述渲染而广为人知。宋代著名文学家欧阳修留下《鬼车诗》一首，对此有最为生动完整的记述：“昔时周公居东周，厌闻此鸟憎若仇，夜呼命庭率其属，弯弧陴遂出九州，射之三发不能中，天遣天狗从空透，自从狗嗤一头落，断头至今清血流，迩弥相距三千秋，昼藏夜出如咻鹠。每逢阴黑天外过，乍见火光惊辄堕，有时余血下点呼，所遭之家家必破。我闻此语惊且疑，反祝疾飞无我祸，我思天地何茫茫，百物巨细理莫详，占凶在人不在物，一去两头反为祥。……”这里讲，对九头鸟的仇视，是从春秋时曾被楚人战败的周公开始的。后来此鸟被天狗咬去一头一尾后，断头处血流不止，人们以为被血滴玷污即属不祥，于是九头鸟就成妖邪之物了。但欧阳修不信此说，而是主张“凶吉在人不在物”。由此可见妖由人生，同九头鸟的形态习性其实并无多大关系。

6. The transformation of the nine-headed bird into a negative character disliked by people in Chinese folk customs began from the description in the Han Dynasty novel that "When Zhou Gong resided in the East, he disliked this bird and ordered Ting Shi to shoot it, wounding one of its heads, yet there were still nine left." The later accounts in "Records of the Seasons in Jingchu," "Miscellaneous Morsels from Youyang," and "Tales from the Eastern Wilds" further elaborated and popularized this story. The famous Song Dynasty literary figure Ouyang Xiu left behind a poem called "The Ghost Carriage," which offers the most vivid and complete description: "In ancient times, when Zhou Gong resided in the East of Zhou, he disliked this bird as if it were an enemy. At night, he summoned Ting Shi and his followers, drew his bow, and shot towards the nine realms. After three arrows, he could not hit it. The heavens sent a celestial dog to pierce through the sky, and since then, with one head bitten off, the blood continues to flow. For three thousand years, it hides by day and emerges by night like a screech owl. Whenever it passes through the dark sky, it is startled by the light and falls. Sometimes the remaining blood falls and calls, and the households it visits are doomed to be destroyed. I heard this and was both startled and suspicious, wishing for the bird to fly away and not bring any misfortune upon me. I ponder the vastness of heaven and earth, where everything, big or small, is not fully understood. Whether it is auspicious or inauspicious depends on people, not objects; one with two heads can actually bring good fortune..." Here it is said that the hatred for the nine-headed bird originated with Zhou Gong, who was defeated by the Chu people during the Spring and Autumn period. Later, after the bird was bitten by the celestial dog, losing one head and one tail, the wound continued to bleed. People believed that being stained by blood was inauspicious, and thus the nine-headed bird became a demonic creature. However, Ouyang Xiu did not believe in this and instead advocated that "auspiciousness and inauspiciousness depend on people, not objects." This shows that the origin of the evil comes from people, and it has little to do with the actual shape and habits of the nine-headed bird.

7. 兴山）年轻奔四方，老来思故乡。

7. Xingshan (a mountain in Hubei province) - young people dash around in all directions, but old age brings homesickness.

8. 土家族。五峰）四水归池，叶落归根。

8. Tujia ethnic group. Wufeng (Five Peaks) - Four rivers converge into a pool, leaves return to their roots.

9. 从这位深谙湖北风土人情的台湾学者的文章可以看出，九头鸟本是从楚人所崇拜的凤凰形象脱胎而来的，在中古时期才染上妖邪色彩进入民俗生活。明代以后，才把它和湖北人联系起来。但它并没有明确而稳定的含义，有时用以象征湖北人的丰富智慧和对邪恶强暴势力的强有力抗争，有时则用以嘲讽在人际交往中的狡诈。这些含义和用法都是历史形成的。既然如此，我们在今天也就没有必要就九头鸟本身确定一个或正或反的固定解释。随着湖北人地方性格及其历史地位的丰富发展，九头鸟这句俗谚自然也会具有新的

9. From the article of this Taiwanese scholar who is well-versed in the local customs and culture of Hubei, it can be seen that the nine-headed bird originally evolved from the phoenix image revered by the Chu people, and it only took on a demonic color and entered folk life during the medieval period. It was only after the Ming Dynasty that it was associated with the people of Hubei. However, it does not have a clear and stable meaning; sometimes it is used to symbolize the rich wisdom of the people of Hubei and their powerful resistance to evil and oppressive forces, and sometimes it is used to mock cunning in interpersonal interactions. These meanings and usages have all been formed historically. Therefore, there is no need for us to determine a fixed, either positive or negative, interpretation of the nine-headed bird itself today. As the local character of the people of Hubei and their historical status continue to develop, the saying "the nine-headed bird" will naturally also acquire new meanings.

10. 宜昌）失了乡音忘了本。

10. Yichang (Yichang) has lost its local dialect and forgotten its roots.

11. 黄石）利刀难断长江水，天涯难断家乡情。

11. Huangshi (Yellow Stone) – A sharp knife cannot sever the Yangtze River's waters, and love for one's hometown cannot be severed by the ends of the earth.

12. 监利）人到百岁思家乡。

12. In Jiliang (Jian County), people think of their hometown when they reach a hundred years old.

13. 介凡先生认为，九头鸟的传说，实脱胎于《楚辞》和《山海经》中的一些古老的神话。《山海经·大荒北经》中载：“大荒之中，有山名北极天桓，海水北住焉。有神九首，人而鸟身，名曰九凤。”这九头凤就是九头鸟的最早说法。也可以说九头鸟就起源于《山海经》中的九凤。凤本是中国神话中的神鸟，九头凤就更加神奇了。《山海经》中不仅有九首之凤，还有九首或九尾之狐、羊、虎等等，而且在讲究阴阳和合的古代中国，九是阳数，寓吉祥神圣意味，所以九头鸟最初并不含妖气。

13. Mr. Jiefan believes that the legend of the nine-headed bird actually originates from some ancient myths in the "Songs of the South" and the "Classic of Mountains and Seas." The "Classic of Mountains and Seas: Great Northern Wilderness" states: "In the great wilderness, there is a mountain named Polar Celestial Fortress, where the sea flows to the north. There is a god with nine heads, with the body of a human and the form of a bird, known as the Nine Phoenix." These nine-headed phoenixes are the earliest description of the nine-headed bird. It can also be said that the nine-headed bird originated from the Nine Phoenix in the "Classic of Mountains and Seas." The phoenix is originally a divine bird in Chinese mythology, and the nine-headed phoenix is even more miraculous. The "Classic of Mountains and Seas" not only has the nine-headed phoenix but also nine-headed or nine-tailed foxes, goats, tigers, and so on. In ancient China, which emphasized the harmony of yin and yang, the number nine symbolizes auspiciousness and sanctity. Therefore, the nine-headed bird initially did not carry any demonic aura.

14. 不详）兔子沿山跑，依然归旧窝。

14. (Unclear) The rabbit runs along the mountain, still returning to its old nest.

15. 巴东）离土不离乡，离乡泪汪汪。

15. Badong (Ba East) - leaving the land but not the hometown, tears flowing as I leave my hometown.

16. 房县）高山流水响叮铛，出门人儿想家乡。

16. Fang County) The sound of mountains and flowing water tinkles, the one who leaves pines for the home.

17. 不详）鸟爱青山，人爱家乡。

17. (Details unknown) Birds love green mountains, people love their hometown.

18. 由于人们对“天上九头鸟，地下湖北佬”这一则流行谚语的褒贬不一，理解各异，近年在《湖北日报》副刊上又有好几位作者对此各抒己见，颇为热闹。有一位原籍武汉的台湾民俗学家朱介凡也撰有《九头鸟传说》一文，此文长两万字，引述中国古典文献包括许多地方志中的材料近百条，对九头鸟这一俗谚的今古演变及社会文化内涵进行细密考评，原刊于《东方杂志》，后选入作者自编的《中国谣俗论丛》。近日重读此文，感到他不仅是引述资料最丰富，而且是论析明晰合理、令人信服的难得之作。笔者特撰短文予以评介。

18. Due to the varied opinions and interpretations of the popular proverb "The nine-headed bird in the sky, the man from Hubei on the ground," in recent years, several authors have expressed their views on this topic in the supplementary section of "Hubei Daily," leading to a lively discussion. A Taiwanese folklorist of Wuhan origin, Zhu Jiefan, also wrote an article titled "The Legend of the Nine-Headed Bird," which is 20,000 words long. The article cites nearly a hundred materials from classical Chinese literature, including many local chronicles, and meticulously evaluates the ancient and modern evolution as well as the social and cultural connotations of the proverb "the nine-headed bird." It was originally published in "Dongfang Magazine" and later selected into the author's self-edited collection "On the Chinese谣俗." After recently rereading this article, I found that it is not only rich in citations but also a rare work that is clear, reasonable, and convincing in analysis. Therefore, I have written a brief article to introduce and appraise it.

19. 另一说是这句谚语出于清初满人对湖北人的诅恨。据有关史料记载，鄂之圻黄地区，曾据山岩拼死抗清。大局既定后，那些难忘故国的遗民，又拒绝同清廷合作，如有受清廷笼络所利用的，众所共弃；乃使满人为官湖北者，莫不恼恨交加。在无可奈何之下，因荆楚向有九头鸟传说，于是编造了这句谚语。后来武昌辛亥首义的成功，再次证实了这句谚语的活力。因而在台湾出版的《湖北文献》上刊出的诗作，高唱：“武昌一夕鸟飞鸣，满族政权难自保，九头徽号称鄂鸟，鄂人听了不烦恼。”

19. Another theory suggests that this proverb originated from the Qing Dynasty Manchu people's resentment towards the people of Hubei. According to relevant historical records, the Qihuang area in Hubei once fiercely resisted the Qing Dynasty by occupying the mountain rocks. After the overall situation was settled, the people who could not forget their homeland also refused to cooperate with the Qing court. Those who were lured and utilized by the Qing court were universally despised. This led to the Manchu officials posted in Hubei being resentful. In a state of helplessness, as there was a legend of nine-headed birds in Jingchu, this proverb was fabricated. Later, the success of the Wuchang Revolution in 1911 again proved the vitality of this proverb. Therefore, the poem published in "Hubei Literature" published in Taiwan sang: "In one night, birds flew and sang in Wuchang, the Manchu regime struggles to preserve itself; the nine-headed emblem is called the bird of Hubei, and the people of Hubei are not worried."

20. 土家族。长阳）人不亲土亲，河不清水清。

20. Tujia people (from Changyang) have close relationships with the land and the river is clear.

21. 云梦）人是百家桩，不死要还乡。

21. Yunmeng (Cloud Dream) people are at the hundred stakes, and they must return to their hometown if they do not die.

22. 不详）蜜蜂恋花，人恋故土。

22. (Inexact) Bees are fond of flowers, and people are fond of their hometown.

23. 不详）美不美，故乡水，亲不亲，穷乡亲。

23. (Unclear) Whether it's beautiful or not, the water of the hometown, whether they are close or not, the poor villagers.

24. 蒲圻）洛阳虽好不如家。

24. Puxi) Luoyang is beautiful, but it's not as good as home.

25. 巴东）生在屋场，长在地方，死在故乡。

25. Born in the courtyard, grew up in the local area, and died in the hometown.

26. 宜昌）百灵鸟儿不忘林，梅花鹿儿不忘山。

26. Yichang (Yibin) The lark bird never forgets the forest, the Sika deer never forgets the mountain.

27. 至于在民间，这句九头鸟的俗谚还有另一层意味。介凡先生认为这同武汉作为一个南北水陆交通中心，所形成的外乡人同武汉本地人之间的隔阂有关。凡是交通便利的地方，民众的知识开发较早，在社会生活中竞争较多，在彼此交往中狡诈较多。武汉三镇以外的各省人往往讨厌他们，见而生畏。武汉又是湖北的代表，本来是“天上九头鸟，地下武汉佬”，因武汉二字早期比较生疏，后来就变成湖北佬了。

27. As for the people at large, this idiom about the nine-headed bird has another meaning. Mr. Jiefan believes that this is related to the gap between the outsiders and the locals in Wuhan, which is a transportation hub for both land and water traffic between the north and south. Where transportation is convenient, the public has earlier knowledge development, more competition in social life, and more cunningness in their interactions. People from other provinces outside the three towns of Wuhan often dislike them and feel afraid upon seeing them. Wuhan is also a representative of Hubei, originally being referred to as "nine-headed birds in the sky, Wuhan locals on the ground." Because the word "Wuhan" was relatively unfamiliar early on, it later became "Hubei locals."

28. 鄂西）少怕养家，老怕离家。

28. In Western Hubei) the young are afraid of not being able to support the family, and the old are afraid of leaving home.

29. 远安）出门远时老乡亲。远安人的礼性大，离了俩家不说话。?>

29. Yuan'an) Long-time old villagers, when you leave, don't talk to each other. The people of Yuan'an are very courteous, and they don't speak when they part from each other.

30. 以九头鸟象征人事，介凡先生从历史上举出两例。一是同明代湖北人张居正为相有关。这里又有两种说法，其一是说张居正为相时，大权在握，整顿吏治，声誉日增。患病时，各地官绅纷纷为之建醮，迹近铺张，事为九大御史前后参奏，而张之地位并未动摇，九大御史反为张居正一一整肃，因此当日民间便生出“天上九头鸟，地下湖北佬”之谣，以为九头鸟再厉害，也敌不过一个湖北佬。在这个说法里九头鸟乃指九御史，并非湖北人。其二是说张居正在整顿朝政时，保荐了九位御史，这九人都是他的湖北老乡，对贪官污吏严厉制裁，革新政风大有成效，那些受到整顿的贪官污吏，心怀不满，因而咒骂“天上九头鸟，地下湖北佬”。由此可以看出，这九头鸟的谣传，原是当日政敌散布出来以攻击张居正的。

30. The nine-headed bird symbolizes human affairs, and Mr. Jiefan cited two historical examples. One is related to Zhang Juzheng, a native of Hubei during the Ming Dynasty, who served as the prime minister. There are two versions of this story. The first says that when Zhang Juzheng was prime minister, he held great power, reformed the civil service, and his reputation grew. When he fell ill, officials and nobles from various places organized rituals for him, which were somewhat extravagant. The matter was reported to the nine grand imperial censor by the nine great censors, but Zhang's position was not shaken; instead, the nine great censors were each disciplined by Zhang Juzheng. Therefore, a folk谣 emerged at the time, "Above there are nine-headed birds, on the ground there are Hubei people," suggesting that no matter how powerful the nine-headed bird is, it cannot match a Hubei person. In this version, the nine-headed bird refers to the nine grand censors, not the people of Hubei. The second version says that while Zhang Juzheng was reforming the court administration, he recommended nine censors, all of whom were his fellow Hubei compatriots. They severely punished corrupt officials and greatly improved the political atmosphere. The corrupt officials who were reformed were dissatisfied and therefore cursed, "Above there are nine-headed birds, on the ground there are Hubei people." From this, it can be seen that the legend of the nine-headed bird was originally spread by political enemies to attack Zhang Juzheng.

31. 洪湖）久旱逢甘雨，异地闻乡音。

31. Honghu (Red Lake) - Long drought meets sweet rain, and hearing hometown sounds in a foreign land.

32. 不详）八十老人望家乡，不欠爷娘欠地方。

32. (Unspecified) An eighty-year-old man yearns for his hometown, not owing his parents but owing the place.

33. 公安）雁飞千里有个窝。会走的娃娃往窝里爬。

33. Public Security) The swan flies a thousand miles but always returns to its nest. The walking child will climb into the nest.

34. 京山）山里说山里有树，湖里说湖里有鱼。

34. Jing Mountain) They say there are trees in the mountains and fish in the lake.

35. 蕲春）金窟窿，银窟窿，不如自家穷窟窿。

35. Qichun) Gold hole, silver hole, not as good as one's own poverty hole.

36. 恩施）最甜泉中水，最亲家乡人。

36. The sweetest water comes from Enshi, and the dearest people are those from one's hometown.

37. 丹江口）均县的老子，房县的娃儿，河南有个咱日娘儿。

37. The Laozi of the Danjiangkou area, the child of Fangxian County, and a son-in-law from Henan.

38. 石首）不念他乡金滩头，只念故乡一撮土。

38. (Shishou) Not thinking of the golden beach of the alien land, but only thinking of the soil of my hometown.

39. 湖南石门发现神秘大鸟 疑为传说中的“九头鸟”

39. A mysterious large bird was discovered in Shimen, Hunan, suspected to be the legendary "Nine-Headed Bird."

40. 竹溪）江西人见面老表，竹溪人见面哈了。

40. Bamboo Creek) When Jiangxi people meet their relatives, they say "Ha" when meeting people from Bamboo Creek.

41. 有褒义，也有贬义，比较适合大多数湖北人的性格

41. It has both positive and negative connotations and is quite suitable for the personality of most people from Hubei.

42. 孝感）湖南的骡子，河南的侉子。

42. Xiaoguan (Hubei) has mules, and Henan has donkeys.

43. 郧县）人奔家乡马奔草，喜鹊只爱自己巢。

43. People run back to their hometown, horses gallop to the grasslands, magpies only love their own nests.

44. 不详）金窝银窝不如自己的草窝。

44. (Not specified) Gold nests and silver nests are not as good as one's own straw nest.

45. 襄樊）喝口家乡水，人亲土也亲。

45. (Xiangfan) Drinking a sip of hometown water, one feels close to both people and the land.

46. 来凤）阳雀恋青山，燕儿思旧巢。

46. Laifeng (Cai Feng) - The sparrow loves the green hills, and the swallow yearns for its old nest.

47. 不详）宁恋本乡一捻土，莫贪他乡万两金。

47. (Details unknown) Better to cherish the soil of one's own hometown than to covet ten thousand ounces of gold in a foreign land.