In ancient myths and legends of China, sunbirds are Wuyang and Phoenix. A large number of archaeological materials have proved the custom of worshipping the sun god birds in ancient China. The bird pattern painted on Yangshao culture pottery has a big dot on its back, which is the image of a sunbird. The bone carving of "Two Birds Lost the Sun" and the tooth carving of "Two Birds Facing the Sun" were unearthed at Hemudu site, and the octagonal jade plate and the sun jade eagle were unearthed at Lingjiatan site.
In Liangzhu culture, the patterns of the sun and birds often appear on some objects representing divine power and royal power, such as jade jade and jade cong. Jade birds were found on people's heads in tombs in Hongshan Culture, and symbols related to the sun were carved on pottery statues unearthed at Dawenkou site. Tao Ding unearthed from Erlitou site has a rotating sun pattern, and the drum center of bronze drums is often decorated with sun patterns.
In the Han Dynasty, more cultural relics about the sun and birds were unearthed. On the silk painting unearthed from Mawangdui No.1 Han Tomb, there is a golden sun perched in the sun. There is a bronze lamp in the tomb of the Han Dynasty in Mancheng, on which a bird holds the sun, and on the brick of the Han Dynasty, there is an image of a double phoenix holding the sun. These objects are a true portrayal of the worship of the sun and sunny birds by all ethnic groups in ancient China.