《詩經．商頌．玄鳥》：「天命玄鳥，降而生商。」是最早說出殷先祖來源的神話傳說。歷代以來考證，商人是以玄鳥為圖騰，為玄鳥以後，這樣的說法已獲得證明。 然而玄鳥是何種鳥禽呢？歷來說法不一，從最早的燕子說和鳳鳥說，到近代的太陽鳥和生殖崇拜說，都有其立論證明各家學者的看法。但是真相只有一個，商民族玄鳥經過了幾千年來的探討，牠的真實面貌是逐漸被揭開，還是最後被曲解，不被世人所認知了呢？ 透過古籍的記載和出土文物的考證，我們可以還原玄鳥故事的來由，以及商民族的風土民情，如此一來，玄鳥的神秘面紗就可揭開，牠的真實面貌就呈現。

The origin of the Shang Dynasty traces back to the myth contained in The Book of Songs-Shang Praise Praise-Shyuan Bird. According to this legend, Providence commanded the shyuan bird to descend into the world and give birth to the ancestor of the Shang Dynasty. Researches over the centuries have confirmed that the people of Shang perceived the shyuan bird as a symbol of the dynasty and regarded themselves as its progeny. What kind of species is the shyuan bird? Answers provided by scholars range from swallow or phoenix during an earlier period to sunbird or even a symbol of fertility worship in recent times. Every theory has evidence cited in its favor, but there is only one truth. After centuries of researches on the shyuan bird, has its true identity been gradually unveiled, or does persistent misinterpretation continue to conceal the truth? Written historical record and archeological evidence can enable us to examine the original story of the shyuan bird, and also provide a valuable means of understanding popular custom and culture of the Shang Dynasty. In this way, the shyuan bird’s mystical mask may finally be lifeted.