Qilin (Unicorn)

A Qilin is a fabulous creature which appears in various forms and is associated with the wish for sons. In English it is sometimes described as a 'Unicorn' but this is misleading as the Qilin sometimes has more than one horn.

The Qilin was also used on the 'badges of rank' as a symbol for the highest rank among the military officials.

The Qilin was a popular figure in Chinese mythology because it was associated with a wish for sons. Generally the unicorn was defined as a benevolent creature which lives in the Kunlun mountains and represents good fortune, fecundity, and filial piety. The last attribute reveals its asociation with Confucianism as in Confucian legend, the qilin appeared to Confucius' mother just before he was born.

In the Chinese mythology it was also one of the nine sea monsters. The qilin had the head of a dragon, the body of a deer but scaly, the tail of a Buddhist lion, and the hooves of a goat. In decorations, the qilin is sometimes mistaken for a deer.

The qilin first appears in Chinese art of the Han and Tang dynasties including Han ceramic tiles. It is mentioned in Han poetry and the Shi Jing (Classic of History) and Qilin sculptures can be seen guarding tombs of the 5th century AD.

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© Jan-Erik Nilsson, Gothenburg, Sweden 1998-2007