Introduction to Qilin

Qilin, also known as "Qilin", referred to as "Lin", commonly known as "Four Images", is a benevolent and auspicious beast in ancient Chinese legends. An animal called "Four Spirits" together with phoenix, turtle and dragon, ranking first among the four spirits. Known as the Holy Beast King. And it is the mount of God.

Qilin is an animal created based on the Chinese way of thinking. Judging from its external shape, it has the body of an elk, an ox's tail, a horse's hooves (said to be "wolf's hooves" in historical records), fish scale skin, and one horn, with meat at the end of the horn, which is yellow. This shape is a new combination of many real animals that have been dismembered. It concentrates all the advantages of those cherished animals on the construction of the unicorn, a mythical beast in fantasy, and fully embodies the Chinese people's "Jimei" thought.

"Qilin" takes "deer" as the radical. When the ancients coined this word, they clearly told people that Qilin evolved from deer, but it is by no means a deer, and is more than a deer. Parts and gear. It is said that its body is like a deer, which can also be written as a deer, which refers to a deer in ancient books. It has the tail of a cow, a round head, but only one horn. Some say Qi is male and Lin is female, and their shapes are depicted slightly differently. But it is said that the beginning of Qi roughly resembles a deer. It was regarded by the ancients as a mythical and benevolent beast with a long life and could live for two thousand years. He can spit fire and his voice is like thunder. "There are three hundred and sixty hairy worms, but the unicorn is the longest."

Related records

Xu Shen of the Han Dynasty, "Shuowen Jiezi" 10: "Qi, a benevolent beast, with the body of an elk and one horn of an ox's tail; Qi (lin), also a female qi." Jade Cai's note says: "It looks like a 麕, with one horn, wearing flesh, and is equipped with weapons without causing harm, so it is benevolent. ...According to "Zhengxiang Ji": "Qilin, the male is called Qilin, and the female is called Lin."... …Xu Yun’s benevolent beast is said to be a ram, because it can’t bear insects and can’t break grass. “In ancient times, Qilin, or simply called Lin, was regarded as an auspicious thing. "Book of Rites": "Unearthed utensils, chariots, horses emerging from rivers, phoenixes and unicorns are all in the suburbs." Also: "Lins, phoenixes, turtles, and dragons are called the four spirits."

Related customs

Qilin is an auspicious mythical animal that governs peace and longevity. Deer itself is a docile beast, strong and good at running, which is of great benefit to people. The legendary white deer is especially divine. There is a folk saying that Qilin sends his son. Kirin is mainly deer, integrating the characteristics of cattle, sheep and horses. Its comprehensive coverage is not as extensive as that of dragon and phoenix, but its reputation is not small. The research on Qilin is not as popular as the research on dragon and phoenix culture. Who is its originator and its origin is not very clear. Some scholars speculate that it may be the ancestor of the Zhou people, because the Zhou people originally lived in the northwest. At that time, the northwest , abundant water and grass, suitable for the growth of deer.

In slave society and feudal society, dragons and phoenixes were seized by the supreme ruler, so they lost their original totem comprehensive meaning and became symbols of the emperor and concubines of the supreme ruler. The good-natured Qilin was squeezed out of the folk culture in the competition for power. People expected it to bring good harvests, good fortune, longevity and happiness.

In 1419 AD, Zheng He returned to Nanjing with a giraffe presented by the King of Marin. Because the giraffe looks very much like the mascot of Chinese folklore: the unicorn, and because the Chinese people at that time knew very little about giraffes, everyone unanimously concluded that the giraffe gifted by the king of Marin was the unicorn.

Lin is also often used in official court uniforms. In the Qing Dynasty, the emblem of the first-grade official was a unicorn, which shows that its status was second only to the dragon. In the Qing Dynasty, only relatives of the emperor were qualified to wear the dragon logo. The emperor was yellow dragon, purple dragon, prince, elder brother, Baylor, and Beizi. It is a dragon child pattern;

1. Kirin is a legendary mythical animal, which may not exist in real life;

2. Kirin is second only to the dragon among beasts . In ancient Chinese legends, the unicorn, dragon, phoenix, and turtle combine to form the four spirits, and are the king of woolly animals;

3. To the common people, the unicorn is a sacred animal that brings children. There is a folk saying that "Qilin sends his son", and it is said that Confucius was sent by Qilin;

4. Qilin is formed by the scattering of the stars of the year, so it represents auspiciousness and is one of the most famous auspicious animals. Qilin means benevolence and righteousness. In ancient Chinese culture, there are many legends about the rise and fall of emperors and Qilin;

5. Qilin, like the Phoenix, is male and female, and Qilin is male. Lin is a female, with an elk body, an ox tail, fish scales, and cloven hooves on its feet (but it is also said that Kirin has five toes). It has a horn on its head with meat at the end;

6. Kirin is a mascot in China. It was also often used in government affairs in ancient dynasties.

According to historical records, Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty built a Qilin Pavilion in the Weiyang Palace, with pictures of heroes to commend and show his love for talents to the world;

7. Qilin was also often used in official court uniforms. In the Qing Dynasty, the emblem of the first-grade official was a unicorn, which shows that its status was second only to the dragon. In the Qing Dynasty, only relatives of the emperor were qualified to wear the dragon logo. The emperor was yellow dragon, purple dragon, prince, elder brother, Baylor, and Beizi. It is a dragon pattern;

8. Maybe the unicorn is a giraffe? During the Ming Dynasty, Zheng He brought back giraffes from Africa after returning from overseas voyages. At that time, people in the Ming Dynasty had never seen this large animal that was only found in savannahs, and thought it was a unicorn! That’s why the friend above said that the unicorn is a giraffe!

9. Kirin also exists in the Western world, but its shape is like a horse with horns. In the "Old Testament", the unicorn has been mentioned frequently as an animal in Hebrew legends; many people have seen the famous Japanese cartoon "Saint Seiya", in which there is a bronze warrior who looks like It is similar to Seiya, the guardian warrior of the Pegasus constellation, and the armor is similar, that is the Unicorn constellation.

10. The image of Kirin can still be seen. At present, the most famous existing unicorn image in China is the unicorn from the Imperial Tombs of the Southern Dynasties in Nanjing. There are many kinds of mythical beasts guarding the imperial tombs of the Southern Dynasties, but they all evolved from the unicorn image. Outside the Zhongshan Gate in Nanjing, there is a sculpture named to ward off evil spirits. This image is also a symbol of Nanjing and is based on the tomb of Emperor Xiaoliang of the Southern Dynasty outside Nanjing. This sculpture is ornately decorated, with a body that resembles a liger and a tiger. It is carved from a boulder and is about 3 meters tall. The sculpture has a straight chest and bent waist, with eyes and mouth wide open. The body tattoos are very decorative, with a strong sense of body and thickness. On the basis of paying attention to the overall sense, they pay more attention to exaggeration and deformation, making them look magnificent and lively.

11. Because of its profound cultural connotation, Kirin is made into various ornaments and given to underage children to wear in traditional Chinese folk rituals. It has the intention of praying for blessings and blessings. For example, in Chapters 31 and 32 of the famous book "A Dream of Red Mansions", there is a large chapter "Because the unicorn hid the white-headed twin stars". The unicorn here is not only Shi Xiangyun's amulet, but also a token that hints at her marriage. In the Huangmei opera "The Consort", a pair of jade unicorns also represent the testimony of love. The heroine and the hero were hindered by the decision of the girl's parents. The heroine handed the hero a jade unicorn and swore, "I will never change my heart in life or death. The clear breeze and the bright moon will bear witness. I separated a pair of jade unicorns. This unicorn is handed over to you. This will be the end of the world." Only the Qilin remains with me, and the Qilin becomes a pair, and the world cannot tolerate two minds." When the two sides overcome many obstacles, the lovers finally get married. "The unicorns become a pair, and the flowers bloom red for thousands of years." On the wedding night, the unicorns finally became a pair.

Qilin gives birth to a child

Old Chinese fertility folk custom. A kind of method of praying for a child. According to legend, Qilin is a benevolent beast, a symbol of auspiciousness, and can bring children to people. According to legend, on the eve of Confucius's death, a Qilin wrote a jade calligraphy at his home, which read, "The descendants of Shuijing will decline in the Zhou Dynasty and become kings." This means that he has the virtues of an emperor but has not yet occupied his position. Although this is said in a latitude and longitude, it is actually the origin of "Qilin sends his son", which can be found in Wang Chong's "Lunheng. Dingxian" and Jin Wangjia's "Shiyiji". Among the people, it is known as "Qilin'er" and "Lin'er". During the Northern and Southern Dynasties, people often called smart and cute boys "my family Qilin". Since then, he has created the "Picture of Kirin Sending His Son Away". As a wooden painting, the couplet "Qilin'er in the sky, number one scholar on the ground" is engraved on it, which is a good omen. Folks generally believe that worshiping Qilin can lead to fertility and children. "Song of Xu Qing's Two Sons" by Du Fu of the Tang Dynasty: "Don't you see that Xu Qing's two sons are so wonderful. They follow each other in auspicious dreams. Confucius and the Shi family hugged him personally, and they were unicorns in the sky." Hu Pu'an's "China Customs Chronicles. Hunan" quoted " "Changzhi New Year's Custom Poems": "It's strange that women can conceive by surrounding a dragon, and they want to have a child. A real dragon is not as good as a paper dragon, and it can be used as a linlin to bring a child." Original note: "A woman who has been barren for many years will be born under a dragon lantern every time." When they get home, they give a gift of honor, surround the woman once with the dragon's body, shorten the dragon's body, ride a child on it, and walk around in front of the hall, which is called Linqi sending off the child. "According to Linqi, it belongs to the dragon clan, so this is the reason. The dragon lantern replaces the unicorn.

The eternal mascot

Qilin, also known as "Qilin", is an animal in ancient Chinese legends. Together with the phoenix, turtle and dragon, it is called the "four". "Spirit", Jing ranks first among the four spirits. "Book of Rites·Liyun" has "unearthed carts, rivers and horses, phoenixes and unicorns, all in the suburbs of coconut" ("Ye" is the same as "Shu", swamp).

Among the many folklores in China, although there are not many stories about Qilin, its unique preciousness and supernatural power are reflected in its presence in people's lives.

Although Qilin is an illusory animal created by the ancient Chinese, in real life it is always vivid, vivid, and deeply rooted in people's hearts, whether as a conceptual form or a materialized form. They all use it as an auspicious image for long-term performance, which not only reflects the psychological status of Kirin in the Chinese people, but also embodies the profound thought of "the unity of nature and man". This belief in supernatural beings is a development away from the worship of fetish gods. Kirin will be the eternal mascot in the lives of Chinese people.

Kirin culture

1. The creation of Kirin and the Chinese people’s "Jimei" thought

Kirin is a composite concept based on the Chinese way of thinking. Creation of animals. Judging from its external shape, it has the body of an elk, an ox's tail, a horse's hooves (said to be "wolf's hooves" in historical records), fish scale skin, and one horn, with meat at the end of the horn, which is yellow. This shape is a new combination of many real animals that have been dismembered. It concentrates all the advantages of those cherished animals on the construction of the unicorn, a mythical beast in fantasy, and fully embodies the Chinese people's "Jimei" thought.

The so-called "Jimei", in layman's terms, is a manifestation of concentrating all the beautiful things into one thing. This concept has been the goal and desire that Chinese people have pursued in both the spiritual and material worlds for thousands of years. Therefore, it makes sense for Kirin to combine the auspicious animals such as deer, cows, horses, and fish.

Deer worship is a primitive animal worship in China and was a symbol of emperors in ancient times. At the same time, it was also included in the theological and political categories. "Book of Song Dynasty·Fu Ruizhi" says: "White Deer, the King's Ming Benefit will come to those below." "Rui Ying Tu" also says: "The King inherits the sage's teachings and loses nothing, then the White Deer will come." Later, when people worshiped When the gods were immortals, the white deer was regarded as the sacred animal of the immortal family. The Mongolian people in China worshiped the white deer in ancient times. In the book "Secret History of Mongolia", there is a myth and legend about the birth of the white deer and the ancestor god. Among the Manchus, there is the myth of the deer god "Zhao Luo Mama". Among the Oroqen and Ewenki people who raise reindeer and the Hezhe people who hunt, deer are often the gods of shamans, and they believe that shamans often appear in the form of deer. Even in shamanic witchcraft, they firmly believe that the true soul of the shaman can be transformed into a deer. Fighting for the deer's body, if the deer wins, the shaman will win, and if the deer dies, the shaman's life will end. Among the people, the deer also appears as a long-lived fairy beast, and is used to express the theme of birthday wishes and prayers on many occasions. In addition, deer is also homophonic with "Lu", symbolizing blessing and wealth.

Cows have been on the altar since ancient times and have become an indispensable sacred object in sacrificial activities. According to folklore, the cow is a god in the sky who comes to the world to help mankind. It works silently in the fields and brings material wealth to mankind, and the dedication embodied in it also brings spiritual wealth to mankind. Cow worship is very common among people of all ethnic groups in China. There is bull worship in the northwest, and buffalo worship in the south. Historical records record that the Qin State during the Warring States Period had a Nute Temple dedicated to worshiping sacred cows. This was the earliest recorded example of cattle worship in ancient times. Ethnic minorities such as China's Naxi, Tajik, Uyghur, Kazakh, Kirgiz, Salar and Hani all regard the cow as the creation animal. The Miao, Tujia, Buyi, Dong, Bai, Ewenki, Dai and other regions also have the custom of worshiping sacred cows.

Horses are considered to be intelligent, loyal, brave and hardworking animals with a noble, elegant and elegant temperament. In the Book of Changes, the horse symbolizes heaven, that is, "Qian is the sky". Horse worship is mostly popular among nomadic and hunting peoples in northern China, who use horses as their main means of transportation. There are many records of the rituals of worshiping the horse god and the construction of the Ma Chong temple in the documents of the Qing Dynasty. In addition, in ancient times, white horses were often used as sacrificial horses when offering sacrifices to the heaven and earth and making oaths. It was believed that the white horse belonged to Yang and was driven by the gods. The green cow belongs to Yin and is enjoyed by the earth god. Among the Mongolian, Oroqen and Ewenki peoples, there is a custom of selecting and sacrificing sacred horses when worshiping gods or livestock protector gods. This kind of magical horse is not allowed to be ridden by women. It can be eaten anywhere without being driven away. It can even eat young crops in the fields at will. Shenma mostly chooses to be all white, with a full tail and full mane, which is never trimmed, and colorful silk is often tied at the end of the mane as a mark.

Fish, as a general term for a class of aquatic animals, its scales are cherished as auspicious and beautiful decorations. "Fish scale brocade" is a traditional auspicious pattern.

Fish worship has been widely spread among the Han, Manchu, Tibetan, Mongolian, Bai, Hani, Lisu and other ethnic groups in China. There are stories in many myths about the earth being carried on the back of a huge fish. , "The world image on the Han tomb silk painting unearthed in Mawangdui, Hunan also places the earth on two huge fish. Fish is also homophonic with "yu" and has become a symbol of abundance and happiness in life.

The ancient Chinese creatively combined the above auspicious animals to construct the image of the mythical beast Qilin, which is in line with the psychological acceptance and artistic appreciation that have been cultivated and cultivated over a long period of time.

2. The inheritance of Qilin and Confucianism

Qilin is endowed with very excellent qualities in legends. For example, it is said that it is gentle and kind, does not grow insects or grass, and has horns on its head. It has meat on it and is equipped with weapons but is not used, so it is called a "benevolent beast". King Wuzhao of Xiliang said in "Ode to the Qilin": "It has round hooves and behaves in a certain way. It must choose the right place when it travels. It flies where it belongs and does not fall into traps." Do not suffer from Luo Kui. "Book of the Song Dynasty·Fu Ruizhi" says: "Be benevolent and uphold righteousness, do not drink from pools, do not enter pits, and do not use traps." "Shuo Yuan" also has: "Benevolent and righteous, the sound is rhyme, the steps are regular, the twists and turns are regular, choose the soil and then walk on it, the position is flat but in the back, do not live in groups, do not travel, the quality of the text is complicated Yes, Youwen Xunxunru. " record. It embodies the modest demeanor of Kirin's benevolent gentleman. The reason why Kirin worship can be accepted by the general public and the ruling class during its development and inheritance is precisely because the qualities of this "benevolent beast" are consistent with those of thousands of years. The ethics and Confucian style that came to China.

The Confucian school was founded by Confucius, a great thinker and educator in the late Spring and Autumn Period of China. In terms of its purpose, function, purpose and structure, it can be said to be a school based on education. The school with ethics as its core has played a greater positive role in the development of Chinese culture and world culture. The core of Confucianism is "benevolence", and "benevolence" can be said to be the foundation and highest moral principle of Confucian ethics. , its main purpose is "loving others", that is, "If you want to establish others, you establish others; if you want to reach them, you reach them." "Don't do to others what you don't want others to do to you." Confucianism believes that the reason why people are human is because they have "benevolence and love" heart", and use the moral standard of "loving others" to determine whether people should be respected and reused.

Confucianism is the dominant ideology of traditional Chinese culture. During the Warring States Period, Confucianism and Mohism were both called "Xian Xue". Qin Shihuang used Legalist doctrine to unify the world, burned books and harassed Confucianism, which dealt a serious blow to Confucianism, but the Qin Dynasty "died after the second generation". In the early Han Dynasty, Huang Lao's teachings were respected. Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty followed Dong Zhongshu's suggestion, dismissed hundreds of schools of thought, and only respected Confucianism. As a result, Confucianism officially took over the dominant position. During the Wei and Jin Dynasties, metaphysics was prevalent. Although Ji Kang publicly advocated "not Tang Wu but Zhou Li", metaphysics still respected Confucius as the highest saint. During the Sui and Tang Dynasties, Buddhism flourished, and Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism were respected equally, but political law was still Confucianism. The rise of agent learning in the Song Dynasty restored the authoritative status of Confucianism. Throughout the Song, Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties, Confucianism was respected by the rulers. Until the May 4th Movement, Confucianism was severely criticized. The era when Confucianism dominated ideology came to an end, and the dominance of Confucianism was gone forever. However, the dominant position and far-reaching influence of Confucianism in traditional culture are unparalleled.

In folklore, Qilin also has a close relationship with Confucius, the founder of Confucianism. It is said that on the night when Confucius was born, a unicorn came to the house in the palace of Confucius and spit out a jade book with the words "The descendants of Shuijing, who declined in the Zhou Dynasty and became five years old, conquered the wise." Now that everyone is told that Confucius is an extraordinary man, he is the descendant of nature. Although he does not occupy the position of an emperor, he has the virtues of an emperor and can be called a "prime king". Confucius's family tied a colorful embroidery on the corners of their posts to express their gratitude. In the last years of King Jing of Zhou Dynasty, when someone was digging soil and plowing the fields in Qufu, they actually dug up the colorful embroidery that was originally tied to the linjiao. Later, people derived three volumes of the Jade Book, and Confucius became a saint after reading it intensively. To this day, "Lin Tu Yu Shu" is still used as decoration in the Confucian temples and academic palaces to indicate the arrival of auspiciousness and the birth of sages.

In the era when Confucius lived, "rituals and music were conquered from the princes", rituals and music collapsed, and society was in turmoil. Legend has it that the unicorn appeared in the countryside and was despised by people. Confucius lamented that the unicorn "appeared at the wrong time", marking the end of the world and the poverty of the philosophers. This is the final chapter of the "Spring and Autumn" written by Confucius, so the "Spring and Autumn" is also called "The History of Lin". Lin Jing".

3. The auspicious meaning of Kirin and the profit-seeking nature of human beings

Every nation and every region has its own culture, which is deeply hidden but not shown in many aspects. national folklore characteristics.

Different nationalities and races also lead to certain differences in human body shape, skin color, etc. However, people of different nationalities and races have some very different basic physiological and psychological characteristics. The theory about the same basic psychological characteristics of human beings is called "the theory of identity of mind" in academic circles. One of them is the desire for profit.

The "profit" of the profit-seeking nature cannot be narrowly understood as interests and money. It generally refers to everything that is beneficial to human beings. It is the human beings' yearning for, pursuit of good fortune and happiness, and the hope that everything will be beneficial to themselves. It is a psychological characteristic that often explains the development of things in a favorable direction or gives it characteristics that are favorable to itself. Looking at the people who have existed throughout the ages, no matter what race or culture, they all have this mentality. No one yearns for disaster or misfortune, and no one wants everything to develop in a direction that is not conducive to him or her. The teachings of Christianity and Buddhism require people to endure hardships and abstain from sexual intercourse, and their purpose is also to free themselves from original sin, resolve previous problems, and lead people into heaven or the world of bliss, which embodies this profit-seeking nature. Kirin worship also has this kind of character. Just like the "happy reunion" ending of Chinese narrative literary and artistic works proposed in the reflection of traditional culture. This is also the main reason why Kirin has been popular for a long time.

It is said that Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty once obtained a unicorn. In the tenth month of the winter of the first year of Yuanshou (1st year BC), the emperor visited Yong Temple in Wuxi and received the "Bai Lin", which symbolizes auspiciousness. The emperor composed the song of Bai Lin. For this reason, the original reign name of Yuanshuo was changed to Yuanshou. , to celebrate good luck. In addition, he also built Qilin Pavilion (some say it was built by Xiao He) and rewarded his officials with platinum. In the third year of Ganlu's reign (51 BC), Emperor Xuan of the Han Dynasty painted 11 images of the heroes Huo Guang, Zhang Anshi, Han Zeng, Zhao Chongguo, Wei Xiang, Bingji, Du Yannian, Liu De, Liang Qiuhe, Xiao Wangzhi and Su Wu in the pavilion. Show his merit. Later generations often used "Qilin Pavilion" or "Lin Pavilion" to express outstanding achievements and the highest honor. It is also said that Emperor Taizong of the Song Dynasty also received a Kirin, and the whole court congratulated him. It can be seen that the auspicious meaning of Qilin's omen has been widely recognized.

4. Application of Kirin statues in real life

Qilin is the most auspicious animal that ancient Chinese people longed for. Their appearance represents the happiness of a generation. Therefore, people at that time hoped that Kirin would always accompany them, bring them luck and light, and ward off bad luck. When this belief from ancient times was passed down, the auspicious meaning of Kirin was also recognized by the general public and firmly existed in people's consciousness. Kirin became a symbol of a certain idea, a certain The expression of artistic conception, the display of a certain power, inspires people's imagination, guides people's spirit to conform to a certain idea, enters a specific realm, gives people hope, comfort and a certain power of pursuit, and integrates it into folk life among them, manifested in all aspects of national culture.

(1) Seeking and raising children ●The traditional Chinese concept of fertility is to hope for an heir early, to have many children, to have a full family, to have many children, to be blessed, and to say that "there are three types of unfilial piety, and the greatest is not having children." The inability to have children and carry on the family line is regarded as the greatest unfilial piety. This traditional concept is deeply rooted and affects generations of people. Whether it is a woman's pregnancy, the birth of a baby, the birth of a child, or other celebrations, it all reflects people's unremitting efforts to pray for this. Because Qilin once visited sages like Confucius, people believed that Qilin could both send children and bless them. Therefore, the folk culture phenomenon with the theme of "Qilin sending a child" is not only seen in pictures and prayers, but also in activities during the year. It is expressed in a wide range of ways, with the intention of praying and wishing for a child to be born early and a virtuous descendant.

In modern times, dragon lantern dancing activities were held every new year in Changsha, Hunan. At that time, whenever the dragon lantern performer comes to a house with an infertile woman, the host family will give additional gifts and let the dragon dance around the infertile woman. Then the dragon's body will be shortened, and a child will ride on it, and it will circle in front of the hall. Travel for a week to show that Qilin is sending his son. In some places in Shandong, there is also a way to pray for a child, in which an infertile woman holds a paper-tied unicorn carrying a child in a circle in the courtyard or main room. Some people also tie colorful embroidery to the horns of the unicorn to pray for the unicorn to bring a child.

As far as the patterns of "Qilin Sending His Son" are concerned, there are both complex and simple ones. The traditional ones may have a boy as the center, wearing a longevity lock, holding a lotus and a sheng; or the boy may ride a unicorn with a book hanging on the corner; or there may be a lady escorting the boy behind him, with the lady holding an umbrella and a fan. The simple one shows a boy riding a unicorn and holding a lotus. In folk prints, there are often auspicious couplets such as "Qilin'er in the sky, Zhuangyuanlang underground".

(2) Architectural decorations● Brick and wood carving is an important way of architectural decoration in ancient China. It has rich themes and excellent carvings, giving the architectural shape a vivid image. Brick carvings are mostly used for the veneer of brick structures and the outer eaves of brick walls of wooden structures. In addition to being used on the outer eaves of buildings, wood carvings are mostly used for interior eaves decoration. Tianjin brick carving is undoubtedly the leader in brick carving art. During the Qianlong and Jiaqing years of the Qing Dynasty, it was a delicate job that also combined with tile work. Brick carving artists were called "carving workers". During the Daoguang period, it developed into an independent industry and formed the world-famous "Tianjin Brick Carving". The wood carving craftsmanship on the hanging flower door, internal and external balconies, forehead railings, flower covers and four screens, flower panels, flower teeth and other decorations are also unparalleled.

Chinese buildings, especially residential buildings, are mostly made of brick and wood structures. Brick carvings, Wood carvings or stone carvings are used to decorate auspicious patterns with profound meanings. Kirin is one of the commonly used auspicious animals. Some decorate stone unicorns on both sides of the gate, which not only shows the nobility of the gate, but also protects the house and wards off evil spirits.

(3) Ornaments and Patterns● From ancient times to the present, people like to wear Kirin craft statues as amulets on their bodies. The materials are gold, silver, copper, jade, etc., especially for infants and young children. Wearing the "Qilin Lock" prays for a long life for the child. In addition, traditional patterns based on the artistic shape of Kirin are also widely used. During the reign of Wu Zetian in the Tang Dynasty, unicorns were used as decorations and embroidered on robes, which were called "Qilin robes" and were specially awarded to military officers of third rank or above. In the Qing Dynasty, unicorns were embroidered on the "buzi" of first-rank military officers, which became a symbol of the hierarchy. Kirin's vivid shadow has been left in folk paper-cutting, New Year pictures, embroidery, batik and other arts and crafts.

(4) Praise and congratulations● Folks often praise other people's children with the names "Qilin'er", "Lin'er", "Linzi", etc. For example, "Chen Shu·Chu Ling Biography" of the Southern Dynasties said: "The master of Shi Bao Zhi was said to be wise in the world. When the tomb was several years old, his family took it with him. Bao Zhi touched its top with his hand and said, 'It is a stone unicorn in the sky.' "Tang Du Fu's "Du Gongbu Thatched Cottage Poetry Notes: Songs of Xu Qing's Second Son": "Don't you see that Xu Qing's second son has a strange birth, and he is following him in auspicious dreams. Confucius and Shi Shi hug him, and they are the children of unicorns in the sky."; "Lin Zi Feng Chu" is used as a metaphor for the descendants of nobles; "Lin Zhi" is used to praise the virtuous descendants; "Lin Zhi Presents the Sample" is used as the horizontal mark of the wedding couplet to bless the birth of kind offspring; "Lin Gan Feng Marrow" is used as a metaphor for extremely powerful people. Rare food; use "Linjiao Fengzui" and "Fengfeilinjiao" to praise and indicate that the items are precious.

Jade unicorn

Jade unicorn is one of the most primitive groups of cacti. It has green and beautiful leaves, the stems and leaves are fleshy, and the plant shape is elegant, resembling the Kirin in ancient Chinese legends, so it is named Jade Kirin. Jade Qilin likes full sun, but tolerates semi-shade, and will not dry out in a slight drought. It is suitable for home potted plants. Jade unicorn is generally propagated by cuttings, which can be taken from April to October. The cutting time should be in the morning on a sunny day. After cutting it firmly, cut it into a sand bed (pot). After cutting, place it in a shaded place for maintenance. Keep it moist, but avoid stagnant water, which will rot the cuttings. It can be transplanted after roots appear. Jade Qilin prefers soil with good drainage and air permeability. Soil for potting can be prepared by drying and smashing fish pond mud and mixing it with 20% sand; or by mixing 4 parts each of vegetable garden soil and humus soil and 2 parts sand. After planting in the pot, water the roots. Depending on the actual situation in the future, water every two or three days. The amount of watering can be less than that of general broad-leaved flowers, but slightly more than that of leafless cactus flowers. Just apply a light liquid fertilizer once a month during the growth period of Jade Qilin. Jade Qilin leaves fall dormant in winter. In northern my country, it should be moved indoors during the "cold dew" festival; in southern my country, it should be placed in a sunny place with no frost damage from the back to the north to survive the winter. Water less in winter than during the growing season, just keep the pot soil slightly moist. Fertilization should be stopped in winter. During the hot summer season, exposure to the scorching sun should be avoided in both the south and the north to avoid affecting growth and appearance.

Kilin Seal

The "Kilin Ruyi Seal" is a circular seal carved from blue-green jade. The jade is exquisite and crystal clear. It looks like a clear water from a distance. . The carving is also very delicate. The tiny scales on the Kirin's back shine with warm light, and the Kirin's beard rises up, as if it can move in the wind.

The overall shape of the "Qilin Ruyi Seal" is a unicorn carrying Ruyi on its back guarding a jade seal. The handle of the seal shows a unicorn holding a young unicorn and carrying jade Ruyi on its back.

Qilin has been a symbol of benevolence and auspiciousness since ancient times. It "contains benevolence and justice, has a sound that sounds like Lu, a regular walk, a moderate twist, chooses the soil and then walks on it, and sits flat and then places it." Those who get the "Qilin Ruyi Seal" must be gentle and elegant. A humble gentleman; and because the unicorn is a mythical beast, the young lin symbolizes the owner's blessings and longevity (sounding like "beast"), "a seal in the hand, a jade stone will have the same longevity"; the jade ruyi behind the unicorn means the owner's lucky star is shining brightly and brings good luck. The main part of "Qilin Ruyi Seal" is cylindrical, which has the solemnity of a square seal, but also has a little more agility and unrestrainedness. Four auspicious dragons are engraved on the pillar, which means that the dragons are soaring and prospering all over the world.

Seal has been a symbol of identity and power since ancient times. Jade has the five virtues of "benevolence, righteousness, wisdom, courage and purity", so the jade seal can not only reflect the owner's status and honor, but also show his tenacity and noble character. Compared with ordinary seals, jade seals also have high artistic and collection value.