The image of warding off evil spirits comes from the tomb beasts of the Southern Dynasties (Song Qi Liang Chen). The tomb beasts of the Southern Dynasties are divided into Tianlu, Qilin and warding off evil spirits. The three stone beasts are basically similar in shape, all of which are tall, with their heads held high, their mouths bared, their eyes full of fierce light, their wings carved on both sides of their bellies, their feet staggered back and forth, their claws showing up, and they seem to be able to hear their footsteps walking.
The difference between Tianlu, Kirin and exorcism is that the top of Tianlu is carved with double horns, while Kirin is a single horn, while exorcism has no horns.
Tianlu, also known as "Tianlu", is a kind of god beast in ancient legends, which is related to "Great Destiny" and "Luwei". Therefore, the ancient supreme ruler placed it in front of his tomb, which is not only a symbol of Luwei, but also a reflection of destiny's return to show its dignity.
Kirin is also a deified animal name in ancient China, and it is one of the legendary "Four Spirits" (Lin, Phoenix, Turtle and Dragon) in China. Because it "does not fold grass, does not eat nonsense", it is regarded as a "benevolent animal".
In some materials, Tianlu and Kirin are collectively referred to as Kirin. Its appearance is often attached to the birth of a sage, which is a manifestation of peace and prosperity, so it was placed in front of the tomb by the rulers of the Southern Dynasties.
the name of exorcism, from its image and naming, should be designed to eliminate evil. In the stone carvings of tombs in the Southern Dynasties, Tianlu and Qilin are only found in the Mausoleum, and exorcism is dedicated to the tombs of princes, with strict grades and cannot be arbitrarily changed.
Putting these symbolic stone beasts in front of the tomb, on the one hand, serves as a "guardian" of the tomb owner, on the other hand, undoubtedly shows that the tomb owner has supreme authority and has become the supreme being worn by all people.
Today's Nanjing is symbolized by exorcism. At the entrance of Nanjing, there is a huge modern imitation bronze sculpture to ward off evil spirits. Trademarks, patterns and imitation stone carvings decorated with exorcism can be seen everywhere in Nanjing, and even the emblem of Nanjing is mainly designed to ward off evil spirits. In terms of cultural connotation and practical significance, this is also in line with the status of Nanjing today.
As for the "Nanjing" brand cigarette pattern mentioned by a friend above, it is the emblem of Nanjing, which stands on the Ming city wall to ward off evil spirits and is surrounded by dragons and tigers on the left and right, implying that Nanjing is the famous ancient capital of China.