The origin of the unicorn

Kirin, also known as "Ti Lin", referred to as "Lin", commonly known as the "four unlike", the ancient legend of the beast of mercy, beast of prey, is an ancient Chinese legend of a kind of animal, and the phoenix, the turtle, the dragon **** known as the "Four Spirits", and the first of the four spirits. Known as the king of the sacred beasts. And is the mount of God.

Kirin, according to the Chinese way of thinking composite conception of the animal produced and created. From its external shape, elk body, ox tail, horse hooves (historical records have said "wolf hooves"), fish scale skin, a horn, the horn end of the flesh, yellow. This modeling is the dismemberment of many real animals after the new combined body, it will be cherished by the people of the animals have the advantages of all focused on the construction of the unicorn this fantasy beast, fully embodies the Chinese people's "set of beauty" idea.

"Kirin" to "deer" for the side, the ancient people made this word, it is clear that the unicorn by the evolution of the deer, but it is not a deer, more than the deer have some parts and equipment. It is said to have a body like a quail, or it may be written as a swarm, which in ancient books means a roe deer; to have the tail of a cow, and the top of a round head, but only one horn. Some say that the ki is a male and the lin a female, and that the shapes are depicted slightly differently. But it is said that the beginning of the ki roughly resembles that of a deer. It was regarded by the ancients as a divine and benevolent beast, with a long life span of 2,000 years. It can spit fire and has a voice like thunder." There are three hundred and sixty hairy insects, and the Kirin is the longest."

Related Records

Han Xu Shen, "Shuo Wen Jie Zi", 10: "Ki, benevolent beasts, elk body, ox tail, a horn; work at麐（麟）, female Ki." Duan Yucai note: "shape like a quail, a horn, wear meat, set up military equipment and not harmful, so for benevolent. ...... According to the Hefa "Zhenxiang record": "the unicorn, the peony is said to be Ki, the female is said to be Lin. ...... Xu cloud benevolent beast, with the ram said, in order to its not fulfill the raw insects, not folded raw grass also." Ancient unicorn or briefly said Lin, Xian thought auspicious things. The Rites of Passage: "unearthed ware car, the river out of the horse map, phoenix unicorn, all in the countryside of the coconut." Also: "Lin Feng turtle dragon, called the four spirits."

Related Customs

The unicorn is an auspicious beast, the main peace and longevity. The deer itself is the tamer of the beasts, powerful and good at running, greatly beneficial to people. Legend has it that the white deer is especially divine. It is said that the unicorn brings children. The unicorn is a deer-based animal that combines the characteristics of cattle, sheep and horses. It is not as comprehensive as the dragon and phoenix, but it is not less famous. Research on the unicorn is also not as hot as the study of the dragon and phoenix culture, it is the beginning of the author of who, how its origin, is not very clear, some scholars speculate that it may be the ancestors of the Zhou nationality, because the Zhou people originally lived in the Northwest, the Northwest at that time, the water and grass, suitable for the growth of deer.

To the slave society and feudal society, the dragon, phoenix was seized by the supreme ruler, will lose the original totem comprehensive meaning, and become the supreme ruler of the emperor, the consort of the symbol. The unicorn, which is good in nature, was squeezed into the folklore in the jockeying for power, and the common people expected it to bring good years, good fortune, longevity and beauty.

In 1419 A.D., Zheng He returned to Nanjing with a giraffe presented by the king of the Malin Kingdom. Because the giraffe looked so much like the unicorn, a lucky symbol of Chinese folklore, and because the Chinese people at the time knew very little about the giraffe, it was unanimously concluded that the giraffe presented by the King of Malin was the unicorn.

The unicorn was also used in the court dress of officials. During the Qing Dynasty, the patch emblem of a first-ranking official was a unicorn, which was seen as second only to the dragon, and only the royal relatives in the Qing Dynasty were qualified to wear the dragon logo, the emperor was the yellow dragon and the purple dragon, and the princes, the argors, the beilei and the bei zi were the dragons of the pattern;

1, the unicorn is a mythological animal of legend, and it probably does not exist in real life;

2, the unicorn was second only to the dragon in the status of the hundred beasts. In the ancient Chinese legend, the unicorn, together with the dragon, the phoenix and the tortoise, is the king of the furry animals;

3. The unicorn is a god of sending children to the common people. According to the legend, Confucius was sent by Kirin;

4. Kirin is one of the most famous animals in the world, because it is generated by the scattering of the stars of the year, so it is the main auspiciousness. The unicorn contains benevolence and righteousness, in ancient Chinese culture, the rise and fall of emperors and the unicorn legend;

5, the unicorn and the phoenix is the same, there are male and female, Ki is male. Lin for female, elk body, cow's tail, fish scales, feet for even hooves (but there are also unicorn has five toes said) head with a horn, the horn end of the meat;

6, the unicorn as a good-luck charm, the ancient Chinese dynasties dynasties are also often used. History shows that Emperor Wu of Han Dynasty built a Kirin Pavilion in Weiyang Palace, where images of meritorious ministers were painted to show their love for talent;

7. The Kirin was also used in the court dress of officials. Qing dynasty, the first grade official's patch emblem for the unicorn, can be seen in its status second only to the dragon, the Qing dynasty, only the royal relatives are eligible to wear the dragon logo, the emperor for the yellow dragon, purple dragon, the prince, ah, beilei, bei son for the dragon child pattern;

8, the unicorn may be the giraffe? Ming Dynasty, Zheng He returned from the West, brought back to the African region of the giraffe, when the Ming Dynasty people have not seen this only in the savannah produced large animals, thought its a unicorn! That's why the friend above said the unicorn is a giraffe said!

9, the unicorn also exists in the Western world, but it is shaped like a horse with horns. In the Old Testament Encyclopedia unicorn as a kind of Hebrew legend of the animal had been frequently mentioned; Japan's famous animated film "Saint Seiya" many people have seen, there is a bronze warrior, looks and Pegasus constellation of the guardian warrior Star Yagami is almost the same, and armor is similar to that is the unicorn constellation.

10, the image of the unicorn can still be seen now. At present, China's most famous surviving image of the unicorn is the unicorn of the Southern Dynasties Imperial Tomb in Nanjing, the Southern Dynasties Imperial Tomb guardian beasts there are a variety of beasts, but all evolved from the image of the unicorn, outside Zhongshan Gate in Nanjing, there is a sculpture, is the name of the Paixie, the image is also a symbol of Nanjing, taken from the tomb of the Southern Dynasties Xiaoliang Emperor outside of Nanjing. This sculpture is gorgeous, the body tends to the image of the lion and tiger, carved from boulders, the height of about 3 meters, the sculpture chest curved waist, eye eye real mouth open, neck short and wide, head up for the long whistling like, the animal body decoration is very rich in decorative flavor, its body sense of strong, and thick, in the importance of the overall sense of the basis, pay more attention to the exaggerations and deformation, appearing to be magnificent and angry.

11, the unicorn because of its deep cultural connotations, in the traditional Chinese folk rituals, was made into a variety of ornaments to give underage children to wear. There is the intention of praying for luck and blessing. For example, in the thirty-first and thirty-second times of the famous book Dream of the Red Chamber, it is written at great length that "the unicorn ambushes the two stars with white heads", and the unicorn here is not only an amulet for Shi Xiangyun, but also a token suggesting that she is to be married. In another Huangmei opera, "Female Emperor's Son-in-law", a pair of jade unicorns also represent the witness of love. When the heroine and the hero are blocked by the decision of the female's parents, the heroine gives the hero a jade unicorn and swears, "I will never change my heart in life and death, with the wind and the moon as witnesses, I will separate a pair of jade unicorns, and this one will be handed over to you and this one will stay in my body, so that the unicorns will become a pair and the world will not be able to accept them if they do not have two hearts and two minds. By the time the two sides break through the obstacles, lovers finally become lovers, "the unicorn into a pair of pairs, and flowers bloom ten thousand years red", the night of the great joy of the two sides, the unicorn finally become a pair.

Kirin sends a son

Old Chinese fertility folklore. One of the methods of praying for children. Legend has it that the unicorn is a benevolent beast, a symbol of good fortune that brings heirs. Legend has it that Confucius will be born in the evening, a unicorn spit jade book in his home, written on the "water essence of the descendants of the decline of the Zhou and Su Wang", meaning that he has the virtue of the emperor and not yet in its place. Although this is the latitude, the actual "unicorn sends the son" of the book, see contained in Wang Chong "on the balance. Dingxian" and "Gleanings" by Wang Jia of the Jin Dynasty. Folk have "unicorn child", "Lin'er" of the beautiful name. During the Northern and Southern Dynasties, people often called the clever and lovely boy "my family unicorn". Since then, the work of "the unicorn sends his son to the picture". As a wooden board painting, engraved with a couplet "heavenly unicorn child, on the ground the scholar boy", as a good omen. It is widely believed that worshipping the Qilin is a good way to have children. Du Fu of the Tang Dynasty wrote "Song of Xu Qing's Two Sons": "Don't you see that Xu Qing's two sons have many wonderful wonders. Induction and auspicious dreams follow each other. Confucius and Shih's family hugged and sent them, and they are the unicorn children in the sky." Hu Pu'an, "National Customs of China. Hunan", citing "Changzhi's New Age Poems": "Women around the dragon can receive a child, and it is also strange to be obsessed with seeking a child. The real dragon is not as good as the paper dragon, which can be used as a lilin to send a child." Note: "Women who have not given birth for many years, every time the dragon lamps to the home, plus send the sealing ceremony to the body of the dragon around the woman once, and shorten the body of the dragon, riding on a child, in front of the hall line around the week, called the Lin Qi send a child." According to Lin Qi belongs to the dragon family, this is the dragon lamp on behalf of the Ki Ki.

Everlasting good luck

Kirin, also known as "Ti-Lin", is an ancient Chinese legend of an animal, and the phoenix, tortoise, dragon **** known as the "Four Spirits", well in the first of the Four Spirits. Rites of Passage - Rites of Passage", "the excavation of the car, the river out of the map, the phoenix and the qilin, all in the countryside coconut" ("Coconut" with "Beans", swamp). In China's many folklore, about the unicorn story is not a lot, but it is in the middle of the people's lives in the real everywhere reflects its unique precious and spiritual.

The unicorn, although it is an illusory animal created by the ancient Chinese people, however, in real life is always so vivid, vivid, and deep in people's hearts, no matter as a conceptual form, or as a materialized form, it is an auspicious image of long-term performance, which reflects the unicorn's status in the Chinese people's psyche, and also embodies the profound "unity of man and nature" idea. This belief in the supernatural is a development away from the worship of physical gods. The unicorn will always be a good-luck symbol in the lives of the Chinese people.

Kirin Culture

I. The Creation of the Kirin and the Chinese Idea of "Collecting Beauty"

The Kirin is an animal that was created according to the composite conception of the Chinese way of thinking. From its external shape, it has an elk body, a cow's tail, a horse's hoof (historical records say it is a "wolf's hoof"), a fish-scaled skin, and a horn with a yellow color with flesh at the end. This modeling is the dismemberment of many real animals after the new combined body, it will be treasured by the people of all the advantages of the animal in the unicorn in the construction of this fantasy beast, fully embodies the Chinese people's "set of beauty" idea.

The so-called "set of beauty" is commonly referred to as a manifestation of concentrating all good things in one thing. This idea has been the goal and desire of the Chinese for thousands of years, in both the spiritual and material worlds. Thus, there is a certain rationale for the combination of auspicious animals such as deer, ox, horse and fish chosen for the Kirin.

Deer worship in China belongs to the primitive animal worship, and in ancient times a kind of emperor's symbol, at the same time, also be included in the scope of theological politics. The Song book - Fu Rui Zhi" cloud: "white deer, the king Ming Hui and the next is to." Rui Ying Tu also said: "the king to inherit the law of the late saint, no loss, then the white deer to come." Later, when people worshiped the immortals, the white deer was taken as the divine animal of the immortals. China's Mongolian ancient worship of the white deer, in the "Mongolian Secret History" book early white deer and the birth of the myths and legends of the ancestor god. Manchu have "catch Luo mother" deer god myth. In the reindeer Oroqen, Ewenki and hunting Hezhe people, the deer is often shaman shaman deity, and that the shaman is often transformed into deer appear, even in shamanism are convinced that the real soul of the shaman can be transformed into a deer body fighting, deer win is the shaman win, the deer is dead, the shaman's life is over. In folklore, the deer also appeared in the image of longevity beast, in many occasions used to express the theme of longevity, pray for longevity. In addition, the deer is also with the "Lu" consonant, symbolizing good fortune, blessed with wealth.

The ox, in ancient times, went to the altar and became an indispensable sacred object for sacrificial activities. Folk legend has it that the ox is a heavenly deity that comes to earth to help mankind, and its silent plowing in the fields brings material wealth to mankind, and the spirit of dedication embodied in it also gives mankind spiritual wealth. Cow worship is very common among Chinese folk of all races, there is bull worship all over the northwest, and more buffalo worship in the south. History records that during the Warring States period, Qin State had a Nu Te Shrine dedicated to sacred cows, which was the earliest recorded ancient cult of the plowing ox. Minorities such as the Naxi, Tajik, Uyghur, Kazakh, Kyrgyz, Salar and Hani in China regard the bull as the divine animal of creation. Miao, Tujia, Buyi, Dong, Bai, Ewenke, Dai and other regions also have the custom of sacrificing the sacred cow.

The horse is considered to be an intelligent, loyal, brave and hard-working animal with a noble, elegant and graceful temperament. In the I Ching, the horse symbolizes the sky, i.e. "Qian is the sky". Horse worship is popular among the nomadic and hunting peoples in northern China, who use the horse as the main multiplying force. The Qing dynasty literature has a lot of sacrificial rituals and construction of horse temple described. In addition, in ancient times, the sacrifice of heaven and earth and the oath of the division often have a white horse for the sacrifice of horses, that the white horse is yang, for the gods of the sky to drive. Green ox is yin, for the gods of the earth to enjoy. In Mongolia, Oroqen, Ewenki have sacrificed to the gods of the sky or livestock protection god when the selection of the god of the horse, offering the custom of the god of the horse. This divine horse is not allowed to ride with women, can be eaten anywhere away, not allowed to drive, and even in the field at will to gnaw and eat seedlings. The divine horse is mostly white, full tail, full mane, never trimmed, and often in the mane and tail tie colorful silk as a mark.

Fish, as a general term for a class of aquatic animals, the scaly skin on its body is treasured as auspicious, beautiful decorations, "fish scale brocade", is the traditional auspicious patterns. Fish worship has been widely spread in China Han, Manchu, Tibetan, Mongolian, Bai, Hani, Lisu and other ethnic groups, many myths have said that the earth is carried on the back of a huge fish stories. The image of the world on a painting of a Han tomb unearthed at Mawangdui in Hunan province also places the earth on top of two giant fish. Fish also harmonizes with the word "yu," which has become a symbol of abundance and satisfaction in life.

Ancient Chinese people creatively combined the above auspicious animals to construct the image of Qilin, which is in line with the psychological acceptance and artistic appreciation that has been cultivated and forged over a long period of time.

Second, the inheritance of the unicorn and Confucianism

The unicorn, in the legend, was given very good qualities, for example, said that the nature of the warm and good, do not cover the bugs, do not fold the grass, with horns on the head, horns on the meat, set up the martial arts preparedness not to be used, and therefore known as the "beasts of benevolence". Xiliang Wuzhao Wang "unicorn ode" said: "a corner of the round hooves, line in the rules, swim must choose the ground, Xiang and then place, do not walk into traps, do not suffer from Rokku." Song Shu - Fu Rui Zhi" said: "containing benevolence and wear righteousness, do not drink pools, do not enter the pit traps, do not do not net." Said Yuan" also has: "containing benevolence and righteousness, sound in the law, walking in the rules, folding in the moment, choose the soil and then trample, position leveling, however, after the place, do not live in groups, do not travel, Fenxi its texture and text also, the secret question as also." The record. Reflects the unicorn benevolent gentleman's modest demeanor. Kirin worship in the development of inheritance by the general public and the ruling class accepted, it is because this "benevolent beast" has the qualities in line with thousands of years of Chinese etiquette and Confucianism.

Confucianism was founded by Confucius, a great thinker and educator at the end of the Spring and Autumn Period in China. In terms of its purpose, utility, tenet and structure, it can be said that it is a school of thought centered on teaching ethics and morality, which has played a large and positive role in the development of Chinese culture and world culture. The core of Confucianism is "Ren", which can be regarded as the fundamental and highest moral principle of Confucianism, and its main theme is "loving others", i.e., "to be like a man who wants to be like a man who wants to be like a man who wants to be like a man who wants to be like a man who wants to be like a man who wants to be like a man who wants to be like a man who wants to be like a man who wants to be like a man who wants to be like a man who wants to be like a man."" Do not do unto others what you do not want." Confucianism believes that people are human beings because they have the "heart of love", and uses the moral standard of "love for others" to determine whether people should be respected and utilized.

Confucianism is the dominant ideology of traditional Chinese culture. During the Warring States period, Confucianism and Mohammedanism were known as the "prominent schools of thought". Qin Shi Huang used the doctrine of legalism to unify the world, burning books and burying scholars, so that Confucianism suffered a serious blow, but the Qin dynasty "two times and died". At the beginning of the Han Dynasty, Confucianism was formally dominated by Huang Lao, and Emperor Wu listened to the advice of Dong Zhongshu, who dismissed the hundred schools of thought and honored Confucianism alone. Wei and Jin dynasties, the prevalence of metaphysics, although Jikang openly advocated "non-Tangwu and thin weekly rituals", but the metaphysicians still respect Confucius as the highest sage. Sui and Tang dynasties, Buddhism flourished, Confucianism, Buddhism, Taoism and respect, but the political law is still Confucianism. The rise of rationalism in the Song Dynasty restored the authority of Confucianism, and through the Song, Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties, Confucianism was honored by the rulers. Until the May Fourth Movement, Confucianism was severely criticized, and the era of Confucianism's dominance in ideology came to an end, and the pattern of Confucianism's exclusivity was gone. But the dominant position and far-reaching influence of Confucianism in traditional culture is incomparable.

In folklore, the unicorn is also closely related to Confucius, the founder of Confucianism. It is said that on the night of the birth of Confucius, a unicorn descended on the family of Confucius Que Li, and spit out a jade book with the words "the descendants of the water essence, the decline of the week and Su five, the symbols in the wise and bright." The words. Both told the crowd that Confucius is not a mortal is the descendants of natural creation, although not in the position of the emperor, but the emperor's virtue, known as the "King of Vegetables". Confucius' family tied a colorful embroidery on the corner of the job as a token of appreciation. At the end of King Jing of Zhou, when someone dug up the soil and plowed the field in Qufu, they dug up the colorful embroidery which was tied to the horn of the Lin. Later, people derived the three volumes of the Jade Book, which Confucius read carefully and became a sage. To this day, in the Temple of Literature, the Palace of Learning is still decorated with the "Lin Spit Jade Book" to show that auspicious advent, the birth of sages.

Confucius lived at a time when "the feudal lords were out of rites and music," and society was in turmoil and turmoil. Legend has it that the unicorn was seen in the countryside, for the cheap, Confucius lamented the unicorn "out of its time", marking the end of the world and the poor philosophers, written by the "Spring and Autumn Annals" in the end of the pen, so the "Spring and Autumn Annals", also known as the "history of the Lin," the "Lin Jing".

Three, the unicorn's auspicious significance and human tendency to profitability

Each ethnic group, each region has its own culture, are y hidden and not many aspects of their own ethnic folklore characteristics. Different nationalities, different races, also make human beings in the shape, color and other aspects of the existence of certain differences. However, people of different nationalities and races have some **** the same basic physiological and psychological characteristics. The theory that the basic psychological characteristics of human beings are the same, academics call it "the same nature of mind". One of them is the tendency to profitability.

Tend to profit mentality of "profit", not narrowly understood as benefits, money, it refers to all matters favorable to human beings, is human beings aspire to, the pursuit of good luck, happiness, and hope that all things in the direction of their own development, the development of things tend to be favorable to their own interpretation or to give their own characteristics of a psychological trait. Examining the people who have existed and existed throughout the ages, no matter what kind of nation or culture, they all have this kind of psychology. No one aspires to disaster or misfortune; no one wants everything to develop in a direction unfavorable to them. The teachings of Christianity and Buddhism, which require people to suffer and abstain from sex, are also aimed at liberating them from their original sins, eliminating their past karmas, and guiding them to heaven or the world of bliss, reflecting this kind of profit-oriented mentality. The unicorn worship is also characterized by such a mindset. It is the same as the "happy ending" of Chinese narrative works, which has been suggested in the reflection on traditional culture. This is the main reason why the unicorn has been passed down for so long.

Legend has it that the unicorn was given to Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty. Yuan hunting year (1 year BC alliance) winter October emperor line Xing Yong ancestral temple five stand, get "white Lin", the main auspicious, the emperor made the song of white Lin, for this will be the original year of Yuan Shuo changed to Yuan hunting, in order to celebrate the good luck. In addition, he built the Kirin Pavilion (said to have been built by Xiao He) and rewarded his ministers with platinum. In the third year of Emperor Xuan Di's Ganlu (51 BC), he painted images of 11 meritorious ministers, including Huo Guang, Zhang Anshi, Han Zeng, Zhao Chongguo, Wei Xiang, Bing Ji, Du Yannian, Liu De, Liang Qiuhe, Xiao Wangzhi, and Su Wu in the pavilion in order to show their achievements. Later generations of "Kirin Pavilion" or "Lin Pavilion" to express the outstanding merit and the highest honor. It is also rumored that Emperor Taizong of Song Dynasty was also awarded the unicorn and was congratulated by the whole court. The unicorn's auspicious significance has been widely recognized.

Fourth, the unicorn statue in real life

Qilin, is the ancient Chinese people's most wanted to appear auspicious animals, their appearance indicates a generation of happiness. Therefore, people at that time hoped that the unicorn would always accompany them and bring them luck and light, while warding off bad luck. When the beliefs of the ancient times were passed down, the auspicious meaning of the Qilin was also recognized by the general public and firmly existed in people's consciousness. The Qilin became the symbol of a certain idea, the manifestation of a certain state of mind, the display of a certain power, and inspired people's imagination, guided people's spirit to fit a certain idea, entered a certain realm, and gave people hope, comfort, and the power to pursue a certain kind of happiness. The power of pursuing, into the folk life, expressed in all aspects of national culture.

(1) Seeking and Raising Children●The traditional concept of fertility in China is to hope for the early establishment of an heir, to have many children and grandchildren, to have many sons and daughters, and to have many children and many blessings, and to regard the inability to have children and raise them and to pass on the family name as the greatest unfiliality, with the words, "There are three filial piety and the absence of a descendant is the most important. This traditional concept is y rooted and has influenced people from generation to generation. Whether it is a woman's pregnancy, the birth of a baby, the first birthday of a child, or other celebrations, they all reflect people's unremitting efforts to pray for blessings. Because the unicorn had once visited such a sage as Confucius, people believed that the unicorn could both send and bless children. Thus, the folk culture phenomenon of "Kirin's sending off the son" is not only seen in pictures and prayers, but also in the yearly activities, with a wide range of manifestations, which are meant to pray and wish for the early birth of a noble son and a virtuous descendant.

In recent times, Changsha, Hunan Province, organizes the Dragon Lantern Festival in the month of Xinzheng. At that time, whenever the dragon lamp play to the home of the infertile woman, the main family to send gifts, and let the dragon around the infertile woman dance around, and then shorten the dragon body, riding a child on top of it, in front of the hall around a week, in order to show that the unicorn to send a child. Some places in Shandong there is also a way to pray for children, by the infertile woman holding a child containing a paper Qilin in the courtyard or the hall around the circle, there are also people will be colored embroidery tied to the corner of the Lin, in order to Kirin to send a child.

As far as the motifs of "Kirin Delivering Children" are concerned, there are both complicated and simple ones. Traditional or to the child as the center, wearing a long life lock, holding a lotus holding sheng; or for the child riding the unicorn, the corner of a book: or for the child behind a woman escort, the woman opened the umbrella holding a fan. The simpler one is a child riding a unicorn and holding a lotus flower. In folk prints, but also more with auspicious couplets "heavenly unicorn child, underground scholar".

(2) Architectural decorations ● Brick carving is an important way of architectural decoration in ancient China, with rich themes and excellent carving, giving architectural shapes a vivid image. Brick carvings are mostly used for brick structure building veneer and wood structure building brick wall eaves; wood carvings are used in addition to the eaves of the building, more for the decoration of the inner eaves. Tianjin brick carving when the best of the art of brick carving, in the Qing dynasty during the Qianlong Jiaqing also belongs to the tile as well as fine work, brick carving artists are called "carve flower work". During the Daoguang period, the development of an independent industry, the formation of the world-famous "Tianjin carved brick". And the hanging flower door, inside and outside according to the sparrow, frontal square, flower cover and four screens, flower boards, flower teeth and other decorative wood carving process is also known as a masterpiece.

Chinese buildings, especially residential buildings are mostly brick and wood structure, prevalent in the eaves of the house, house walls, lintels, window frames, shadow walls, column bases, board walls, roof ridges, holding drums and other places in brick, wood or stone carving way to decorate the deep meaning of the auspicious patterns, the unicorn is one of the commonly used lucky animals. Some in the gate on both sides of the decorative stone Qilin, not only to show the nobility of the gate, but also to protect the house from evil spirits.

(3) ornaments and patterns ● From ancient times to the present, people like to unicorn craft image as an amulet to wear on the body, the texture of gold, silver, copper, jade, etc., especially pay attention to infants and young children to wear a "unicorn lock", in order to pray for a long life for the child. In addition, the unicorn's artistic shape as the pattern of the traditional pattern is also widely used. In the Tang Dynasty, when Wu Zetian, the unicorn was embroidered on the robe, called "unicorn robe", which was specially rewarded to the military generals above the third grade to wear. During the Qing Dynasty, the unicorn was embroidered on the "patch" of the first grade of military officials, which became the symbol of the hierarchy. In folk paper-cutting, New Year's paintings, embroidery, wax dyeing and other arts and crafts, have left the vivid shadow of the unicorn.

(4) Praises and Wishes ● Folk praise other people's children with "Qilin child", "Lin'er", "Lin Zi" and other beautiful names. For example, the southern dynasty "Chen book - in addition to the ling biography" said: "when Baozhi on the person, the world said that it has the road, the ling years old, the family brought to the marquis, Baozhi hand Mo its top, said 'the sky stone unicorn also'." Tang Du Fu "Du Gongbu Cao Tang Poetry Note - Xu Qing two sons song": "Do not see Xu Qing two sons born of the strange and wonderful, induction of auspicious dreams follow each other, Confucius Shih's pro embrace to send and is the heavenly unicorn child."

Jade Kirin

The Jade Kirin is one of the most primitive groups of cacti. It has green and beautiful leaves, stems and leaves are fleshy, elegant plant shape, resembles the ancient legend of China's unicorn, so it is named Jade Kirin. The Jade Unicorn prefers full sunlight, but is also semi-shade tolerant, and will not dry out in a slight drought, so it is suitable for ornamental family pots. The Jade Unicorn is generally propagated by cuttings, which can be taken from April to October. Cuttings should be taken in the morning on a sunny day. The cuttings should be cut off and placed in a sand bed (pot). Put the cuttings in the shade after the cuttings. Keep moist, but do not stagnant water, water will be macerated spike. Transplant the cuttings once the roots have emerged. The Jade Unicorn prefers well-drained, well-aerated soil. Soil for potting can be prepared by drying and breaking up fish pond mud and mixing it with 20% sand; or by mixing 4 parts of vegetable garden soil, 4 parts of decomposed leaf soil and 2 parts of sand. After planting on the pot, to pour the root water. Later on, depending on the actual situation, every two or three days watering, watering can be less than the general broad-leaved flowers, but slightly more than the leafless cactus flowers. In the growing period of the Jade Unicorn once a month to apply a light liquid fertilizer can be. Jade Kirin winter leaves dormant, in the north of China, should be in the "cold dew" festival moved indoor overwintering; in the south of China should be placed in the back of the north to the sun without frost damage to the place of overwintering. Winter watering should be less than the growing season, keep the potting soil slightly wet. Fertilizer should be stopped in winter. In the summer season, both the south and the north should avoid exposure to the hot sun, so as not to affect the growth and beauty.

Kirin Seal

"Kirin Ruyi Seal" is a round seal carved from blue-green jadeite, which is delicate and crystal clear, and looks like a pool of clear water from afar. The carving is also quite fine, with the tiny scales on the back of the unicorn gleaming with warm light, and the whiskers of the unicorn rising up, as if the wind could move it.

The overall shape of the "Kirin Ruyi Seal" is that of a kirin carrying Ruyi on its back, guarding a jade seal. The handle of the seal shows a kylin holding a youngster and carrying a jade wish. Since ancient times, the unicorn is a symbol of benevolence and good fortune, it "contains benevolence and righteousness, sound in the law, walking in the rules, folding in the rules, choose the soil and then trample, position and then place", get "unicorn Ruyi Seal" must be gentle and elegant humble gentleman; and because the unicorn for the beast, so the young Lin symbolizes the owner of the increase in happiness and longevity (harmonizing the "Beast" sound), "a seal in the hands of the jade with the longevity of the stone;" unicorn behind the jade Ruyi is the master of the blessing of good fortune and good luck. The jade ruyi on the back of the unicorn symbolizes the owner's good fortune and luck." The main part of the "Kirin Ruyi Seal" is in the shape of a cylinder, which has the solemnity of a square seal, but is also a little more dynamic and unrestrained. The four dragons engraved on the cylinder imply that the dragons will soar in the four seas.

Since ancient times, the seal has been a symbol of status and power. Jade has "benevolence, righteousness, wisdom, courage, cleanliness" five virtues, so the jade seal in addition to reflecting the owner's identity and honor in addition to highlighting its tough and noble character. Compared with ordinary seals, the jade seal also has a high artistic, collection value.