What is Qilin?
[[File:QingQilin.jpg|thumb|250px|A qilin of the [[Qing dynasty]] in Beijing's [[Summer Palace]]]] The '''Qilin''' ([[Chinese language|Chinese]]: 麒麟; [[pinyin]]: qílín; [[Wade-Giles]]: ch'i-lin) is a [[Mythology|mythical]] hooved [[Chinese mythology|Chinese]] [[Chimera|chimerical]] creature and is said to appear with the imminent arrival or passing of a wise sage or an illustrious ruler. == Description == A qilin has a single horn on its forehead, a yellow belly, a multicoloured back, the hooves of a [[horse]], the body of a [[deer]], and the tail of an [[ox]]. Gentle of disposition, it never walks on verdant grass or eats living vegetation. == Origins == The first qilin is said to have appeared in the garden of the legendary [[Huangdi]] ([[Yellow Emperor]]) in 2697 bc. Some three centuries later a pair of qilin were reported in the capital of Emperor Yao. Both events bore testimony to the benevolent nature of the rulers. The advent of a great sage was made known when a qilin appeared to the pregnant mother of [[Confucius]] (6th century bc). The qilin thereupon coughed up an inscribed jade tablet that foretold the future greatness of the unborn child. The death of Confucius was foreshadowed when a qilin was injured by a charioteer. In [[1414]] a live giraffe was brought to [[China]] for the first time and presented as a qilin to the [[Ming Dynasty|Ming]] emperor Yongle. The tough old warrior, seeing through the intended flattery, curtly remarked that he certainly was no sage and the animal was certainly no qilin. In [[Japanese mythology|Japanese]], a [[giraffe]] is called kirin, but the characters are those for qilin.{{Japanese folklore long}} [[Category:Chinese mythology]] [[category:Legendary creatures]]