It's said that a ch'ilin disgorged a jade book in the courtyard before Confucius was born. Later, Confucius dreamed he saw a ch'ilin produce three books from its mouth. And finally, when he was 71, Confucius saw a ch'ilin die and exclaimed, "My Way is at an end!"
相傳孔子出生之前，有麒麟在庭中吐玉書，後來孔子自己也曾夜夢麒麟吐出三卷書；最後，在孔子七十一歲時，見麒麟死，遂嘆「吾道窮矣！」