This is one of the most confusing things of all.....
To start off.... Let us define a Unicorn:
Its generally a beast with 1 horn, most usually it's a horse-like (Equine) or Deer-like creature....
Well, believe it or not, this can fit a description of many numbers of Chinese
Creatures or beasts called Shou (pronounced: Showe).
Fact:
In most English books the Chinese Unicorn is often called a Ki-lin, yet the
Chinese symbol written in the very same book referring to that animal along with it, is actually Qilin (Pronounced: Chee-Leen).
But, is a Qilin actually a Unicorn????
Fact: on most Online Shopping stores they list many so-called Chinese Unicorns as Kirin.
So, is a Chinese Unicorn Actually called a Kirin?
Guess what! There are in actuality many, many, many, many kinds of unicorns in
Chinese Mythology. These 1 horned magical beasts are known as Dujiao Shou (pronounced: doo-djyaow-showe) which literally means: 1 horn beast.
Dujiao shou range from leopards to lions and tigers with single horns, and yes, even to the commonly known Qilin.
However, the Qilin themselves more closely resemble dragons, and in some books are referred to as horse dragons. Qilin are generally seen with not just 1 or 2 horns but actually 2 antlers.
So why all the confusion????
In actuality the Chinese Culture is older than the Bible, and in many thousands of millennia which have passed, each dynasty would reinvent its culture over and over, again and again. What that means is that they would also redesign national symbols such as the Long& the Qilin and stories and religions along with it.
Most Chinese people, when asked, would know what a Qilin is, but if you were to ask exactly what a Qilin is, you will quite often find that most people would be completely stumped.
Why is this? Well, most people are more interested in dragons, and most people would probably know all different stories about dragons, and the Chinese phoenix (Feng), yet little to next to nothing about the Qilin or the Dragon Headed Tortoise (Bixi).
Yet, what about the Kirin????
Actually a Kirin (Pronounced Kee-reen;) is 1 of the Japanese versions of a unicorn. Another one
would be a Sinyou (Seen-Yowe).
The Kirin is very much modeled after the Chinese Qilin, and is said to be a great judge of character, guilt, and innocence, much like the Chinese Qilin. The Kirin also look very similar.
The Qilin however have many different kinds. Written in an Ancient book known as the Feng Shen Ban (The book where the gods reciecve thier names) which writes about many of the Chinese Mythical gods 4,000-5,000 years ago, it mentions the Qilin as being more Ancient then themselves, and are often said to be the noble steeds with which the Warrior gods ride into battle. The Qilin, themselves, are a type of god. However Qilin are lower in the ranks than the Humanoid gods.
There are very special types of Qilin:
Golden Qilin (Most Popular)
Fire Qilin (Red),
White Qilin
Jade Qilin (Green)
Wu Qilin (Dark Qilin or Black)
There are also others with as many colors as the rainbow.
Also, if you were to ask most Chinese people about Qilin, most might say it has something to do with Confucius (Kong Fu Si). Actually, that's true.
It'known in legend that Qilin often appear bringing glad tidings, foretelling a great king would be born.
In the case of Confucius, folk lore and legends tell of a Qilin whom brought a tablet of jade to his mother which foretold all of the great things he would accomplish, and proclaimed him to be a King Without a Throne.
Soon after meeting with the Qilin, she gave birth to a son, Confucius. When he matured he became a wise and influential person and changed Chinese culture forever. There are many versions of this tale.
There are also pacifist, Buddhist versions of Qilin in which the Qilin is said to walk in the air, and would not harm a single living thing not even the grass below it's hooves.
Actually, this hanzi-word/charecter is the word for "Qilin" and is pronounced "Tchee-Leen".
This is a special word, Originating in Ancient China, created by the Chinese, and this word is ONLY USED FOR THIS CREATURE: QILIN.
That is the honest to God truth.
Chinese Lion Unicorn
