Chinese Myth: Qi Lin, the divine beast

Qi Lin is a divine beast in ancient China.

它Tā是shì应yìng龙lóng生shēng的de建jiàn马mǎ ， 再zài由yóu建jiàn马mǎ生shēng的de 。

It is said to be born from Jian Ma, which is born from Ying Long.

它Tā和hé龙lóng 、 凤fèng 、 龟guī 、 貔pí貅xiū一yī起qǐ ， 被bèi称chēng为wéi五wǔ大dà瑞ruì兽shòu 。

Together with Long (dragon), Feng (phoenix), Gui (tortoise), and Pi Xiu, it is known as the five auspicious creatures.

麒Qí麟lín长zhǎng着zhe狮shī头tóu ， 狼láng的de蹄tí子zi ， 头tóu顶dǐng圆yuán圆yuán的de 。

Qi Lin has a lion’s head, a wolf’s hooves, and a round top of its head.

它Tā身shēn体tǐ五wǔ颜yán六liù色sè ， 大dà约yuē四sì米mǐ高gāo ， 身shēn体tǐ像xiàng麝shè鹿lù ， 尾wěi巴bā像xiàng龙lóng尾wěi ， 还hái有yǒu龙lóng鳞lín和hé两liǎng只zhī角jiǎo 。

Its body is colorful, about four meters tall, resembling a musk deer in body shape, with a dragon-like tail, Long scales, and two horns.

它Tā能néng吐tǔ火huǒ ， 声shēng音yīn像xiàng雷léi声shēng ， 平píng时shí很hěn慈cí祥xiáng ， 但dàn发fā怒nù时shí非fēi常cháng凶xiōng猛měng 。

It can spit fire and make thunder-like sounds. It is kind usually, but fierce when angry.

麒Qí麟lín很hěn长cháng寿shòu ， 能néng活huó两liǎng千qiān年nián ， 代dài表biǎo太tài平píng和hé长cháng寿shòu 。

Qi Lin lives a very long life, up to 2,000 years, symbolizing peace and longevity.

古Gǔ人rén认rèn为wéi麒qí麟lín是shì仁rén爱ài的de动dòng物wù ， 雄xióng性xìng叫jiào麒qí ， 雌cí性xìng叫jiào麟lín 。

Ancient people believed Qi Lin to be a benevolent creature, with males called Qi and females Lin.

人Rén们men觉jué得de麒qí麟lín出chū现xiàn的de地dì方fāng ， 就jiù会huì有yǒu吉jí祥xiáng的de事shì情qíng 。

They thought that wherever Qi Lin appears, there would be good fortune.

有Yǒu时shí ， 麒qí麟lín也yě用yòng来lái比bǐ喻yù有yǒu才cái华huá 、 品pǐn德dé好hǎo的de人rén 。

Sometimes, Qi Lin is also used to metaphorically describe people with outstanding talent and virtue.

《 山Shān海hǎi经jīng 》 说shuō ， 麒qí麟lín是shì黄huáng帝dì的de坐zuò骑qí ， 是shì天tiān神shén给gěi的de ， 帮bāng助zhù黄huáng帝dì统tǒng一yī中zhōng原yuán 。

According to ”Shan Hai Jing”, Qi Lin was the steed of Huang Di (the Yellow Emperor), given by celestial beings to help unify the Central Plains.

孔Kǒng子zǐ出chū生shēng时shí ， 有yǒu麒qí麟lín出chū现xiàn在zài孔kǒng家jiā ， 人rén们men觉jué得de它tā带dài来lái了le吉jí祥xiáng和hé智zhì慧huì 。

When Kong Zi (the Confucius) was born, a Qi Lin appeared in his courtyard, which people believed brought good fortune and wisdom.

所Suǒ以yǐ ， 麒qí麟lín也yě是shì孔kǒng子zǐ的de象xiàng征zhēng ， 代dài表biǎo圣shèng人rén降jiàng临lín ， 教jiào导dǎo大dà家jiā 。

Therefore, Qi Lin also became a symbol of Kong Zi, representing the descent of a saint to educate people.

这Zhè个gè传chuán说shuō显xiǎn示shì了le麒qí麟lín在zài儒rú家jiā文wén化huà中zhōng的de重zhòng要yào性xìng 。

This legend shows the importance of Qi Lin in Confucian culture.

传Chuán说shuō麒qí麟lín还hái能néng给gěi人rén带dài来lái孩hái子zi ， 所suǒ以yǐ很hěn多duō人rén拜bài它tā求qiú子zǐ 。

Legend has it that Qi Lin can also bring children to people, so many people worship it to seek offspring.

在Zài中zhōng国guó古gǔ代dài ， 很hěn多duō朝cháo廷tíng也yě用yòng麒qí麟lín作zuò为wéi吉jí祥xiáng物wù ， 宫gōng殿diàn 、 庙miào宇yǔ常cháng用yòng它tā和hé龙lóng凤fèng装zhuāng饰shì 。