Unraveling the Mysteries of the Qilin: A Deep Dive into Chinese Mythology

Killin China Chinese mythology is full of fantastic supernatural and mythical creatures. Whilst the western world is probably most familiar with the dragon and the phoenix, there are other equally interesting though less well-known mythological beings. One of these is the Killin. Like the Chinese dragon, the Killin is composed of different animals. Over the centuries, however, the depiction of the Killin has changed. In general, the Killin is said to have an equine-like body. Thus, the Killin may have the body of a deer, or an ox, or a horse. The body of the Killin is also covered with the scales of a fish and is often enveloped in fire. As for its head, it is quite similar to the Chinese dragon, yet even this feature has its variations over time. Some Killin, for example, have been depicted with a single horn. Hence, the Killin has been compared to the European unicorn and has been dubbed as the Chinese unicorn, while others are shown with antlers. Nevertheless, it has been suggested that the Killin and the Chinese unicorn are two separate mythological creatures altogether. Beside a waterfall enshrouded in mist, a mythical creature gives birth, a miracle unseen in centuries. Yet, the joy of this momentous occasion is cut short when a villain arrives on the scene, slays the parent and steals the child, only for his master, a self-proclaimed ruler, to take the creature's life to harness its magical powers. Unbeknownst to them, there was a twin, and the survivor eventually takes the stage to herald the arrival of a virtuous ruler. Non-magical or muggle fans may recall these scenes from the latest installment of the Fantastic Beasts franchise, a plot that centers around a creature from Chinese mythology. Recognizable by its deer-like form and dragon scales, the filmmakers, for the most part, did justice to the mythical Killin, cleverly spinning its clairvoyant abilities into a magical conspiracy. However, surviving manuscripts still have much to reveal about this creature. From its origins to the tales it inspired, here is an introduction to the legendary Killin. While there is no unified concept of the Killin, ancient Chinese texts generally agree that the mythical creature resembles something between a water deer and dragon, inheriting the herbivore's antlers, trunk, and hooves, and the carnivore's scaled skin and tail. Like the phoenix, the Killin's name is a blend of the male, Qi, and the female, Lin, possibly rooted in the traditional belief that the phoenix and Killin are parents to all airborne and terrestrial beings, respectively. Illustrations of auspicious omens, a collection of paintings from the Southern Song dynasty, depict the Killin at about two meters tall. Often regarded as the Chinese unicorn or single-horned Killin, these names might be misnomers, as some versions show the Killin to have two horns. With a lifespan of up to two millenniums, the dragon-deer hybrid is said to exude a commanding presence. Its aggressive physique aside, the Killin is said to be a gentle creature, always prioritizing kindness and righteousness, and gifted with an ability to see the same qualities in others. According to the Gongyang Juan, so untainted is the regal Killin that its birth foreshadows the imminent rise and fall of a prominent ruler. It allegedly spends its whole life roaming only the grounds of its homeland, where such an eminent leader resides. Fabled origins, legends of the Killin appear to have originated from a Shandong county called Zhuye. Stories began to circulate in Western Han, 202 BC-220 AD, asserting that the mythical creature inherited its dragon-like characteristics from a four-generation lineage. After the dragon-headed, phoenix-bodied Miao Du gave birth to Ying Long, the Yellow Emperor's winged dragon. The latter bred with the horse-dragon Longma, who then gave birth to the Killin. Fast forward to the Ming Dynasty, 1368-1644, during which the Killin catapulted to fame, the claim that it spawned from dragons gained traction. Other stories also tell of the Killin as a more earthly creature. According to the history of Ming, Bengala envoys gifted a Killin to Emperor Yongle in 1414. Zhang He, a Chinese admiral and diplomat, also brought home the same species from his travels to Somalia. Upon seeing these colossal hoofed herbivores, the Emperor was convinced that the tributes were physical manifestations of the mythical Killin, and he commissioned artworks to be painted of each living miracle, all titled The Eulogy of the Killin, an auspicious omen. Little did he know, though, this magical creature is what is known as a giraffe today. Possible sightings believers are convinced of the Killin's magical abilities, as the creature famously foretold the comings and goings of Confucius, one of the foremost philosophers in ancient China. Legend has it that a single-horned Killin spit out a letter, some say it was a jade tablet, foretelling the sage's birth and his greatness. According to a folktale, the prophetic Killin appeared before Confucius's pregnant mother with a chubby infant slung across its back, crashing into her baby bump to release the Chinese saint. Unfortunately, at the time, Confucius's school of thought failed to gain favor on a political stage. Witnessing his duke's fall from grace, the sage sent himself into exile in hopes of preaching his values to willing statesmen. Legends of his later life tell of a time when the philosopher was presented with dead game, which he presumed to be a monster. Upon closer inspection, Confucius registered that the corpse was that of a Killin, a saintly creature whose time on earth had passed. It was all Confucius needed to confirm that his own end was nigh, and his beliefs only understood by heaven. Consumed by grief, he put down his last words in the unfinished historical chronicle Spring and Autumn Annals, with a simple yet profound line denoting the Killin's demise in Zhuye Shandong. As the first known instance of the Killin's legendary prophetic abilities at work, the story inspired great adoration from subsequent generations, who began worshiping the creature with the hope of welcoming an illustrious son. This is how the traditional idiom Killin sen sun came by, and endured as a Chinese custom. Other Killin sightings were recorded in later times, but none are as salient as the tale of Confucius. Records of the Grand Historian tells of a story in which Emperor Wu of Han, 156-87 BC, caught a Killin. In the Qing dynasty, 1636-1912, some cows were said to have given birth to Killin, but they either died on the spot or were killed for looking abnormal.