Symbols of good luck and protection in Feng Shui. Qilin

European legend about the Unicorn and the Maiden general outline familiar.
Sometimes references to the Far Eastern unicorn, the Qilin, pop up in popular resources.
At times it is even proclaimed that this legend was brought to China by the Jesuits in the 16th century.
It's time to separate the wheat from the chaff!
So,

Chinese unicorn Qilin

Qilin- (Chinese: 麒麟, pinyin: qílín) - is considered one of the auspicious magical animals of the Celestial Empire. And along with moon(dragon) fenghuang(phoenix) and Guy(turtle), is a symbol of one of the cardinal directions (instead of White Tiger). The male unicorn is called qi, and the female tench, so that together this creation serves as a kind of animal combination of “Yin-Yang”.

Of course this is " chimera": the appearance of the qilin is similar to that of a deer, but has a dragon's muzzle and a bull's or bear's tail; His scaly skin is five-colored, festively colored, and his voice is like the ringing of bells. As a rule, it has several horns, but the male's horns are soft at the end and are not suitable for fighting. Its nature is fiery, and most often it is depicted with fiery flashes.

He lives for at least 2000 years, but only a select few can see him (for example, they saw him shortly before the death of Confucius). Like the European unicorn, the qilin symbolizes longevity and prosperity. Thanks to this, his images were often applied to imperial household items. Emperor Kangxi ordered that holders of the highest military rank in the Celestial Empire wear breastplates with the image of a qilin (previously they were associated with lions).

The main traits of his character are kindness, insight, gentleness and compassion for all living things. The qilin, as the embodiment of the Buddhist principle of non-harm, avoids stepping on living beings, insects and crushing grass with its hooves: it is able to walk on water as if it were dry land.
He is considered the harbinger of happiness, and his appearance symbolizes the rise to power good ruler or the birth of a true monarch. The Qilin was often seen during the halcyon times of the reigns of Emperors Yao and Shun; there is also a legend that he appeared in the days when Confucius was born.
It is believed that one can see him only in times of prosperity and prosperity - the energies of turmoil and rudeness are destructive for him.

Qilini of the Manchu period...

A little more detail:

Traditionally, the qilin is called the Chinese unicorn.
This identification was formed as a result of attempts by Christian missionaries who arrived in China to fit local folklore into the framework of European ideas about the animal world of the East that were familiar to them. However, what the Chinese and European unicorns have in common is only a single horn; otherwise, they are fundamentally different.

In Chinese mythology, this is a miracle beast, the main one of the 360 ​​animals living on land.
In Feng Shui it symbolizes long life, festivity, splendor, joy, famous descendants and wisdom. It is recommended to use images or figurines of a qilin for women who want to have a child. Placement - the mascot should be facing the exit from the room.

To answer this question, let's move from China to the Middle East.

The Mesopotamian civilization arose about 5.5 thousand years ago in the lower reaches of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers.
The Sumerians (whose origin is unknown), Semites - Akkadians, Amorites, Assyrians, as well as the Kassites - a people of mysterious (according to one theory - Indo-European) origin contributed to its development. On a copy of a boundary stone from late Kassite Babylonia (12th century BC), reclining winged lions are clearly visible.

The state that united a significant part of the Middle East for the first time in history was Assyria. Around 700 BC The construction of fortress walls in Nineveh, one of the Assyrian cities, was completed. On the gates of these walls there were statues of lions with human face and wings: Winged Lion (ivory plaque), Winged Lion (door sculpture; see also article Lamassu), Assyrian Sphinx (drawing of a statue that drowned in the Tigris River while being transported by G. Layard’s expedition; see also article Sphinx).
They were supposed to protect Nineveh from enemies and evil spirits.

1. drowned statue of the “Assyrian Sphinx” from Nineveh
2. Akkadian winged lamassu

Further fate the winged lion leads us to the ruins of Babylon.
On the Ishtar Gate in Babylon there are sculptures of a fantastic animal resembling a qilin.
From 605 BC The New Babylonian dynasty flourished here, and Nebuchadnezzar II erected his palace in the capital. The king wrote:
« On both sides of the gates of Babylon I have placed a mighty bull and a terrifying mushusha».

« Mushu» among the Babylonians - a snake.
« Mushkhushshu" - a unicorn with the head of a snake and the body of an ungulate mammal covered with scales.
The two front legs of the muskhushshu are clearly those of a lion, and the two hind legs are like those of an eagle. A long scaly tail with a scorpion sting completes the look. With its purpose - to scare away demons and evil spirits - and its appearance, muskhushshu is very reminiscent of the Chinese qilin. In other words, mushkhushshu is a combination of three creatures: a snake, which in Babylonian mythology personifies eternity, abundance and reincarnation, a lion - the king of beasts, and an eagle - the king of birds.
Couldn't the muskhushshu be a prototype of the qilin?
Probably, having undergone a transformation, it became the main appearance of the mythical Chinese “griffin”.

« Capricorn" And " griffins"(?) on the astrological palette of the Kassites (XI-X centuries BC)

If any elements of the Babylonian civilization were destined to be revived away from Mesopotamia years later, this could only happen thanks to contacts between men and women. different peoples, strengthened during the overthrow of the New Babylonian kings by the Persian Achaemenid dynasty.

In 525 BC. The Achaemenids united under their rule the entire Middle East from the Nile in the west to the Indus in the east. In the capital of the Persian state - Persepolis (Persepolis) - a palace built at the turn of the 6th and 5th centuries BC has been preserved. Darius I (521-486 BC) and Xerxes (486-465 BC). It would not be an exaggeration to say that Persepolis intertwined the features of all cultures of the Middle East that had centuries-old history. Among the images of fantastic animals decorating the walls and columns of Persepolis, there is also an image reminiscent of a mushkhushsha.

[...] ...who, after all, brought to China the appearance of a griffin, which developed from the fusion of a lion and a mushkhushshu?
Perhaps countless hordes of mounted nomads freely crossing the length and breadth of the Eurasian steppes. It's about about the nomads of the Iron Age - Scythians And sakah.

Griffins, indeed, appear on gold jewelry and famous ornaments of the animal style, characteristic of the Scythian culture. The Scythians, who did not build cities and were constantly on the move along with all their belongings and livestock, erected burial mounds. In them were found images of griffins - mythical creatures, probably borrowed by the Scythians from their Middle Eastern neighbors.

[Here I personally highly doubt it. The classic image of a lion-eagle is a true brainchild of steppe nomads, inscribed in their cosmos of animal style (see about this in the monograph by D.S. Raevsky). Griffin- never an agricultural image. Unlike winged dog , also known in the images of Catalhuyuk and Crete. So, in my opinion griffin how the steppe version of the dragon appeared among the early nomads at the turn of the 2nd-1st millennia BC. It was contacts with them that gave this image to the Medes, Assyrians and Babylonians]

another "chimera" from the Ishtar Gate

During archaeological excavations in the city of Urumqi (Xinjiang Uyghur autonomous region China) ornaments on gold foil and gold belts with Scythian lions were discovered.
Thus, it turns out that griffins, transformed from the sacred animals of the Middle East and reminiscent of the Babylonian mushkhushsha and the Persian lion, were brought to China in the form of golden patterns of nomads.
This happened between the 5th and 3rd centuries. BC to the Han Emperor of the Silk Road in the 1st century. BC

Traveling across Eurasia, images of the qilin, in turn, spread to many countries through which the Great Silk Road passed. Centuries flew over the thread of the Great Silk Road, changing the appearance of countries and peoples, changing symbols and patterns. By the Ming era (1368-1644) in China, the qilin had already become what it can be seen today. As an ornamental detail, the qilin was used in drawings, fabrics, dishes and architecture, symbolizing the spirit of goodness and happiness.

About 1200 years ago, the qilin was “registered” in Japan under the name “kirin” as mythical creature, personifying the desire for a generous harvest and personal security. To this day, every spring, the ritual dance “Kirin Lion” is performed in one of the temples in the city of Tottori. While dancing, the “lion” strives to soar up and fly into the heavens. Perhaps, even today in China and Japan, the qilin-kirin is considered a messenger, conveying to God the desire to receive a generous harvest, to live in prosperity and security...
...The synthetic nature of the qilin's appearance gives reason to assume that the myth about it became the fruit of the interaction of several civilizations, which successively adopted from each other certain elements of material and spiritual culture."

Once symbolizing peace and tranquility, the qilin acquired the features of a bearer of power and strength, probably due to Middle Eastern influence. In this case, the two extreme links of the “China - Middle East” chain were apparently connected to each other for a long time a large number cultural contacts.
Magical animals (Enchanted World series) - M.: Terra, 1996 (447)

Chinese unicorn Qilin

Qilin(Chinese: 麒麟, pinyin: qílín) - in Chinese mythology, a miracle beast, the main one of 360 animals living on land. It is sometimes included in the list four noble animals along with the Chinese dragon, phoenix and turtle - instead of the tiger.

An eastern unicorn about a meter tall. His image is slightly reminiscent of a Chinese dragon. When walking, he tries not to touch any living creature, including grass and small insects, so its gait looks somewhat strange from the outside - it seems that the unicorn is dancing.

Qilin- a kind of chimera: as a rule, it has several horns, green-blue scaly skin, a body with the hooves of a horse or deer, a dragon's head and a bear's tail.

He lives for at least 2000 years, but only a select few can see him (for example, they saw him shortly before the death of Confucius). Like the European unicorn, the qilin symbolizes longevity and prosperity. Thanks to this, his images were often applied to imperial household items.

Chinese sailors recognized the qilin in the African giraffes that were delivered to the imperial court. Male babies can sometimes be seen on the back of the qilin. Like the stork in the European tradition, this qilin, according to the Chinese, brings a long-awaited heir to happy parents.

He does not eat living creatures, but feeds on wonderful grains. According to some versions, the qilin can even walk on water and fly. According to myths, the lifespan of the animal is about 3 thousand years. The qilin carved on tombstones is supposed to protect them from evil spirits, and also escort the dead to heaven.

However, over time, the qilin changes its appearance and functions. Thus, the crypt of Emperor Wendi is decorated with two qilins in the form of unicorns with a strong lion body and clearly defined wings. Symbolizing peace and tranquility, the qilin acquired the features of a bearer of power and strength.

Qi Lin - Chinese Unicorn

The purpose of the mascot

Qi Lin symbolizes long life, celebration, splendor, joy, famous descendants and wisdom. It is sometimes called the dragon's horse. He has gentleness, kindness and benevolence towards all living creatures. Qi Lin is also called a unicorn, although his image in Chinese tradition does not at all resemble the usual image of its Western European “namesake”. However, the Chinese unicorn also carries a good mystical omen. The Chinese believe that he is always alone and appears only during the reign of an outstanding leader or when a great sage is born. People turn to the talisman when it is necessary to contribute to the success of children. Feng Shui recommends the use of images or figurines of Qi Lin for women who want to have a child. But the main function of a talisman in Feng Shui practice is to eliminate negative influence and attracting wealth.

When placing a talisman inside an apartment, the only requirement is met: it must be facing the exit from the room. It is believed that this symbol can be used for no more than one year.

Activation of the talisman

This talisman is so strong that you don’t need to perform any manipulations for it to work effectively. However, he “loves” listening to folk songs and fairy tales - this makes him even kinder to his owners.

Legend says

In various legends, Qi Lin can serve Taoist sages as riding animals and bring extraordinary children from heaven. He is considered a messenger of happiness, his appearance symbolizes the rise to power of a good ruler or the birth of a true sage. The appearance of Qi Lin marked the birth and death of Confucius. In the legends of China there is also a mention of Qi Ling in connection with some important events for the history of the country. So, one day, five thousand years ago, Emperor Fu-si was sitting on the shore near the mouth of the Yellow River. Qi Lin suddenly appeared and dirty waters the rivers brightened and became crystal clear, green. Qi Lin stopped in front of the emperor, struck the rock with his hoof three times and spoke to him in a voice that rang like a temple bell. When Qi Lin turned to leave, the emperor saw on his back magic signs which he copied. This is how the first written language of China appeared.

Feng Shui master's story

The word “qi lin” itself is interpreted as a combination of two concepts: “qi” is the masculine principle of Yang, driving force, the energy of creation, and “tench” - feminine Yin. He has a dragon's head, deer antlers, a lion's tail and cow's hooves. It is covered with scales and a shell. According to legend, he is one of the nine sons of the dragon; he can distinguish between good and evil.

The lifespan of the animal was, according to legend, three thousand years.

We find the first mention of him in China in Confucius, and his images appear in the era of the Later Han Dynasty (25-220 AD).

About one thousand two hundred years ago, Qi Lin “emigrated” to Japan under the name “Kirin,” which has a similar meaning in both mythology and feng shui.

Great talismans of feng shui Lenizdat, “Leningrad”, 2006

text Elena Shishkina, Eduard Dominov

The purpose of the mascot

Qi Lin symbolizes long life, celebration, splendor, joy, famous descendants and wisdom. It is sometimes called the dragon's horse. He has gentleness, kindness and benevolence towards all living creatures. Qi Lin is also called a unicorn, although his image in the Chinese tradition is not at all similar to the usual image of his Western European “namesake”. However, the Chinese unicorn also carries a good mystical omen. The Chinese believe that he is always alone and appears only during the reign of an outstanding leader or when a great sage is born. People turn to the talisman when it is necessary to contribute to the success of children. Feng Shui recommends the use of images or figurines of Qi Lin for women who want to have a child. But the main function of a talisman in the practice of Feng Shui is to eliminate negative influences and attract wealth.

When placing a talisman inside an apartment, the only requirement is met: it must be facing the exit from the room. It is believed that this symbol can be used for no more than one year.

Activation of the talisman

This talisman is so strong that you don’t need to perform any manipulations for it to work effectively. However, he “loves” listening to folk songs and fairy tales - this makes him even kinder to his owners.

Legend says

In various legends, Qi Lin can serve Taoist sages as riding animals and bring extraordinary children from heaven. He is considered a messenger of happiness, his appearance symbolizes the rise to power of a good ruler or the birth of a true sage. The appearance of Qi Lin marked the birth and death of Confucius. In the legends of China there is also a mention of Qi Ling in connection with some important events for the history of the country. So, one day, five thousand years ago, Emperor Fu-si was sitting on the shore near the mouth of the Yellow River. Suddenly, Qi Lin appeared, and the dirty waters of the river brightened and acquired a crystal clear, green color. Qi Lin stopped in front of the emperor, struck the rock with his hoof three times and spoke to him in a voice that rang like a temple bell. When Qi Lin turned to leave, the emperor saw the magic marks on his back that he copied. This is how the first written language of China appeared.

Feng Shui master's story

The word “qi lin” itself is interpreted as a combination of two concepts: “qi” is the masculine principle of Yang, the driving force, the energy of creation, and “lin” is the feminine principle of Yin. He has a dragon's head, deer antlers, a lion's tail and cow's hooves. It is covered with scales and a shell. According to legend, he is one of the nine sons of the dragon; he can distinguish between good and evil.

The lifespan of the animal was, according to legend, three thousand years.

We find the first mention of him in China in Confucius, and his images appear in the era of the Later Han Dynasty (25-220 AD).

About one thousand two hundred years ago, Qi Lin “emigrated” to Japan under the name “Kirin,” which has a similar meaning in both mythology and feng shui.

In ancient Chinese mythology, a wonderful beast is the unicorn. By analogy with feng huang, qilin is interpreted as a combination of two concepts: qi- “male unicorn” and tench- “female”. There are various descriptions qilin, differing in details, but they are all compiled according to archaic. the principle of similarity parts qilin body parts of real animals: qilin the body of a deer, but smaller in size, the neck of a wolf, the tail of a bull, one horn ending in a soft bump (meat growth), the hooves of a horse, multi-colored (according to other versions - brown) wool (sources also mention white and green cilini). When qilin walks on the ground, it will not break blades of grass or crush insects; he does not eat living creatures, but feeds on wonderful grains. According to some ideas, qilin can even fly or walk on water as if on land. In ancient texts qilin often mentioned along with deer (see Bai-lu) as their unique leader. was considered the main of all animals (along with Feng Huang- chief among birds). Excellent sign qilin its horn is not sharp, and it cannot cause harm. Ancient authors consider qilin as the embodiment of the moral and ethical category - ren (“philanthropy”, “humaneness”). There are different interpretations symbolism associated with the presence of qilin one horn: according to some, it is a symbol of the unification of the country into a single state, according to others, it is a symbol of the autocracy of the sovereign.

In Taoist. legends on whites qilin Immortals (xian), the retinue of Si-wan-mu, travel. In ancient times there were many legends about the appearance and capture qilin- both were considered a sign of an ideal, wise and humane government. With the words "caught" tench”, proverbial, Confucius ends his chronicle “Chun Qiu” (“Spring and Autumn”). It was believed that the appearance qilin brought peace and prosperity to nature, and was a sign of the upcoming birth of a sage. Thus, according to “Shi and Ji” (“Records of the Forgotten,” c. 6th century), the birth of Confucius was preceded by the appearance qilin, who plucked from his mouth a jade letter with prophetic words about the reign of the house of Zhou (the appearance qilin marked the death of Confucius, as well as the collapse of certain kingdoms). In Nar. beliefs qilin strongly associated with the birth of sons: descending from heaven qilin brings a son - traditional. plot of well-wishing popular prints (nian hua), adv. cuttings from colored paper. There are many versions about the origin of the image qilin(its connection with a giraffe, a cow, etc.). According to the Japanese hypothesis. scientist Izushi Yoshihiko, image qilin developed on the basis of ideas about the deer.

Sources:
Du Er-wei. Feng, lin, gui, long kaoshi (Interpretation of the images of the phoenix, unicorn, turtle and dragon). Taipei, 1971, p. 41-72.

Art. publ.: Spiritual culture of China: encyclopedia: in 5 volumes / Ch. ed. M.L. Titarenko; Institute Far East. - M.: Vost. lit., 2006 - . T. 2. Mythology. Religion / ed. M.L.Titarenko, B.L.Riftin, A.I.Kobzev, A.E.Lukyanov, D.G.Glaveva, S.M.Anikeeva. - 2007. - 869 p. P. 702.