Page 111 - Chinese Porcelain Vol I, Galland

FABULOUS AND OTHER ANIMALS. 79

shelly tribes ; and man among naked animals ! The naked,
and tribes constitute the
hairy, feathered, shelly, scaly quinary
system of ancient Chinese naturalists. The
"
Kj-Lin is described as resembling a stag in its body, and
a horse in its hoofs, but possessing the tail of an ox, and a
skin. A horn
particoloured single proceeds out of the forehead,
having a fleshy tip. Besides these external marks of beauty,
it exhibits great benevolence of disposition towards other living
animals, and appears only when wise and just kings, like Yau
and Shun, or sages like Confucius, are born to govern and
teach mankind."
29 " The is also an animal fore-
Jacquemart, p. : hy-lin
Its is covered with scales its branched
telling good. body ;
head resembles that of a dragon ; its four delicate feet are
terminated by cloven hoofs resembling those of a stag. It
is so gentle and benevolent, notwithstanding its formidable
that it avoids, in its to tread underfoot the
aspect, light step,
smallest worm " No.
(see 318).
Davis, vol. ii. p. 135 : " A fabulous animal, supposed to
have at the birth of Confucius, and therefore ominous
appeared
of and fortune."
promotion good
Franks, p. 244 : " Among the animals connected with
longevity should be mentioned the hi-lin ; though it is rather
employed as a symbol of good government, which its appear-
ance is supposed to herald. It is said to attain the age of a
thousand
years."
Fung-hwang. — "Middle Kingdom," vol. i. p. 266 : "The
of Arabian is a kind of but the
phoenix story eagle, fung-luvang
of Chinese legends is a sort of pheasant, adorned with every
colour, and combining in its form and motions whatever is
and as well as such a benevolent
elegant graceful, possessing
that it will not or
disposition, peck injure living insects, nor
tread on growing herbs. It has not been seen since the
halcyon days of Confucius, and, from the account given of
it, seems to have been entirely fabulous, though bearing a
resemblance to the than other
greater Argus pheasant any
bird. The of the name that it is the
etymology implies
emperor of all birds ; and, as is the unicorn among quad-
rupeds, so is the phoenix the most honourable among the
feathered tribes."