Kirin - Giraffe

An imaginary animal from ancient China. It is also called simply rin. Males are also called ki and females rin. It was one of the four sacred beasts along with the dragon, phoenix, and turtle. It was originally a unicorn resembling a deer, but gradually mystical elements were added to it, making it a complex and bizarre figure. With a cow's tail, horse's hooves, and a body painted in five colors, the kirin spreads its wings and flies well. It is said that the tips of its horns, which serve as weapons, are covered with flesh, so it cannot harm its opponents. For this reason, it was said that "rin is a beast of benevolence, and where there is a king, he will come," and it was considered an auspicious beast that appears only during the reign of a holy emperor. It is said that the formation of this kirin image was influenced by the Western world, but there is no direct relationship to the giraffe that lives in Africa and is usually called the kirin.

[Kiyoji Ito]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

中国古代の想像上の動物。単に麟ともよぶ。またとくに雄を麒、雌を麟というともいわれ、竜、鳳凰(ほうおう)、亀(かめ)とともに四霊獣の一つとされた。初めは鹿(しか)に似た一角獣であったが、しだいに神秘的な要素を加えて複雑怪奇な姿になった。牛の尾、馬の蹄(ひづめ)、五色で彩られた体をもつ麒麟は、翼を広げてよく飛び、武器であるその角(つの)は先端が肉で覆われているため、相手を傷つけることがないとされた。そのため「麟は仁獣(じんじゅう)なり、王者あれば則(すなわ)ち至る」といわれ、聖天子の治世に限って出現する瑞獣(ずいじゅう)とされた。この麒麟像の形成には、西方世界からの影響があったとされるが、普通キリンとよばれているアフリカ生息のジラフとは、直接の関係はない。

［伊藤清司］

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