Kirin

Kanji: 麒麟
Kana: きりん
Pronunciation: Kirin (kee-reen)

TRANSLATION: Qilin (Chinese origin); the same word also means "giraffe" in modern Japanese
ALTERNATE NAMES: Qilin (Chinese); Kỳ lân (Vietnamese); Girin (Korean); Ki-rin
ORIGIN: Ancient; from Chinese mythology (first attested in the Classic of Poetry, 11th–7th c. BCE), later adopted into Japanese folklore

HABITAT: Celestial Realm; the sky; lands under wise and benevolent rule
DIET: None / strictly vegetarian; will not eat the flesh of other beings

ABILITIES:

• Heralds the birth of a sage or the reign of a wise ruler
• Breathes holy fire to protect the innocent
• Detects virtue and purity in humans
• Brings peace and good fortune to a land
• Moves through the air and treads on clouds

WEAKNESSES:

• Appears only during peace; cannot remain in eras of conflict
• Will not attack any living thing, so it leaves rather than punish minor evil

OVERVIEW: The Kirin is one of the most sacred divine beasts in Japanese folklore. It appears only during times of great peace or to herald the birth of a sage. In Japan it is considered more divine than even the dragon or the phoenix.

APPEARANCE: The Kirin has the body of a deer covered in dragon-like scales. Its head resembles a dragon and has antlers or a single backward-curving horn on top. It has an ox tail, cloven hooves, and a long flowing mane down its neck. The body and mane are often wreathed in brilliant holy fire, and its face remains serene even in motion. Its eyes are bright with wisdom and detect virtue at a glance. Japanese art shows the Kirin as more slender and deer-like than the Chinese qilin.

BEHAVIOR: The Kirin is extraordinarily gentle and walks so carefully that it never treads on grass or insects. It will not attack any living creature and keeps its holy fire only for the protection of the innocent. The Kirin acts as a messenger between heaven and humans, and brings the will of the gods into the world of mortals.

INTERACTIONS: Humans rarely see a Kirin because it only appears during exceptional times. Its appearance heralds the rise of a virtuous ruler or appears at the birth of a great sage. Seeing a Kirin brings good fortune, prosperity, and wisdom to a kingdom. Images of the Kirin adorn temples, shrines, and imperial art as symbols of virtue, justice, and wisdom.

OTHER FORMS: The Kirin has no shape-changing form. When giraffes were first brought from East Africa to East Asia in the 15th century, court officials believed they were living Kirin. The gentle nature, long legs, and scale-like coat patterns of the giraffe reminded them of the holy beast, and the modern Japanese word for giraffe is still "kirin." A regional folk-performance variant called Kirin-Jishi, or "Kirin Lion," appears in traditional dances of the Tottori area.