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Comment
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AlisonPegg
Registered User
(8/3/05 1:04 pm)
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Celestial horses and Chinese mythical animals
Does anyone know about Chinese mythical animals with twin properties? For example a crane with deer's antlers which is supposed to mean longevity, fidelity (properties of the crane) and prosperity/success (properties of the deer) I'm not referring to Chinese zodiac animals. In fact I'm thinking in particular about a celestial horse flying on the back of a swallow. The bronze image of this horse dates from the Han Dynasty and is a distinct breed known as the Ferghana horse which apparently was known for sweating blood (actually this was a skin disease) Here is a poem written about it by the 8th century Chinese poet Tu Fi
The Ferghana horse is gamed among nomad breeds.
Lean in build, like the point of a lance;
Two ears sharp as bamboo spikes;
Four hoofs light as though born of the wind.
Heading away across the endless spaces,
Truely, you may entrust him with your life...
My Chinese friend suggests it is a spirit animal meaning success - but is this really the word he means?
There is also a strange Chinese animal known as a qilin. A bit like a unicorn without the horn!
Any information would be very helpful.
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Crceres
Registered User
(8/3/05 1:40 pm)
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Re: Celestial horses and Chinese mythical animals
The only thing that comes to mind about the horse is a story I used to have (alas, I lost the book), in which a young man sets out on a journey, accompanied by a horse reputed to be magic in origin. He encounters various things foretold by a village wiseperson, including the sun (the burnished shield of a general) and the stars (the decorative floor in the Emperor's palace). It ends with him marrying the princess, so in that way the horse was (sort of) a symbol of success. I'm drawing a blank on the title..."___ and the horse of heaven", maybe.
As for the qilin...I think it's been mentioned in other discussions, so you might look around the website. A qilin was reputed to have shown itself to the mother of some great emperor or other (Genghis khan?). It's a sign of good luck, great destiny, etc.
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