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Lot Essay
A very similar pair of cloisonné enamel qilin, of slightly smaller size (27.6 cm. long), from the Mandel Collection, was sold at Christie's Hong Kong, 30 May 2012, lot 3918. A larger figure of similar type (49.5 cm. long) in the Qing Court Collection is illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum, Metal-bodied Enamel Ware, Hong Kong, 2002, p. 168, pl. 160.
The qilin is an auspicious symbol of longevity, fertility and wise administration, as it only appears during the reign of a benevolent ruler. It is also associated with the Confucian virtue of ren, as it is benevolent to all living creatures. When combined with a boy seated on its back, the qilin represents the bringing of illustrious sons.
The qilin is an auspicious symbol of longevity, fertility and wise administration, as it only appears during the reign of a benevolent ruler. It is also associated with the Confucian virtue of ren, as it is benevolent to all living creatures. When combined with a boy seated on its back, the qilin represents the bringing of illustrious sons.