Unicorn from the Wuwei Site. Gansu, China, Eastern Han Dynasty (206 B.C. - 220 A.D.)

Unicorn from the Wuwei Site. Gansu, China, Eastern Han Dynasty (206 BC - 220 AD).
Spruce wood.
Remains of white, black and red/orange polychrome. One piece.
Provenance: Jacques Barrere Gallery, Paris
Publication: Bois d'immortalité, Jacques Barrere Gallery, 1998, pp. 84 and 85.

In Gansu culture, the unicorn (qilin or chilin) is a symbol of good luck, prosperity and peace. It is associated with serenity, purity and protection, and its presence is believed to bring good news and favor the arrival of wise and virtuous people. The specimen in bidding, worked in a single piece of wood, is decorated with red and black motifs on a white background. Its open mouth and its threatening attitude perfectly reflect its function in the afterlife, that is, that of guardian of the tomb that protects the deceased. It belongs to the site of Wuwéi, a prefecture-city in the province of Gansu, People's Republic of China.