清 銅麒麟香薰

拍品描述

英文品名：A BRONZE QILIN CENSER 尺寸：L:30cm;H:30cm 銅鑄。麒麟作行走狀，昂首張口，頭生一角，頸鬣披垂，全身滿覆圓鱗，脊部起鰭，四肢健碩，足如馬蹄，尾作焰形上捲。首為爐蓋，可啟合出香。銅皮墨黑，鱗片間隱露褐紅，體態矯健生動。器有脫落殘片，附同出小銅件。麒麟為瑞獸之首，「牡為麒，牝為麟」，不履生蟲、不折生草，象徵仁瑞。古傳麟吐玉書，孔子誕生之前有麟吐玉書於闕里；又謂聖王出世、天下太平，麟乃現身。清代廳堂、書齋常陳銅麒麟，祈祥瑞臨門、子嗣賢良。 A bronze qilin walking with head raised and jaws open. It bears a single horn, a flowing mane, a body covered in round scales, a dorsal fin, powerful legs with hoof-like feet, and a curling flame-shaped tail; the head lifts off as the censer cover. The black patina shows brown-red between the scales; the animal is brisk and vivid. A small detached bronze fragment accompanies the piece. The qilin is the foremost auspicious beast, male qi and female lin; it treads on no living thing and bends no growing grass, embodying benevolence. Legend tells of a qilin spitting a jade book before Confucius's birth, and its appearance is tied to sage rule and peace. Qing halls and studios displayed bronze qilin as a prayer for auspicious arrival and virtuous heirs.

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