Luduan Statue in Luzhi

Luduan (甪端 pinyin: lùduān) is a legendary Chinese auspicious creature. It has the head of a lion, the horn of a rhino, the body of a dragon, the paws of a bear, the scales of a fish, and the tail of an ox,[1] [2] [3] It can travel 18,000 li (9000 km or 5500 mi) in a single day and speaks all world languages. It appears during the enlightened rule. A legend says a luduan once appeared to Genghis Khan and convinced him to abandon his efforts to conquer India.[4] The throne of the Emperor in the Hall of Supreme Harmony has two incense burners shaped like the luduan as an auspicious symbol.

Incense burner in shape of a Luduan

References

  1. ↑ "It has the head of a lion, the horn of a rhino, the body of a dragon, the paws of a bear, the scales of a fish, and the tail of an ox".
  2. ↑ "Antique Auction House Listing".
  3. ↑ "Chinese Travel and Culture Article".
  4. ↑ "Chinggis Khan versus the Unicorn | History Today".

See also

  • Qilin — another Chinese unicorn.
  • Xiezhi — a legendary creature able to detect truth
  • Sin-you — a Japanese legendary creature able to detect truth


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