Pixiu has many records in the Chinese classics:
There is a record of Pixiu in the "Book of Rites and Quli" during the Warring States Period, describing it as a fierce beast that can be carried to drive away evil beasts.
In the Han Dynasty, Pixiu was regarded as a fierce beast, and was known as the five great beasts along with dragons, phoenixes, turtles, and unicorns. It is recorded in "Xiao Erya Guangyan": "Clear, except also." ”；It is also recorded in the "Urgent Chapter": "Shoot the evil to ward off evil spirits and eliminate the group of murderers." Yan Shigu notes: "Shooting, warding off evil spirits, are all the names of divine beasts." ......Ward off evil spirits, words can ward off demons and evils. ", indicating that warding off evil is the name of a divine beast. 、
According to the records of the Five Emperors, more than 4,000 years ago, the Yellow Emperor domesticated tigers, leopards, pixiu and other powerful animals to charge into battle for the army, and defeated Emperor Yan in Hanquan (now Zhuolu County, Hebei Province).
Book of Han "Tang Dynasty, "Wang's Shinto Tablet" recorded: "General Xuan, Xuanxiu Absolute Group";"Jin Shu Xiong Yuan Biography" records: "The man who lives Pixiu, the precursor of Mingqi", these are all using Pixiu as a metaphor for brave warriors. In addition, Jiang Ziya was marching, and once met a Pixiu on the way to the army, Jiang Ziya knew that it was a fierce divine object, so he used the spell taught to him by his master to subdue it, and took it to many victories. Later, King Wu made Pixiu an official, and the official name was Yun.
In the Yuan Dynasty, the second wedge of "The Legend of the West Chamber" also mentioned that "envy the prestige of millions of pixiu and sit on the border", describing the might and stability of the army.
In the legend of Pixiu, there is a famous story about "only in but not out". Pixiu fed on gold and silver treasures, and was loved by the Jade Emperor, but ate too much treasure and ate the fruits of it.
In the legend, Pixiu is also a fierce beast, and the heart of the protector is particularly strong, and it has the effect of warding off evil spirits. In ancient times, it was also used to refer to brave warriors, and Zhuge Liang once sang a sentence in the Peking Opera "Lost Street Pavilion, Empty City Strategy, Horse Chopping Horse", "Each is its main commander Pixiu", "Pixiu" means male division.
In the South, some people refer to it as a "monster" or a "four-like" and so on. Traditional Chinese Xi is the custom of decorating Pixiu, a fictional animal like dragons, phoenixes and unicorns, which is believed to bring joy and good luck.
In addition, some characteristics of Pixiu are also recorded in ancient classics. For example, it has a body like a tiger and a leopard, a dragon-like head and tail, a gold and jade color, a pair of wings on its shoulders that cannot be extended, and a horn on its head and a back. In ancient times, it was divided into one or two corners, one corner was called "Tianlu", and the two corners were called "evil spirits". The shape of Pixiu is mainly single-horned.
Overall, from the Han Dynasty to the Yuan Dynasty, the Pixiu has been depicted in ancient classics as a fierce, mighty and sacred beast, often used to symbolize brave warriors and a stable frontier.
The Divine Beasts of the Mountains and Seas