Mah Jongg Treasures: Art, Design and Inspiration

Mah Jongg Treasures:
Art, Design and Inspiration
by Gregg & Woody Swain
Photography by Michel Arnaud
Chapter 3
Mythological Beasts
The Qilin
The fabulous Chinese qilin is often called a “Chinese
unicorn,” although it usually has two horns. Like the
mythological griffon of western culture, it is an amalgam
of several animals. A qilin has a deer-shaped body,
with skin of blue or green scales along with the head of
a dragon, the mane of a horse, the cloven hooves of an
ox, and a long, luxuriant tail. Its rare appearance often
coincides with the birth or death of an illustrious ruler.
It never walks on growing grass or eats living vegetation.
Occasionally the qilin is numbered among the Four
Heraldic animals, replacing the tiger. This beast is a
good omen also thought to bring prosperity or serenity.
A detail of an exceptionally rare ivory Flower tile
depicting one of the most unusual Chinese
mythological creatures, the qilin. Note how the
natural cross-hatching of the ivory lends itself to
the scales in his body.
Opposite: page: This Mah Jongg box is actually called
the Qilin Mahjong Set, as the creature can be seen on
the front panel in great detail with scales and a bushy
tail. Another fantastic creature, a dragon, rests atop
the box, as a handle.
A cast bronze qilin statue guarding
The Forbidden City in Beijing.
A qilin’s entire body is beautifully realized on
this Mah Jongg tile of ivory.
Following spread: A detail of an official badge of a
ceremonial silk robe depicting a qilin in the collection
of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.
The qilin’s horns and hooves are visible, as well as his
scaly body. On a background of this robe we see ruyi
shaped clouds. Flames, representing fire, are one of
the 12 Auspicious Symbols in Chinese art.
Chinese Dragons
Of all the mythological creatures in China, this reptilian
beast is the highest ranking of the Four Heraldic Animals.
The Chinese dragon is also one of the most complex
creatures, as it is a mix of mythology and cosmology.
Considered to be beneficent and kind, this dragon,
while formidable, is quite different from the variety that
destroyed villages and terrorized populations
of European folklore.
To the Chinese, the dragon symbolizes strength, and
was therefore associated with the Emperor. Only the
monarch was allowed to wear clothing with a five toed
dragon; lesser officials wore four and three-toed versions. Dragons appear in Mah Jongg, on tiles, boxes,
racks, bettors and mings.
Opposite: A detail from a Mah Jongg box lid carved
from a single piece of wood, highlighting the head of
a Chinese dragon.
These pages: The bas-relief smoke-breathing dragon
on the front of this mahogany Mah Jongg box (left), is not
so very different from the large ceramic one from this
detail on a wall in Beijing’s Forbidden City (right).
Following Spread: A delightful trio of dragons printed
on wooden tiles from Fulton Specialty Company.
This intricate dragon, carved on bone, is a Flower
tile. Note his horns, and whiskers. Although the blue
markings at the bottom resemble fish, they really
are the dragon’s claws, sticking out through heavenly
clouds.
The side panel of an inlaid bone box shows another
smoke-breathing dragon, surrounded by flames.The
“pearl” is a cutout circle also engulfed by fire, above
a toad from the legend of Liu Hai. This three-legged
amphibian is a symbol of the moon, as well as longevity.
This wooden Mah Jongg box occupies a place of
prominence in its new owner’s home outside
London, and holds a wonderful set of Chinese
Bakelite tiles. Below the dragon’s head is a “flaming
pearl.” Dragons are often depicted playing with
pearls in the clouds, thought to cause rainfall.
Inside the box, the carvings are as charming as on
the exterior. On the bottom corners are endless
knots, symbolizing longevity.
.
Opposite: A Dragon Robe of silk worn by an emperor
in the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). The creature
is looking directly at the viewer, a true symbol of
strength. He has five splayed toes, a symbol of the
Royal Court, and his shimmering gold, scaly body
surrounds a flaming pearl. This is in the Metropolitan
Museum of Art.