Painting description
- Material: Oil painting
- Size: 80 cm x 120 cm
- Creation year: 2023
In intercultural communication, the unicorn appeared in the quartet of spirits and became the mascot with an important position in Vietnamese feudal art.
The unicorn in the Nguyen Dynasty is another name for the Nghe in the pre-Nguyen era, heavily influenced by the Phat su (lion) of Indian Buddhist culture.
It is shaped by grafting made from some parts of other animals, to create more strength and reveal the sacred.
Chineses describe it with the head of a half dragon and half an animal, horns, dog ears, camel forehead, demon eyes, lion nose, horse body, deer legs, ox tail, carp scales. With a gentle disposition, it does not eat other animals, only eats grass, so it is called a kind-hearted animal or human animal.
Legend has it that the unicorn has two children, the golden unicorn and the fire unicorn, who came together to protect the peace in the world.
In Vietnamese culture, the image of the lion is a symbol of the peaceful dynasty. In the spirit of Confucianism, the unicorn is the image of a stable dynasty with a wise king. In another aspect, the unicorn is also a symbol of loyalty. Therefore, the unicorn appears everywhere, from the works for the king to the palaces, mausoleums, lords' palaces and even the Hue folk house, there is a unicorn image in front of the screens, at the main gate. , or decoration in the interior.