Raising giraffes in the palace.

1414 (Yongle Emperor, Ming Dynasty)

Zheng He's treasure fleet.

(The largest giant ship in the world of that era)

Sailing to the far East of Africa.

On the way to stop in Bengal.

Meet an ambassador from Malindi.

Which is a small kingdom in Kenya.

Ambassador Malindi brings a strange animal to offer.

And give Zheng He one giraffe.

To be offered to the Yongle Emperor.

When the ship arrived in China, the entire royal court was so excited!

Because they've never seen a giraffe before.

And think of it as "Qilin"?

Gilen is an animal in Chinese mythology.

(Like China's unicorn)

That appears only when the moral emperor is excellent.

As a symbol of peace.

And divine righteousness.

Similar characteristics:

Long neck like a dragon

Polka dots on the body like stars in the sky

The ungulates split like deer.

There are small horns, furry hairs.

Gentle temper. Doesn't hurt anyone.

The royal court immediately declared, "This is the real Gilen!"

A nobleman wrote a great poem saying that this was a sign from heaven that the Yongle Emperor ruled very well.

There are famous paintings from those days.

(For example, in the Philadelphia Museum of Art and the Metropolitan Museum of Art)

Draw a giraffe standing calm beside the caregiver.

But painted in the traditional Chinese style, like Gilen.

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