Legend says that the xiezhi could tell right from wrong. This is the xiezhi Sculpture. It stands as a silent guardian of justice. The xiezhi is a mythical creature from Chinese legends. It looks like an ox or goat. Its dark fur is thick. Its eyes are bright. A single long horn sits on its forehead.
The xiezhi is intelligent. It understands human speech. This creature knows right from wrong. Corrupt officials beware. The xiezhi will ram you. It uses its horn. Then, it devours the guilty. Thus, it is a symbol of justice.
Long ago, the xiezhi helped Emperor Shun’s minister. This minister was Gao Yao. He used the xiezhi in court. The xiezhi would ram the guilty. It spared the innocent. Wang Chong wrote about this in 80 AD. Public offices displayed images of the xiezhi.
Dynasties promoted the xiezhi. It became a symbol of law. Even judicial hats were named after it. Censors wore xiezhi hats. This was especially true during impeachment trials.
King Wen of Chu wore a xiezhi image. It was on his head. Soon, it became fashionable. Law officials in the Qin and Han dynasties wore xiezhi crowns too. In the Eastern Han dynasty, the xiezhi was an important ornament. Law enforcement officials were even called xiezhi.
Mentions of the xiezhi appear in Han dynasty literature. Sima Xiangru mentions it. He calls it a sagacious stag. Yáng Fú described the xiezhi. He called it a righteous beast. It rams the wrongful. It bites the unjust. The Shuowen Jiezi describes it. It is a cattle-like beast. It has one horn. It settles disputes by ramming.
The xiezhi embodies justice and law. Censors in the Ming and Qing eras wore it. It was a badge of office. Common people believed it dispelled evil. They carved it on locks. This scared away evil spirits. Military police in the Republic of China wore xiezhi badges. It is even engraved on gavels in Chinese law courts.
Linguists have studied the name xiezhi. Axel Schuessler believes the name relates to understanding right from wrong. The animal might be related to deer hunted in the Shang period.
Juha Janhunen suggests the xiezhi may have inspired the qilin. Both are one-horned. Both know right from wrong. The graphs for xiezhi might have meant different animals. Over time, they became confused.
In 2022, a prehistoric giraffoid was named after the xiezhi. Its skull had a bony plate. It resembled the xiezhi’s horn.
In Japan, the xiezhi is called kaichi. It is like a lion with one horn. In Korea, it is haetae. It protects against fire. Sculptures of haetae stand guard at Gyeongbok Palace. A cartoon haetae is Seoul’s mascot.
So here stands the xiezhi Sculpture, its legacy echoes through time. Justice, integrity, and the eternal battle between right and wrong.