Qilin Tattoo

The Qilin tattoo in Ultimate Note

**The Qilin Tattoo** is a tattoo designed after the mythical creature Qilin. The tattoo is usually associated with the main Zhang Family. It only appears when the body reaches a certain temperature.

The Qilin tattoo should not be confused with the Qiongqi Tattoo.

## Overview

The tattoo is made from "a special mixture of herbal medicine and poultry blood." The tattoo may also be made from the juice of a prickly plant. It only appears when the body reaches a certain temperature. This method made it possible in ancient times to check Miao children's body temperature when they had wet fever.

### Methods of Getting the Qilin Tattoo

The Qilin tattoo is usually tattooed on a child. In *The Mystic Nine 2*, a "small portion of the Zhang family’s tattoos would first appear during infancy[.]" They could tell by the scales whether it would be a Qilin or a Qiongqi since Qiongqi do not have scales. However, this explanation was removed in *The Mystic Nine 2*'s published version.

In the extra *Zhang Yueshan*, a baby Zhang had a small tattoo of a fish tattooed on his arm. As the child grew up, the tattoo would be painted and expanded into either a Qiongqi or Qilin.

## Depictions

### Zhang Qiling

Wu Xie initially describes the color of Zhang Qiling's tattoo as blue-green (青色). Later he only refers to the tattoo as black. The tattoo depicts the Qilin stepping on fire and raging winds. It spreads over the left side of his chest and continues up his shoulder. The full tattoo is visible after extremely intense fighting.

Zhang Qiling's tattoo is a map of an ancient Yao village.

### Pan Ma

Pan Ma's tattoo is black and depicts the Qilin stepping on fire and raging winds. The tattoo was given to him by a passing Miao shaman when he was a child. The tattoo prevents Gu and it’s said that those with this tattoo can pass through the Miao village without any hindrance.

## Qilin Mythology

### Background Mythology

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The Qilin is a Chinese mythical creature that varies in appearance. It is often depicted with the head of a dragon with one or two horns, the hooves of a deer, the body of a deer or horse, the tail of an ox or bear, and blue-green scales.

Its symbolism has varied throughout the centuries but has remained as a symbol for good. The creature originally symbolized peace and gentleness but acquired the features of strength and power such as pursuing evildoers. It was carved on gravestones to protect from evil spirits and accompany the dead to the afterlife.

### Daomu Biji Mythology

Qilins were a harsh judge of the wicked and represented a fierce, but irresistibly positive force. If people with Qilin tattoos did the right thing, then they would be very quick and strong, but if they did the wrong thing, then they would be burned by the Qilin. It was a kind of contractual beast, while the qiongqi was the opposite.

## Gallery

Qilin statue at the Summer Palace in BeijingQilin statue in front of the Forbidden City's Yanhui hall in BeijingZhang Qiling's tattoo in the Southern Archives comicZhang Qiling's tattoo in Ultimate Note
## References

1. ↑ Southern Archives, Chapter 43
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 Volume 6, Chapter 54
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 The Mystic Nine 2, Chapter 13
4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Zhang Yueshan Extra
5. ↑ Volume 1, Chapter 25. Qingse (青色) can also refer to the dark blue color that black tattoos fade to over time.
6. ↑ Volume 6, Chapter 10
7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Volume 6, Chapter 49
8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 Volume 6, Chapter 8
9. ↑ Volume 6, Chapter 15
10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 China Daily, *Magical Chinese Unicorn Qilin*
11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 Chinese Mythology Podcast, Episode 51: Chinese Unicorn
12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 The World of Chinese, *The Legendary Qilin*
13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 Fantasy (Extra), Chapter 20