This delicately-potted pair of teacups are painted with mythical creatures that appear to be the qilin. The imaginary beast, which was thought to possess the physical attributes of various animals, was highly popular in Chinese art and culture. Although the qilin on this pair of teacups are rather sketchily painted, some of these features can still be discerned, such as the hooves and bushy tail. The qilin was very auspicious as it is believed to embody attributes such as benevolence, longevity and the bearing of illustrious offspring.
