Yongtai Village Gate - Toronto, Ontario - Gates of Distinction on Waymarking.com

Located in the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto, the placard accompanying these gates explains:

"Carved panels of tomb gate

Yongtai Village near Beijing
Limestone
c.1660-1700, Qing dynasty

Some of Zu Dashou's more important
sons had their own enclosed family
graveyards, constructed next to their
father's. These panels, carved with
mythical qilin animals, come from the
gate which guarded the graveyard of
one of these sons."

As for the "qilin", Wikipedia (visit link) informs us that the creature:

"...is a mythical hooved Chinese chimerical creature known throughout various East Asian cultures, and is said to appear with the imminent arrival or passing of a wise sage or an illustrious ruler. It is a good omen that brings rui (Chinese: ?; pinyin: ruì; roughly translated as "serenity" or "prosperity"). It is often depicted with what looks like fire all over its body. It is sometimes misleadingly called the "Chinese unicorn" due to conflation with the unicorn by Westerners."

Location of this 'Gate': Other Type of material: Other Enter any comments or observation about this gate.: Thought these were dragons at first... The Museum's explanation is helpful to not make that mistake again. Rate the 'Gate':

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Date Logged Log User Rating   05/31/2012 Metro2 visited it