石麒麟 Stone Kylin

文物时间：早先安置于圆明园大宫门前，刻成时间不晚于雍正三年（1725年）。乾隆六年（1741年），修建安佑宫时，此石麒麟被移至安佑。1925年从圆明园移入北京大学。 
文物位置：办公楼以西 
文物类别：石刻雕塑 
Time: They were built no later than 1725 and placed in front of Yuanmingyuan at first. In 1741, when constructing AnYou palace, they were moved to AnYou. In 1925, they were moved from Yuanmingyuan to Beijing University. 
Location: west of Administrative Building 
Category: Stone inscription

文物特色

麒麟高174cm，须弥座高98cm，正面宽141cm，侧面宽195cm，刻工细腻，巧夺天工。但其实，每尊石麒麟与其基座是由两块石头刻成后拼接而成的，接缝的距上面19厘米处，由于这里断面向里收缩，接缝很难被发现。 
 

历史溯源

麒麟原位于圆明园里，是圆明园安佑宫前的守护神，圆明园的遗留文物之一。 圆明园被毁之后，所幸这对石麒麟没有遭到破坏。此后很久，石麒麟一直留在圆明园内。到清末时，被文物盗卖者从中盗出，准备高价出卖。当时的朗润园园主载涛知道后，便出高价买到这对石麒麟。以后载涛把朗润园卖给燕大作为新校址，石麒麟也归燕大所有。存放在朗润园多年以后，才放置在现在这个位置。

麒麟在中国传统文化当中是“圣兽”，是吉祥崇高的化身，其形象在威武雄健之中不乏秀美和善之气，所以常被置于宫门之前以作装饰点缀用。

Distinguishing Feature

The Kylins are 174 centimeters in height, 141 centimeters in width in the obverse side and 195 centimeters in width in the side face, which has a 98-centimeter high Sumeru seat. They are carved delicately and of supernatural workmanship. But in fact, every stone Kylin base is jointed by two carved stones. The gap is 19 centimeters away from the upper surface, which is hard to be observed because of shrink.

History

They were placed in Yuanmingyuan at first and they were patron saints in front of AnYou Palace. They were moved here after the construction of Yenching University.

Cultural relic moral: Kylins are holy beast in Chinese traditional culture. They are incarnations of good fortune. Their images are combined with power and kindness, so they are often used for decoration in front of palace gates.