#明代的麒麟神獸就是長頸鹿
史上最為人熟知的「盛世吉兆」，莫過於榜葛剌國（今天的孟加拉國和印度之西孟加拉邦）所進獻的長頸鹿。在《明史・成祖本紀》中記載 榜葛剌 在永樂十二年(1414) 遣使奉表上貢麒麟。
長頸鹿在明代被視為麒麟神獸，並象徵祥瑞，附圖的這件〈明人畫麒麟沈度頌〉有翰林院沈度（1357-1434）撰寫〈瑞應麒麟頌〉，以紀念來自遙遠國度的瑞應事件，由宮廷畫家繪圖並抄寫頌詞於其上，再由皇帝頒賜給臣子，達到政治宣傳的目的。
※據《西洋朝貢典錄校注》，麒麟即是長頸鹿，由東非販運而來，阿拉伯語稱之為zurafa（譯作「徂剌法」或「徂蠟」），麒麟則是索馬里方言語giri之對音。
【明人 畫麒麟沈度頌(軸)】 Kylin Painting with an Ode by Shen Du
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四方來朝—職貢圖特展（2020/01/01 ~ 03/25）
陳列室：210, 212 【北部院區】第一展覽區
The Four Quarters Come to Court: A Special Exhibition of Envoys Presenting Tribute (01 JAN 2020 ~25 MAR 2020)
Gallery: 210, 212 (Northern Branch) Exhibition Area I
網站(Website): https://theme.npm.edu.tw/exh109/FourQuarters
日本語：https://theme.npm.edu.tw/exh109/FourQuarters/jp/page-2.html
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【Kylin Painting with an Ode by Shen Du】
Anonymous, Ming dynasty (1368-1644)
Hanging scroll, ink and colors on silk, 90.4 x 45 cm
A record in "Annals of Emperor Chengzu" from the History of the Ming states that in 1414 (the 14th year of Chengzu's Yongle reign) the state of Banggela (Bengala of modern Bangladesh and West Bengal of India) came to the Ming court and presented tribute in the form of an animal called a "kylin (qilin)." As it turns out, the term for this mythical beast was also used in the Ming dynasty to refer to a giraffe, a tribute item originally from Africa.
After Bengala became part of the Ming tributary system in 1408, it maintained close contact with the Chinese court. To commemorate the presentation of this auspicious beast from a distant land, Shen Du (1357-1434) of the Hanlin Academy composed and calligraphed "Eulogy on an Auspicious Kylin," which was illustrated by a court painter. Shen Du's text is transcribed at the top of this painting, and copies were presented to high officials as propaganda to extol the emperor's virtuous rule, as evidenced by the appearance of this auspicious animal.
