The Kirin is a mythical hooved Chinese chimerical creature known throughout various East Asian cultures, and is said to appear in conjunction with the arrival of a sage. It is a good omen that brings rui .The earliest references to the Kirin are in the 5th century BC book Zuo Zhuan. The Kirin made appearances in a variety of subsequent Chinese works of history and fiction. At one point, however, it became identified with the giraffe, and even today, the giraffe is called a "Kirin" in Korean and Japanese. Although it looks fearsome, the Kirin only punishes the wicked. It can walk on water and not trample grass.