Goddess Guanyin sitting on a Qilin.

Rare wooden statue of Goddess Guanyin sitting on a Qilin. The bodhisattva of mercy rides the mythical unicorn, symbol of the of luck, good omens, protection, prosperity, success, and longevity by the Chinese. Qilin are also a symbol of fertility, and often depicted in decorations as bringing a baby to a family. 

The qilin may be described or depicted in a variety of ways. Qilin generally have Chinese dragon-like features. Most notably their heads, eyes with thick eyelashes, manes that always flow upward and beards. The body is fully or partially scaled and often shaped like an ox, deer, or horse. They are always shown with cloven hooves. In modern times, the depictions of qilin have often fused with the Western concept of unicorns. Qilin (??) is often translated into English as "unicorn" as it can sometimes be depicted as having a single horn, although this is misleading as qilin may also be depicted as having two horns. A separate word, "one-horned beast", is used in modern Chinese for "unicorns". A number of different Chinese mythical creatures can be depicted with a single horn, and a qilin, even if depicted with one horn, would be called a "one-horned qilin" in Chinese, not a "unicorn".

Kwan Yin or Guanyin or Guan Yin (/?gw??n'j?n/) is the most commonly used Chinese translation of the bodhisattva known as Avalokitesvara. Guanyin is the Buddhist bodhisattva associated with compassion. 

Guanyin also refers to the bodhisattva as adopted by other Eastern religions. She was first given the appellation of "Goddess of Mercy" or the Mercy Goddess by Jesuit missionaries in China. The Chinese name Guanyin is short for Guanshiyin, which means "[The One Who] Perceives the Sounds of the World."