Sima Qian was a Chinese historian.
Text[]
Shiji, Annals, Xiao wu benji[]
Chinese original[]
其明年，郊雍，獲一角獸，若麃然。有司曰：「陛下肅祗郊祀，上帝報享，錫一角獸，蓋麟云。」於是以薦五畤，畤加一牛以燎。錫諸侯白金，風符應合于天也。
English translation (Burton Watson, 1961)[]
The following year (122 B.C.E.) when the emperor went to Yong to perform the suburban sacrifice he captured a beast with one horn which looked like a unicorn. The officials announced, ‘Since your majesty has performed the suburban sacrifice with such reverence and care, the Lord on High has seen fit to reward you by presenting this one-horned beast. Is this not what is called a unicorn (lin)?’ The emperor thereupon visited the Five Altars and presented an additional burnt offering of an ox at each one. He presented the white metal coins, symbolic of the auspicious white deer, to the various feudal lords as a hint to them that he had by now received the necessary omens proving that he had found favour with Heaven.
Shiji, Biographies, Sima Xiangru's Biography[]
Chinese original[]
其北則盛夏含凍裂地，涉冰揭河；獸則麒麟角端，騊駼橐駞，蛩蛩驒騱，駃騠驢騾。