vil or military official???s place in the hierarchy. (Degrees of civil officialdom were represented by birds such as cranes or pheasants, while military rank was indicated by fiercer animals, such as tigers, leopards, lions, and the legendary quilin.)This article is filed under Art, Art & Design, China.Book Review: Van Gogh: The Life by Steven Naifeh and Gregory White Smithby Ed VovesDecember 15th