Antique paired incense burners "Qilin with pheasants". Both qilins are made of bronze. Asia, 20th century. Incense burners were placed in temples and homes so that incense could cleanse the space of evil energies. Qilin is a mythical creature of divine origin that lives in the underworld and guards treasures. The pheasants on the lids here also act as an allegory for the phoenix bird, which, along with the turtle, tiger and dragon, is a sacred animal.