Mythical animal. Excavated in Luoyang, Henan Province. Eastern Han dynasty, 25 - 220 CE. Stone, height 122 cm, length 165 cm. National Museum of Chinese History, Beijing. © The Israel Museum.

Detail: head. Mythical animal. Excavated in Luoyang, Henan Province. Eastern Han dynasty, 25 - 220 CE. Stone, height 122 cm, length 165 cm. National Museum of Chinese History, Beijing. © The Israel Museum.

Detail: body. Mythical animal. Excavated in Luoyang, Henan Province. Eastern Han dynasty, 25 - 220 CE. Stone, height 122 cm, length 165 cm. National Museum of Chinese History, Beijing. © The Israel Museum.

Burial grounds were approached through an avenue, a "spirit road," which was flanked by pairs of large stone figures of dignitaries, foreign envoys, and animals.

This vigorously striding animal was one of the first on the road to the tomb. It is a mythical creature, bixie, with the body of a tiger, two horns, and wings, and was meant to frighten away evil spirits.