A legendary beast of Chinese folklore, revered as a sacred creature. Almost never appearing to humans, the word "Kirin" has become synonymous with "mythical creature" in China.
It resembles a deer in appearance and stands three to five meters tall. Male Kirin have horns which only sprout from their heads when they are angry and crackle with lightning. They are thus sometimes viewed as sacred creatures of thunder. Kirin rarely become angry, but will strike down any who threaten or cause harm to nature and living things with bolts of purifying lightning.
According to the Chinese Classic of Rites, the Feng Huang (Phoenix), the Turtle, the Dragon, and the Kirin are together referred to as the "Four Symbols." This is why children who show exceptional talent at a young age are called "Kirin children."
The Kirin is sometimes counted among the Nine Children of the Dragon.

From: Shin Megami Tensei: Imagine