Si by 陈思宇 (Chén Sīyǔ)
Despite its imposing build and complexion, the Rhinoceros (犀) is an elusive animal in China. Its curious history there made it become a legendary animal from a very real one. Indeed it is possible to find mentions and very naturalistic representations of the rhinoceros from the Shang dinasty. At that point in time the Rhinoceros was represented by the word si (兕) - a beast that was described in the Classic of Mountains and Seas (山海经).
Rhinoceros by Gé Pellini

兕在舜葬东、湘水南。其状如牛，苍黑，一角。
The Rhinoceros lives at the east of Shun's burial place and south of the Xiang River. It looks like an ox, it is dark grey, and has one horn.

After hunted to extinction, as the chinese lost sight of its real appearance, it became gradually represented by a two horned beast, always looking at the moon. In practical terms, the Rhinoceros was in those times chased and its shafts used to build body armors. In later dinasties the Rhinoceros is seen as an auspicious animal, and is particularly remembered by the supposed vigour brought by its horns.


San Francisco Asian Art Museum | 中國國家博物館 (National Museum of China) | Musée Cernuschi>


犀牛望月 The Rhinoceros Gazing at the Moon

陈微明 (Chén Wēimíng) in 犀牛望月 (The Rhinoceros Gazing at the Moon) from 楊氏太極拳 (Yáng Style Tàijíquán)
The Rhinoceros does not appear much in the names of Martial Arts movements, in fact there is only one occurrence: 犀牛望月 (The Rhinoceros Gazing at the Moon), a movement that occurs in Yang Style Taichi Sword (楊氏太極劍), and in Liùhébāfǎ Quán (六合八法拳). It seems to be a reminiscence of older styles, as the name is used on ancient sword manuals. In all instance it represents a backward movement with the weapon in front of the practitioner, as if he is trying to step back to better see the moon and the weapon, as the Rhino's horn, is always in the way. It also has a conotation of absorption, as in the older passages, the moon enters the horn.

The expression is indeed very old, it comes from a late addition to the Daoist Canon, a citation from the Guard at The Mountain Pass (關尹子) , the book that the frontier guard legendary wrote after meeting Laozi, when he was escaping towards the North. In there one can read:

過望則見，蓋犀牛望月之久，故感其影於角
The rhinoceros looks at the moon, and the moon shape enters the horns.

陳亦人 (Chén Yìrén) in 犀牛望月 (The Rhinoceros Gazing at the Moon) from 六合八法拳 (Liùhébāfǎquán)

Various interpretations can be found in modern commentary. One can say that the Rhinoceros (犀) is naive as he does not see that his horn is not his moon. Another commentary says that Rhinoceros (犀) are very sensitive animals, and they express and sense emotions through their horns. This last interpretation is particular interesting, as we can think of the sword as an antenna to detect an opponent's movement or intention.







References:

The Classic of the Mountains and Seas in the Chinese Text Project
The Guan Yinzi in the Chinese Text Project
The Guan Yinzi explained in Benebell Wen's Blog
Rhinoceros Gazing at the Moon Wikipedia Page
The Cultural Connotation of “Rhinoceros Gazes at the Moon" in the International Health Qigong Association
Rhinoceros Looks at the Moon at the Chinese Longsword Page
Jiankun Sun (Auteur), Siyu Chen (Illustrations), Fantastic Creatures of the Mountains and Seas: A Chinese Classic, Arcade, 1 Jun. 2021, ISBN-13 978-1950691388
Jiankun Sun (Auteur), Siyu Chen (Illustrations), Fantastic Creatures of the Mountains and Seas: A Chinese Classic, Arcade, 1 Jun. 2021, ISBN-13 978-1950691388
陳亦人 Chen Yiren, 六合八法拳學 A Study of Liuhebafa Boxing, Hong Kong, September 1st 1969, Translated by Paul Brennan, May 2021
陳微明 Chen Weiming, 太極劍 太極長拳 Taiji Sword including Taiji Long Boxing, 1928, Translated by Paul Brenna, December 2012


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