Bai Ze(白泽)

Bai Ze (白泽) is a legendary creature from ancient Chinese mythology, known for its deep connection to the spirit world. According to tradition, Bai Ze appeared to the Yellow Emperor (Huangdi) during one of his journeys to the edges of the known world. The creature was said to have complete knowledge of all supernatural beings, including gods, ghosts, and demons. At the emperor’s request, Bai Ze described thousands of these entities, explaining their appearances, behaviors, and weaknesses. This information was compiled into a text called the Bai Ze Tu, or "Diagram of Bai Ze," which served as a guide for identifying and protecting against spiritual threats.

During the Tang Dynasty, the legend of Bai Ze spread to Japan, where the creature retained both its name and mythological role. Over time, different descriptions of Bai Ze emerged in Chinese sources. The Ming Dynasty encyclopedia San Cai Tu Hui described Bai Ze as having green hair, the head of a loong (Chinese dragon), a horn growing from its forehead, and the ability to fly. In the History of Yuan, Bai Ze is portrayed as having a tiger’s head, a red mane, the body of a loong, and a single horn. These features combined traits from powerful and auspicious animals in Chinese symbolism.

Although the original Bai Ze Tu no longer survives in full, an incomplete version is preserved in a Dunhuang manuscript known as Baize Jing Guai Tu, or "Bai Ze’s Diagrams of Spectral Prodigies." This manuscript, believed to have been copied in the 9th or 10th century, is now held in the National Library of France (cataloged as P2682). It does not include an image of Bai Ze itself, but the title suggests it once featured extensive illustrations of more than 11,000 spirits and otherworldly beings, as described in the original legend.

In the folk traditions of imperial China, Bai Ze came to represent protection against evil and misfortune. The creature was believed to have the power to expel harmful spirits and prevent supernatural disasters. According to surviving accounts, the remaining scrolls of the Baize Jing Guai Tu included descriptions of strange omens, malevolent ghosts, the damage they could cause, and ways to guard against them. In some regions, it became customary to hang drawings or scrolls of Bai Ze in the home as a form of spiritual defense. These images were also used in prayers for good health and family safety, reinforcing Bai Ze’s role as both a sage of the spirit world and a guardian against unseen dangers.