Bai ze and Hakutaku




 Bai Ze is a monster from Chinese mythology. It’s also found in Japan, where it’s known as hakutaku. It is a good and pure creature responsible for warding off evil spirits.

The bai ze was a wise and intelligent creature. It was one of the nine spiritual beasts which resided in heaven. Bai ze descended to Earth where it taught the Yellow Emperor about the various harmful ghosts in the world and how to expel them. These lessons resulted in the Bai Ze Diagram, a scroll depicting various harmful spirits and how to ward them off. The Bai Ze is mentioned many times throughout Chinese literature. Over time the bai ze became a protective charm. Images of the beast were hung in homes or carried with people to ward off ghosts and disease.




The bai ze has many varying appearances in Chinese mythology. In the History of Yuan, written in 1370, the bai ze was described as having the head of a tiger, the body of a dragon, a single horn and a red mane. In the Sancai Tuhui, written in 1609, the bai ze is described as having the head of a dragon, with a single horn and a green mane, nothing is said of its body. In modern times the bai ze is depicted as a pure white animal, usually either a lion, ram or dragon, sometimes with wings added.

Hakutaku

The bai ze was brought to Japan in the 9th century by Buddhist monks, where it became known as the hakutaku. The hakutaku was depicted as a white bull, with a human head with three eyes, and an additional set of three eyes and three horns on either side of its body. In Japan the hakutaku was even more often used as a protective amulet against evil spirits and disease. In 1858 people would place an image of the hakutaku under their pillows to protect themselves against the cholera epidemic.

In modern times in China the bai ze has become more a symbol of wisdom and teaching knowledge to others, referencing its role as a teacher to the Yellow Emperor.

Sources 


https://mythologyplanet.com/bai-ze-chinese-mythology/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bai_Ze

https://yokai.com/hakutaku/




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