Bai Ze
白泽
The all-knowing beast who taught the Yellow Emperor about every supernatural creature.
Origin Story
What Is Bai Ze?
Bai Ze is one of the most unique creatures in Chinese mythology — not a fighter or a trickster, but a scholar. It has the body of a lion, nine eyes spread across its body, six horns, and a human-like face. Its defining trait is omniscience: it knows every supernatural creature in existence, including their names, forms, and how to defeat them.
Bai Ze is essentially a living encyclopedia of the supernatural, making it the ultimate protective creature — not through force, but through knowledge.
Bai Ze is a mystical beast from Chinese mythology that knows the true name, appearance, and weakness of every supernatural creature in existence. It appeared to the Yellow Emperor and shared its knowledge, creating the first bestiary of the supernatural.
Powers & Symbols
Attributes & Artefacts
Click each card to reveal the details behind Bai Ze's divine attributes.
Historical & Cultural Meaning
Beyond the Myth
Bai Ze and the Yellow Emperor
According to legend, the Yellow Emperor (Huangdi) was traveling in the East China Sea when he encountered Bai Ze on the shore of a great sea. The creature shared its complete knowledge of all 11,520 types of supernatural beings with the emperor, explaining each one's appearance, habits, and vulnerabilities.
The Yellow Emperor ordered this information recorded in a book called the Baize Tu (Diagram of Bai Ze). This book became a vital reference for exorcists, Taoist priests, and travelers — anyone who might encounter demons, spirits, or monsters could consult it to learn how to protect themselves.
Though the original Baize Tu has been lost to history, its influence persisted for centuries. Having an image of Bai Ze was believed to provide the same protection as knowing all the information it contained — the creature's image itself warded off evil.
Bai Ze in Chinese Culture
Bai Ze represents the Chinese belief that knowledge is the ultimate weapon against evil. Rather than fighting demons with force, the proper approach is to know them — their names, their natures, their weaknesses. This reflects the broader Chinese scholarly tradition, where study and understanding are valued above brute strength.
In modern Japanese culture, Bai Ze (known as Hakutaku) remains a popular figure, appearing in anime and manga as a wise, all-knowing creature. The concept of a being who catalogs all supernatural creatures continues to inspire fantasy worldbuilding.
Mythology Relationship
ConnectedEntities
The myths of Bai Ze weave through a larger web of gods, creatures, and legends.