AI portrait · painted from traditional descriptions
Ying Zhao
Yīng Zhāo
A divine beast in Chinese mythology, guardian of the garden of the gods, with a horse's body and a human face, adorned with tiger stripes and bird wings.
- First recorded in
- Shan Hai Jing (Classic of Mountains and Seas)
- Habitat
- The garden of the gods (often associated with the Kunlun Mountains and the realm of the Queen Mother of the West)
AI-answered entry — recovered by the DeepSeek archivist and not yet part of the curated dataset.
WHO THEY ARE
Ying Zhao is a mythical creature recorded in the Shan Hai Jing, specifically in the section about the Western Mountains. It is described as a guardian of the celestial garden of the gods, often associated with the realm of the Queen Mother of the West. It is said to roam the earthly realm and proclaim orders from the heavens, acting as a divine messenger and protector of sacred grounds. Its depiction blends characteristics of a horse, a human, a tiger, and a bird, symbolizing power, wisdom, and divine authority.
Appearance
It has the body of a horse, a human face, tiger stripes on its body, and bird wings on its back, allowing it to fly.
Powers & Abilities
- Flight
- Divine guardianship
- Proclaiming heavenly orders