Chénghuáng

乘黃Chenghuang

The spine-horned fox mount of the White People in the Shan Hai Jing: with horns on its spine, riding it grants two thousand years of life.《山海经》记载白民国神兽乘黄：状如狐而背上有角，乘之寿二千岁。

Horn角

Antlers on back脊背端生双角

其背上有角

Body身形

Fox-like form身形矫健若狐

其狀如狐

Mount乘骑

Grants 2,000-year longevity骑乘可寿两千

乘之壽二千歲

Realm国度

People with draped hair身洁白而披发

白身披髮

Woodblock print from Gujin Tushu Jicheng showing Chenghuang, a fox-like beast with horns growing from its spine背上有角Dorsal horns脊背角端背上有角Dorsal horns脊背角端其狀如狐Fox-like head灵狐面额其狀如狐Fox-like head灵狐面额狐身Fox body矫捷狐身狐身Fox body矫捷狐身狐尾Bushy tail蓬松长尾狐尾Bushy tail蓬松长尾
白民之國，有乘黃

In the country of the White People, there is Chenghuang.

山海經·海外西經
Chenghuang Tu 乘黃圖, the spine-horned fox mount that confers two thousand years of life. Gujin Tushu Jicheng 古今圖書集成, Animal Kingdom, juan 209, woodblock print, 1726清·陈梦雷等编《古今图书集成·禽虫典》卷二百零九“乘黄图”，雍正四年（1726）铜活字印本 · Public domain公有领域

Highlighted words: anatomy part · feature · form type — tap to jump标色词：形态部位 · 特征 · 形态类别，点击可跳转

The texts原文

Original Text & Translation原文与译文

山海經·海外西經 · Shan Hai Jing · Wikisource

白民之國在龍魚北，白身披髮。有乘黃，其狀如狐，其背上有角，乘之壽二千歲。
The Country of the White People lies north of the Dragon Fish; their bodies are white and their hair is draped down. There is Chenghuang; it resembles a fox with horns upon its back; whoever rides it will live two thousand years.

Comparing the Books典籍对比

Later literary tradition often linked Chenghuang with Feihuang (飞黄), using the phrase 'feihuang tengda' (飞黄腾达) to signify rapid soaring success, though the ancient Classic records it specifically as a long-lived fox beast of the White People.

The story来历与故事

The spine-horned divine mount of the White People in the Shan Hai Jing: resembling a fox with horns upon its back, riding it bestows two thousand years of life.

The Beast of the White People白民神兽：其名曰乘黄

Chenghuang is a spine-horned fox mount in the West.《海外西经》记载白民之国有乘黄，其背上有角。

In the Classic of Regions Beyond the Western Seas, Chenghuang inhabits the Country of the White People, north of the Dragon Fish.

The people of this country possess pure white bodies and draped flowing hair, living alongside this sacred horned beast.

Fox Form, Dorsal Horns, and Longevity状如狐而背角：乘之寿二千

It has horns upon its back and grants 2,000 years of life.经文记其状如狐，其背上有角，乘之寿二千岁。

The Shan Hai Jing describes Chenghuang as shaped like a fox, distinguished by prominent horns sprouting directly from its spine.

Ancient texts declare that whoever rides this divine mount attains a magnificent lifespan of two thousand years ('cheng zhi shou er qian sui').

The Gujin Tushu Jicheng Woodblock Print清代图谱：背角乘黄

Woodblock prints illustrate its fox-like form with upright dorsal antlers.《古今图书集成》画其为一头身如狐狸、背脊耸立峥嵘双角之神兽。

The 1726 imperial encyclopedia Gujin Tushu Jicheng portrays Chenghuang trotting alertly with paired horns rising from its shoulders.

The woodblock engraving illustrates its elegant fox snout, curling plume tail, and title cartouche reading Chenghuang Tu in the upper right.

Record档案

Record Card档案卡

TypeSpine-Horned Beast (fox-like mount whose rider gains two thousand years of life)
Also known asChénghuáng 乘黃; Feihuang (飛黃)
HabitatCountry of the White People (白民之國) beyond the Western Seas, north of the Dragon Fish
BoonRiding upon it confers a miraculous longevity of two thousand years (乘之壽二千歲)
Earliest source山海經·海外西經
Source books山海經·海外西經
Image sourceChen Menglei 陳夢雷 (ed.) · Wikimedia Commons
LicensePublic domain
Fox SpiritsAuspiciousShan Hai JingBeast-bodied兽身

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Chenghuang look like in the Shan Hai Jing?

The classic describes Chenghuang as shaped like a fox with horns growing from its spine ('shaped like a fox, with horns upon its back').

What special blessing is granted by riding Chenghuang?

Ancient texts record that riding upon Chenghuang grants a lifespan of two thousand years ('riding it gives a lifespan of two thousand years').

How is Chenghuang related to the Chinese idiom Feihuang Tengda?

Later folklore often conflated Chenghuang with Feihuang (飞黄), a legendary divine steed whose rapid gallop inspired the idiom for rapid career ascent.

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