Chinese Mythology: The Bai Hu (白虎), the white tiger

The Bai Hu (White Tiger), one of the Four Symbols in ancient Chinese mythology, ranks alongside Qing Long (Azure Dragon), Zhu Que (Vermilion Bird), and Xuan Wu (Black Tortoise).

它Tā源yuán于yú远yuǎn古gǔ星xīng宿xiù崇chóng拜bài ， 代dài表biǎo少shào昊hào与yǔ西xī方fāng七qī宿xiù ， 象xiàng征zhēng着zhe西xī方fāng的de灵líng兽shòu 。

Originating from ancient constellation worship, it represents Shao Hao and the Seven Western Constellations, symbolizing the western celestial beast.

白Bái虎hǔ的de形xíng象xiàng为wéi虎hǔ ， 位wèi于yú西xī方fāng ， 属shǔ金jīn ， 色sè白bái ， 因yīn而ér得dé名míng 。

The image of Bai Hu is that of a tiger located in the west, belonging to metal and colored white, hence its name.

它Tā不bù仅jǐn是shì战zhàn神shén 、 杀shā伐fá之zhī神shén ， 还hái被bèi古gǔ人rén视shì为wéi祥xiáng瑞ruì之zhī兽shòu ， 具jù有yǒu辟bì邪xié 、 攘rǎng灾zāi 、 祈qí丰fēng 、 惩chéng恶è扬yáng善shàn 、 发fā财cái致zhì富fù 、 喜xǐ结jié良liáng缘yuán等děng多duō种zhǒng神shén力lì 。

It is not only the god of war and slaughter but also regarded by ancients as an auspicious beast with various divine powers such as warding off evil, dispelling disasters, praying for harvests, punishing evil and promoting virtue, bringing wealth, and fostering happy marriages.

古Gǔ人rén认rèn为wéi ， 当dāng王wáng者zhě德dé行xíng高gāo尚shàng ， 国guó家jiā昌chāng盛shèng时shí ， 白bái虎hǔ就jiù会huì出chū现xiàn ， 象xiàng征zhēng国guó家jiā的de吉jí祥xiáng和hé安ān宁níng 。

Ancients believed that when the ruler’s virtue was high and the country prosperous, Bai Hu would appear, symbolizing national auspiciousness and peace.

白Bái虎hǔ生shēng性xìng好hào斗dòu ， 战zhàn力lì无wú双shuāng ， 许xǔ多duō猛měng将jiàng被bèi传chuán为wéi白bái虎hǔ星xīng转zhuǎn世shì ， 如rú唐táng代dài大dà将jiàng罗luó成chéng 、 薛xuē仁rén贵guì等děng 。

Bai Hu is naturally combative and unmatched in strength, with many brave generals being said to be reincarnations of the White Tiger Star, such as Tang Dynasty generals Luo Cheng and Xue Rengui.

白Bái虎hǔ不bù仅jǐn受shòu到dào汉hàn族zú人rén的de崇chóng拜bài ， 也yě影yǐng响xiǎng了le彝yí族zú 、 白bái族zú 、 布bù依yī族zú 、 土tǔ家jiā族zú等děng许xǔ多duō民mín族zú 。

Bai Hu is not only worshipped by the Han people but also influences many ethnic groups such as the Yi, Bai, Buyei, and Tujia.

虎Hǔ被bèi视shì为wéi百bǎi兽shòu之zhī王wáng ， 白bái虎hǔ更gèng是shì尊zūn贵guì和hé权quán势shì的de象xiàng征zhēng 。

The tiger is regarded as the king of beasts, and Bai Hu is even more a symbol of nobility and power.

然Rán而ér ， 在zài一yī些xiē古gǔ书shū中zhōng ， 白bái虎hǔ也yě被bèi描miáo述shù为wéi会huì食shí人rén畜chù的de猛měng兽shòu ， 但dàn这zhè并bìng不bù妨fáng碍ài它tā在zài民mín间jiān信xìn仰yǎng中zhōng的de崇chóng高gāo地dì位wèi 。