Tradition / Region: Chinese Mythology
Alternative names: White Dragon Horse, Jade Dragon, Yì Mǎ (Will Horse)
Category: Horse, Dragon
The Myth
The White Dragon Horse was originally the third son of Ao Run, the Dragon King of the Western Sea. After accidentally burning a sacred pearl bestowed by the Jade Emperor, he was sentenced to death. Guanyin Bodhisattva intervened, sparing his life and instructing him to wait at Eagle Sorrow Gorge for the monk Tang Sanzang, whose pilgrimage to India would become his path to redemption.
Before recognizing the monk, the dragon emerged from the river and devoured Tang Sanzang’s white horse. Guanyin then revealed his true purpose and ordered him to transform into a white horse to replace the one he had eaten. After shedding his dragon horns and scales, he became Tang Sanzang’s faithful mount, carrying the monk throughout the long journey to obtain the Buddhist scriptures.
Unlike Sun Wukong, Zhu Bajie, and Sha Wujing, the White Dragon Horse rarely fought. He quietly endured the hardships of the journey, serving with unwavering loyalty while transporting his master across mountains, rivers, and deserts.
His greatest act of heroism came when Tang Sanzang was captured by the Yellow-Robed Demon after Sun Wukong had been dismissed from the pilgrimage. Realizing that the entire quest would fail if he remained passive, the White Dragon Horse cast off his saddle, transformed back into his dragon form, and infiltrated the demon’s palace disguised as a palace maid. Although he was defeated and wounded in battle, he escaped and urged Zhu Bajie to seek out Sun Wukong and beg him to return, leading to Tang Sanzang’s rescue.
After the successful completion of the pilgrimage and the return with the sacred scriptures, the Buddha rewarded the White Dragon Horse for his faithful service by elevating him to the rank of Guangli Bodhisattva of the Eight Heavenly Dragons. He then regained his true dragon form in the Dragon Transformation Pool and took his place among the celestial dragon guardians of the Buddhist paradise.
Sources
Wikipedia contributors. (n.d.). 白龙马. In 维基百科，自由的百科全书. Retrieved June 29, 2026, from https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E7%99%BD%E9%BE%99%E9%A9%AC