Yingzhao

The Classic of Mountains and Seas: Western Mountains Classic records: 'Mount Huaijiang is in truth the Celestial Emperor’s Level Garden; the deity Yingzhao oversees it. He has the body of a horse and the face of a human, tiger markings upon his body and avian wings upon his back, and patrols the Four Seas; his voice resembles the cracking of pomegranates.' Yingzhao is the mountain god entrusted by the Celestial Emperor to guard the Hanging Garden—the celestial garden located atop Kunlun Mountain, which serves as the Celestial Emperor’s earthly residence—and to traverse the Four Seas to deliver heavenly mandates. Legend holds that during Yu the Great’s assembly of feudal lords at Mount Tushe and his campaigns against the Sanmiao tribes, Yingzhao was dispatched by imperial decree to aid in battle, galloping swiftly to the front lines. His equine form and tiger-stripes symbolise martial vigour and swiftness, while his avian wings signify unimpeded reach across all directions—making Yingzhao one of the most potent guardian deities in the Classic of Mountains and Seas, embodying both divine authority and spiritual efficacy.