Chenghuang, named1667 historical plate
Actual 1000-pixel image directly inspected and printed caption read. Foxlike quadruped with horn rising from its back. Printed caption confirms dorsal horn and two-thousand-year lifespan associated with riding. Smithsonian catalog dates the physical edition1667 and classifies public domain.
Overview
Chenghuang is the remarkable mount of the country of the White People in the Shanhaijing’s Overseas Western Regions. It resembles a fox and has a horn on its back. Riding it is associated with a lifespan of two thousand years. The creature is located among the distant countries described northward through the western regions, rather than in one of the collection’s mountain itineraries.
The directly inspected Smithsonian 1667 plate depicts a foxlike quadruped with a horn projecting from its back. The caption repeats the two-thousand-year longevity claim. The horn is dorsal, making this form visually different from a forehead-horned unicorn.
Origins & earliest records
China; Shanhaijing Overseas Western Regions
Records & interpretation
Specific named received-primary passage directly read; scan status recorded separately.
Selected bibliography
Documented works and useful reading. This is not a list of every appearance.
- 01
Shanhaijing, Overseas Western Regions
Country of the White People; north of Dragon Fish
Family & connections
A source-supported family tree or inspiration record has not yet been compiled for this profile. Related reading below indicates a connection in subject matter, not a proven lineage or creative influence.
Primary records and illustrations
Shan hai jing: er shi san juan (Smithsonian digitized edition)
Physical volume 2; illustration sequence. IIIF canvas index 51 (zero based), labelled 乘黃; no printed page number asserted
Actual 1000-pixel image directly inspected and printed caption read. Foxlike quadruped with horn rising from its back. Printed caption confirms dorsal horn and two-thousand-year lifespan associated with riding. Smithsonian catalog dates the physical edition 1667 and classifies public domain.
References
Sources supporting this profile. Linked pages have their own scope and editorial standards.
- Primary text transcriptionShanhaijing Overseas Western Regions received primary textResearch access: 2026-10-05
Image credits
Historical illustrationChenghuang, named1667 historical plate
Actual 1000-pixel image directly inspected and printed caption read. Foxlike quadruped with horn rising from its back. Printed caption confirms dorsal horn and two-thousand-year lifespan associated with riding. Smithsonian catalog dates the physical edition1667 and classifies public domain.
