Tianma of Mount Macheng, named1667 historical plate
Actual 1000-pixel page directly inspected and printed caption compared with full textual anatomy. Canine quadruped given bird wings by the illustrator; the printed caption explicitly compares it with a white dog with a black head and locates it at Mount Macheng. Later pencil annotation Pegasus is not the printed identification. Smithsonian catalog dates physical volume 1667 and classifies public domain. Earlier text witness preserved.
Overview
Tianma at Mount Macheng appears in the Shanhaijing’s third northern itinerary. Its shape resembles a white dog, but its head is black. On seeing a person it flies, and its call is said to give its own name. Although Tianma means heavenly horse, the comparison in this particular passage is explicitly canine. It cannot be described as a conventional winged horse merely from the translated name.
The same mountain contains a different bird with a white head, blue-green body, and yellow feet. Its colours do not belong to Tianma, whose black head is clearly stated. The beast’s wings are not specified in the base passage, even if a later artist chooses to draw them. Nor does flight on seeing humans establish an attack or a role carrying riders. This source-specific form is therefore identified by its dog-shaped body, two-tone colouring, and unusual response.
Origins & earliest records
China; Shanhaijing Northern Mountains
Records & interpretation
Directly read primary text supplemented by actual labelled historical page, with artistic interpretation distinguished from base anatomy.
Selected bibliography
Documented works and useful reading. This is not a list of every appearance.
- 01
Shanhaijing, Northern Mountains
Third northern itinerary; Mount Macheng
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 37 (zero based), labelled 天馬; no printed page number asserted
Actual 1000-pixel page directly inspected and printed caption compared with full textual anatomy. Canine quadruped given bird wings by the illustrator; the printed caption explicitly compares it with a white dog with a black head and locates it at Mount Macheng. Later pencil annotation Pegasus is not the printed identification. Smithsonian catalog dates physical volume 1667 and classifies public domain. Earlier text witness preserved.
References
Sources supporting this profile. Linked pages have their own scope and editorial standards.
- Primary text transcriptionShanhaijing: Northern Mountains, received primary textResearch access: 2026-10-05
- Primary illustrated bookSmithsonian digitized Shan hai jing v.2, canvas 37: 天馬Research access: 2026-10-05
Image credits
Historical illustrationTianma of Mount Macheng, named1667 historical plate
Actual 1000-pixel page directly inspected and printed caption compared with full textual anatomy. Canine quadruped given bird wings by the illustrator; the printed caption explicitly compares it with a white dog with a black head and locates it at Mount Macheng. Later pencil annotation Pegasus is not the printed identification. Smithsonian catalog dates physical volume 1667 and classifies public domain. Earlier text witness preserved.
