Xiaotian Quan

Xiaotian Quan () is a Chinese mythological beast and companion of the Chinese god Erlang Shen. Depicted as a black dog, it assists Erlang Shen in battle by using its powerful bite and howl to attack, maul, or subdue demons. Xiaotian Quan appears in ''Journey to the West'', ''Fengshen Yanyi'', and other legends about Erlang Shen, such as '' Lotus Lantern'' and several Chinese folktales.

Legends

Folklore tells that Erlang Shen encountered a stray dog and felt a strong connection. At the time, he was still mortal and decided to take it with him, teaching it spells during his cultivation so that it could become immortal. The dog remained fiercely loyal and became like family to Erlang Shen. Together, they fought demons, and the dog became an inseparable part of Erlang Shen's legend, leading temples dedicated to Erlang Shen to also enshrine Xiaotian Quan.

Xiaotian Quan first appeared in Gan Bao's ''In Search of the Supernatural''.

In the Chinese folktale of '' Lotus Lantern'', Xiaotian Quan is the one who obstructs Liu Chenxiang from splitting Mount Hua to rescue his mother Huayue Sanniang.

In the novel ''Investiture of the Gods'', Yang Jian (assumed to be Erlang) sometimes sends his dog to bite his enemies.

In the novel ''Journey to the West'', Xiaotian Quan helps Erlang fight Sun Wukong, preventing him from escaping by biting him in the leg. Later in Chapter 63, Sun Wukong, Erlang, and their companions battle against the Nine-Headed Beast () or the Nine-Headed Prince Consort () when the dog defeats the enemy by biting off one of the monster's retractable heads. The monster then flees, choking on his own blood. Erlang lets him go and predicts he'll drown in his own blood.

Xiaotian Quan is often identified with the primordial heavenly dog called Tiangou. In ancient times, with limited scientific understanding, solar and lunar eclipses were attributed to Tiangou's mischievous actions. During such celestial events, common folk would traditionally beat drums and gongs to drive away Tiangou. Even today, the saying "Tiangou eats the moon or sun" persists in popular culture.

According to some versions of the legend, Xiaotian Quan is said to be originally the hunting dog of the skilled archer Hou Yi. When ten suns scorched the earth, causing great suffering, Hou Yi courageously shot down nine of them, leaving only one to provide warmth. Impressed by his bravery, the Queen Mother of the West gifted him an elixir of immortality. Trusting his wife Chang'e, Hou Yi entrusted the elixir to her for safekeeping. However, consumed by a longing to escape troubles, Chang'e drank the elixir. Feeling weightless, she ascended to the moon. Startled by the celestial phenomena, Hou Yi's loyal black dog barked in confusion. Frightened, Chang'e sought refuge on the moon's surface. In an attempt to catch Chang'e, the dog swallowed the moon whole. Outraged by this audacious act, the Jade Emperor and Queen Mother captured the dog. Upon discovering its loyalty to Hou Yi, the Queen Mother was moved. She bestowed upon the dog the title "Heavenly Dog" (Tiangou) and appointed it as guardian of the Southern Heavenly Gate. Honored by this duty, the dog relented, spitting out the moon and freeing Chang'e. Later, the dog became the companion of Erlang Shen, serving as his divine beast.

In the ''Legend of the Jade Emperor'', at the end of the story, after the war, everyone was granted titles by the Jade Emperor, except for Xiaotian Quan. Feeling wronged, Xiaotian Quan swallowed the sun and moon in two bites, plunging the sky into darkness. The Jade Emperor sent someone to investigate and discovered it was Xiaotian Quan. He then ordered Erlang Shen to capture the dog and bring him back to be punished.

In the Peking opera titled ''An Tianhui'' (), Xiaotian Quan is depicted as Liu Tianjun (), with a red face divided into three sections like tiles. In the opera ''Nao Tiangong'' (), Liu Tianjun is one of the Four Heavenly Kings, a Taoist deity who can summon wind and rain. The red, three-sectioned face represents his loyalty and bravery, with thunder and fire patterns drawn on his forehead.

The ''Interactive Encyclopedia'' states that Xiaotian Quang appeared in the Yuan dynasty ''zaju'' titled ''Erlang Shen Locks Up the Great Sage Equaling Heaven'' by an anonymous author. The play contains the following line:

Therefore, some scholars believe that Xiaotian Quan belongs to the Chinese Xigou (slender dog) breed. It is said that a large Tibetan dog breed Tibetan Mastiff is the descendant of Xiaotian Quan.

According to Chinese historian Zhang Zhenglang's research, the prototype of Xiaotian Quan is the divine rat beside Dujian, the second son of the Northern Heavenly King Vaishravana. Dujian is identified with Erlang Shen by a later Buddhist source.

Worship

Xiaotian Quan is enshrined in many temples dedicated to Erlang Shen. In a temple in Malaysia, the statue of Xiaotian Quan closely resembles that of a German shepherd, which has angered many people due to the misleading representation.

The Yang Qiaotou Hall Temple in Haichang, Penang Island, is the only temple dedicated to Xiaotian Quan as a main deity.

Xiaotian Quan's revered status as an animal deity attracts many pet owners to Erlang Shen temples. They pray for their pets' health, particularly before surgeries or during illnesses, seeking Xiaotian Quan's blessing and obtaining pet-specific amulets.

The Yingyuan Temple in Taiwan enshrines Xiaotian Quan under the title "General Tiangu". Recognizing the loyal service of this divine beast, the temple has sculpted a special statue for worship, making it a rare guardian deity for pets. Founded in 1734, the Yingyuan Temple is primarily dedicated to Erlang Shen.

In popular culture

The Song and Jin dynasties coins depict Xiaotian Quana, alongside his lord Erlang Shen.

Proverb

Xiaotian Quan is the origin of a Chinese proverb called "" ("A dog bites Lü Dongbin—to fail to see the heart of a good person; to bite the hand that feeds you"). According to the story behind the proverb, one of the Eight Immortals Lü Dongbin once argued with Erlang Shen at the heavenly court, which led Xiaotian Quan to harbor deep animosity towards Lü Dongbin. One day, Xiaotian Quan fell into the mortal realm as punishment and was captured by humans and sold at a dog meat shop. Around the same time, Lü Dongbin descended to earth and happened to pass by. He saw what had happened and rescued the dog. However, instead of showing gratitude, the dog bit him, remembering its master's grudge.

Film and TV series

*Portrayed by in 2009 Chinese series ''Prelude of Lotus Lantern''

References

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Chinese legendary creatures
Buddhist legendary creatures
Journey to the West characters
Dogs in Chinese mythology
Investiture of the Gods characters
Magic Lotus Lantern