One of the Five Heavenly Emperors in ancient Chinese mythology, the White Emperor is the deity of the west. His name is said to be Bai Zhaoju.
In antiquity, the snake deity was sometimes identified as the White Emperor. According to legend, Duke Wen of Qin once dreamed of a snake and subsequently offered sacrifices of cattle, sheep, and pigs (the “three sacrificial animals”) to the White Emperor at Fuzhi.
The Records of the Grand Historian (Shiji) recounts the story of Liu Bang slaying a white serpent, which was referred to as the “Son of the White Emperor” (Bai Di Zi).
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