Heibai Wuchang

Lore & Background

The most common background story says that Xie Bi'an (White Guard) and Fan Wujiu (Black Guard) were constables in a yamen. While escorting a convict, the prisoner escaped. They split up to search, agreeing to meet under a bridge at a certain time. Xie Bi'an was delayed by heavy rain; Fan Wujiu waited under the bridge, refused to leave due to his promise, and drowned in flooding. When Xie Bi'an arrived and saw his colleague dead, he hanged himself in grief. The Jade Emperor was impressed by their friendship and appointed them as 'Guardians of the Underworld'.

Other versions differ in their previous careers—some say they were military officers, others peasants—but agree on the meeting and manner of death. Alternative stories give them unrelated backgrounds: the Black Guard was a gambler killed by his father, repented in Hell, and was appointed; the White Guard was a wealthy man who used his father's money to help a poor family, then committed suicide out of shame, and was appointed for his good deeds.

Reader's Guide

The Heibai Wuchang hold significance as both escorts of the dead and fortune deities, embodying the moral duality of reward and punishment. Their iconography reinforces this: the White Guard, often taller and friendly, wears a hat reading 'Become Rich Upon Encountering Me' or 'Become Lucky Upon Encountering Me', while the Black Guard, stern and fierce, wears 'Peace to the World' or 'Arresting You Right Now' and carries a chain. Their names—Xie Bi'an ('Those who make amends will always be at peace') and Fan Wujiu ('Those who commit crimes will have no salvation')—underscore a karmic message. The story of the White Guard helping a mistreated woman and her children, followed by the destruction of her abusive husband's fortune, illustrates their role as protectors of the virtuous. Their legacy persists across Chinese communities, with regional names like 'Seventh and Eighth Masters' in Taiwan and 'First and Second Masters' in Fujian and Southeast Asia, reflecting their enduring role in folk belief and temple worship.

Did You Know?

• The White Guard's name Xie Bi'an can be interpreted as 'Those who make amends will always be at peace'.
• The Black Guard's name Fan Wujiu means 'Those who commit crimes will have no salvation'.
• In Taiwan, they are called 'Seventh and Eighth Masters'.
• Some statues depict them with ferocious snarls and long red tongues to scare away evil spirits.