Azure Lion Demon

The Azure Lion (青毛獅子), also known as the Lion-Lynx Demon, is an antagonist of the classic Chinese novel Journey to the West. He is the steed of the bodhisattva Manjusri.

Wuji Kingdom
Years ago, the King of the Wuji Kingdom (烏雞國) was going to be promoted to be a deity by Manjusri, who posed as a regular monk. The King, however, unsure of him being good, tied him up and drowned him into the water for three days, until when he was rescued by the Buddha. The Buddha ordered the Lion to ascend into the mortal realm to let the King pay back for it. Here, he poses as a Taoist, save the Wuji Kingdom from the lacking of Water. The King thus promoted him as his brother-in-arm. One day, he threw a magical orb in a well, lured the King to see it and then pused him into the well as well, and impersonates him for three years. The ghost of the dead king appears to Xuanzang in a dream and begs him for help. Afraid, the Demon was then surrounded by Xuanzang's students. As Wukong is about to kill him, Manjusri showed up, told him to stop and explained it to Wukong. Manjusri then took the Lion back to Heaven.

Lion Camel Ridge
The second time Xuanzang's party met the Lion, he is now a demon king at the Lion Camel Ridge, along side the Yellow Toothed Elephant and the Golden Winged Great Peng.

When Wukong and Zhu Bajie fought the three demon kings, the Azure Lion swallows Sun Wukong. However, the Monkey King managed to cause trouble inside his stomach. The Lion then pretended to agree to open his mouth and let Sun Wukong out, but secretly intended to bite him to death when that happens. However, Sun Wukong sticks out his weapon instead and the demon breaks his teeth after biting on the staff. Sun Wukong later creates a long rope, ties it around the demon's heart and plays with it after leaving the demon's stomach forced the Lion to agree to bring his party through the mountain. The Azure Lion is eventually subdued and taken back by Manjusri.