Heifeng Guai

Within the narrative world of Journey to the West the Heifeng Guai is presented as a spirit‑being inhabiting Black Wind Mountain/Cave who encounters the pilgrims. Literary‑historical commentary traces the 'Black Wind' title in earlier Yuan‑period drama to a different figure (a Black Wind King associated with Zhu Bajie), and scholars reconstruct that in the Ming novel a distinct Black Bear Spirit occupies the Black Wind Cave setting; this is presented here as a scholarly reconstruction rather than an authorial statement of intent.

In the episode of Journey to the West the being appears to the pilgrims as a dark‑complexioned man wielding a Black Tassel Spear. The text explicitly states the spirit's true form is a black bear, using the ancient term xiongpi (熊罴) to denote a huge and powerful bear; both the humanoid guise and the bear form are reported in the narrative.

In the story the Black Bear Spirit displays great physical strength and martial prowess, engaging in combat with Sun Wukong and successfully stealing Tang Sanzang's cassock during a temple fire. It has notable spiritual cultivation and intelligence as described by scholars, can assume at least one humanoid guise during the encounter, and is susceptible to being exposed and subdued through Guanyin's stratagem (an elixir offered in disguise) and thereafter bound with a sacred restriction implement (the Golden Cincture) which compels conversion and reassignment as a guardian.