Wuyun Taxue (Wang Zhui Ma)

Wuyun Taxue: The Dark Cloud Steed of Zhang Fei

The Mighty Black Stallion of the Third Brother

In East Asian literary traditions, folklore, and martial arts tales surrounding the Three Kingdoms era, iconic heroes are inseparable from their legendary warhorses. While Guan Yu (关羽, Quan Vũ) rode the fiery red Red Hare (赤兔马, Chì Tù Mǎ, Ngựa Xích Thố) and Liu Bei (刘备, Lưu Bị) trusted the white-browed Dilu Ma (狄芦, Dì Lú, Ngựa Đích Lư), the fierce general Zhang Fei (张飞, Trương Phi) rode a legendary black stallion known as Wuyun Taxue (乌云踏雪, Wū Yún Tà Xuě, Ô Vân Đạp Tuyết).

Also known in folk traditions by its formal, honorific title Wang Zhui Ma (王追马, Wáng Zhuī Mǎ, Vương Truy Mã), this magnificent steed complemented Zhang Fei’s thunderous courage, heavy armor, and fearsome battlefield presence.

1. Names and Their Cultural Symbolism

The stallion carried two prominent titles in regional legends and theatrical lore:

                      [Wuyun Taxue / Ô Vân Đạp Tuyết]
                                     │
           ┌─────────────────────────┴─────────────────────────┐
           ▼                                                   ▼
[Literary Name: Wuyun Taxue]                      [Honorific Name: Wang Zhui Ma]
- "Dark Cloud Steed Stepping on Snow"             - "Steed Following the King"
- Describes the coal-black coat & white hooves    - Symbolizes absolute loyalty to a noble lord

Wuyun Taxue (乌云踏雪, Ô Vân Đạp Tuyết)

• Literal Translation: “Dark Cloud Stepping on Snow” or “Black Cloud Tread on Snow.”

• Visual Imagery: The name directly captures the horse’s striking and rare physical appearance. Its entire torso and neck were coated in deep, glossy coal-black fur, resembling a storm cloud. However, its four hooves and lower ankles were pristine, pure white like freshly fallen snow. When galloping at full speed, observers remarked that it looked like a dark storm cloud flying effortlessly over the snow.

Wang Zhui Ma (王追马, Vương Truy Mã)

• Literal Translation: “The Steed that Follows the King” or “Horse Attending the Sovereign.”

• Symbolism: This formal title carries deep feudal respect, signifying a horse destined to serve a great warrior king or imperial hero. It underscored the absolute, unwavering loyalty shared between the steed and Zhang Fei throughout their campaigns alongside Liu Bei.

2. The Perfect Harmony Between Master and Mount

In folklore and opera traditions, Zhang Fei and Wuyun Taxue are depicted as the ultimate matched pair (Cặp bài trùng):

A Matching Aesthetic of Dark Fury

In Luo Guanzhong’s (罗贯中, La Quán Trung) Romance of the Three Kingdoms (三国演义, Sān Guó Yǎn Yì, Tam Quốc Diễn Nghĩa), Zhang Fei is famously described as having a dark, panther-like complexion, round glaring eyes, a tiger-like beard, and a roaring voice. Wuyun Taxue shared this exact midnight aesthetic. When Zhang Fei mounted Wuyun Taxue, contemporary onlookers described them as a singular, terrifying force of nature—a dark storm rising on the battlefield.

Zhang Fei – 张飞 – Trương Phi

Extraordinary Stamina for Massive Weight

Much like Guan Yu—whose immense stature and heavy armor caused ordinary horses to grow thin and collapse—Zhang Fei was a towering warrior. Wearing heavy iron lamellar armor and wielding his massive Eight-Foot Serpent Spear (丈八蛇矛, Zhàng Bā Shé Máo, Trượng Bát Xà Mâu) measuring over 4 meters in length, Zhang Fei required an exceptionally powerful warhorse. Ordinary mounts could not withstand his weight during high-speed charges; only a divine stallion with the bone density and stamina of Wuyun Taxue could carry him into battle without faltering.

Devotion and Personal Care

Despite Zhang Fei’s notorious reputation for having a short temper and treating subordinates harshly, folk tales emphasize that he harbored intense affection for his warhorse. He treated Wuyun Taxue like his own child, personally grooming its mane, bathing its white hooves, and speaking to the stallion before major engagements.

3. Battlefield Triumph: The Stand at Changban Bridge

The greatest legendary feat associated with Zhang Fei and Wuyun Taxue occurred during the Battle of Changban (长坂坡之战, Trường Bản Pha Chi Chiến) in 208 AD.

Pursued by Cao Cao’s (曹操, Tào Tháo) 5,000 elite iron cavalry, Liu Bei’s fleeing forces were on the verge of destruction. Zhang Fei volunteered to command the rear guard.

Cao Cao – 曹操 – Tào Tháo

Mounted on Wuyun Taxue and holding his Serpent Spear horizontally, Zhang Fei stood alone on the wooden expanse of Changban Bridge (长坂桥, Cầu Trường Bản):

• The Visual Impact: The imposing sight of a dark, thunderous warrior astride a coal-black horse with snow-white hooves created a towering psychological aura.

• The Roar at the River: When Cao Cao’s vanguard arrived, Zhang Fei glared with wide eyes and unleashed three booming roars that echoed across the riverbanks like cracking thunder.

• The Panic: Overwhelmed by Zhang Fei’s terrifying presence and the imposing posture of his stallion, Cao Cao’s general Xiahou Jie (夏侯杰, Hạ Hầu Kiệt) collapsed off his horse in sheer terror, rupturing his gallbladder. Cao Cao, suspecting an ambush behind the woods, ordered an immediate full retreat, allowing Liu Bei and his family to escape safely.

Xiahou Jie – 夏侯杰 – Hạ Hầu Kiệt

Summary of Profile Details

Literary and Historical Reality

Zhang Fei – 张飞 – Trương Phi

• In Official History (Records of the Three Kingdoms / 三国志): Chen Shou’s (陈寿, Trần Thọ) historical text confirms Zhang Fei’s heroic stand at Changban Bridge with 20 horsemen, but does not record the specific names of his warhorses.

• In Folklore and Chinese Opera: The name Wuyun Taxue became hugely popular in Yuan Dynasty drama (Zaju / 杂剧), Peking Opera, and folk storytelling across China and Vietnam, completing the trilogy of legendary mounts for the Three Brothers of the Peach Garden: Liu Bei’s Dilu Ma, Guan Yu’s Red Hare, and Zhang Fei’s Wuyun Taxue.

Key Relationships

Family

• No information

Friends

• Zhang Fei (张飞, Trương Phi): Supreme master and warrior rider. Wuyun Taxue (also known as Wang Zhui Ma – “Cloud-Walking Steed with Snow-White Hooves”) was pure raven-black with four pristine white hooves, matching Zhang Fei’s fierce temperament across every campaign.
• Liu Bei (刘备, Lưu Bị): Sworn brother of Zhang Fei.
• Guan Yu (关羽, Quan Vũ): Sworn brother of Zhang Fei.

Enemies

• Lü Bu (吕布, Lữ Bố): Peerless rival on Red Hare against whom Zhang Fei charged on Wuyun Taxue at Hulao Pass and Xiaopei.
• Cao Cao (Cao Cao, Tào Tháo): Chancellor whose armies were held at bay by Zhang Fei atop Wuyun Taxue at Changban Bridge in 208 AD.

Others

• No information