Passing mention in several storytellers' tales reveals little about him, though one tale, a variant on the usual seduction story, claims that heaven was scandalized when Taibai Jinxing, charmed by two celestial weaving girls, was led off to a cave where he remained with them, alone, for forty-six days.

But after the Ming dynasty, as the classical novel Journey to the West was widely spread, in this novel Taibai Jinxing was an old male god and an envoy of the Jade Emperor, the ruler of Heaven.

After hearing of the appearance of Sun Wukong, the Jade Emperor tasked Taibai Jinxing to summon him to Heaven.

However, Sun Wukong was angry at the fact that he was appointed as the Protector of the Horses (i.e., made the stableboy as an insult), and rebelled against Heaven.

Chinese folk religions consider the appearance of a Taibaixing (Great White Star) particularly during the daytime as a negative omen.