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Ba |
Daughter of Heaven. Symbol of drought. |
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Ba Xian |
"Eight Immortals" of Taoist mythology, and among the best known
deities of China. The deities of the Ba Xian represent eight
conditions of human existence: youth, old age, poverty, wealth, the
populace, nobility, masculine and feminine. |
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Bixia Yuanjin |
Taoist Goddess of dawn, destiny and childbirth. |
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Cai-shen |
God of prosperity in both Taoist and folk religion. Usually seen
riding a black tiger. He has a black face and a thick mustache, and
wears a helmet of iron. |
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Cao Guo-jiu |
One of the Ba Xian, or eight immortals of Taoist myth. He became a
hermit from shame, and became an immortal after being taught the
secret of perfection. He is the patron of actors. |
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Cheng-huang |
Deities who protect and help the cities under their care. They ward
off disaster and bring rain and a bountiful harvest. The are also said
to escort the souls of their citizens safely to Heaven. |
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Chu Jiang |
King of the second Hell of Taoist belief, the hell of thieves and
murderers. It is believed to be a large lake of ice. |
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Dha-shi-zhi |
Female bodhisattva of Chinese Buddhism. She broke the cycle of rebirth
for all through the power of her love. In the heavenly paradise, souls
appear before her in the shape of flowers. |
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Di-cang |
One of the four great bodhisattvas of Chinese Buddhism. He liberates
souls which dwell in the various hells, and can take on six forms to
help beings of the six modes of existence. Depicted as a monk with a
staff in his right hand with six rings on it and a wish fulfilling
jewel in his left. |
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Di-guan |
Ruler of the Earth in religious Taoism. Forgives sins and
transgressions. |
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Dong-yue da-di |
Helper of the sky god Yu-huang. Supervises the lives of living
creatures from birth to death. |
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Dou-mu |
Goddess who supervises the register where all births and deaths are
recorded. She is worshipped by those wishing a long life and personal
compassion. Portrayed sitting on a lotus throne and has four heads,
with three eyes in each, and eight arms. |
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Er-lang |
Guardian god who dispels evil spirits by setting the Hounds of Heaven
on them. |
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Fan-kui |
God of butchers. |
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Fei Lian |
God of the winds. Depicted as a dragon with the head of a stag and
tail of a snake. |
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Feng Bo |
'Earl of the Wind'. Human form of Fei Lan. |
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Feng Po-po |
Goddess of the Wind. |
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Fu-xing |
God of happiness, one of the San-xing. Often seen in the blue clothes
of a civil servant and in the company of children, or in his symbolic
form of a bat. |
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Gao Yao |
Ancient god of judgment. Often accompanied by a ram. |
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Gong De Tian |
Goddess of luck. Holds a wish fulfilling pearl in her left hand.
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Gong Gong |
Demon responsible for the great floods. The opponent of the high
ruler. |
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Gou Mang |
Messenger of the sky-god. Associated with the East, springtime and
happiness. |
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Guan-di |
Taoist god of war. One of the most well-known of Chinese deities, he
opposes all disturbers of the peace and protects the realm from all
enemies, both external and internal. Pictured as a nine-foot tall
giant with a two-foot long beard, red face, the eyes of a phoenix and
eyebrows of silkworms. Also the patron of literature, rulers, and
bean-curd sellers. |
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Gui Xian |
A magical being, the turtle Gui Xian is the symbol of happiness.
|
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Gun |
An earth god. When he failed to stop the great flood by building dams,
was degraded to an associate of the demon Gong Gong. |
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Han |
Chinese river god of the Han river. |
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Han Xian-zi |
One of the popular Ba Xian. Usually portrayed holding a flute, basket
of flowers or a peach. |
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He Bo |
A powerful river god. Girls were thrown into rivers in ancient China
as sacrifices to him, the 'Brides of He Bo'. |
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He Xian-gu |
The only female member of the Ba Xian. |
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Heng O |
Chinese moon Goddess and symbol of the Yin. Often portrayed in
beautiful robes with her hand on the lunar disc. |
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Hou Ji |
God of Millet. |
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Hou Tu |
God of earth and soil. |
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How-chu |
God of the air. |
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How-too |
Ancient earth god. Seen as a monster who lives in mountains and
rivers. |
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Hu Jing-de |
Guardian god. |
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Huang Fei-hu |
Originally an earth god, became a mountain god who rules the mountain
of Tai Shan in eastern China. He judges the souls of the deceased who
come to his mountain. |
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Huang-lao |
Taoist deity. Named for the founders of Taoism, Huang-di and Lao-zi,
they have been combined as a single deity and worshipped since the 2nd
century BC. |
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Huang-lao-jun |
Important deity of early Taoism. He is said to have returned to earth
several times as the great teachers of Taoism in order to spread the
word about the Tao. One of these incarnations is believed to be
Lao-Zi. |
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Ji Nu |
Goddess of the stars. |
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Jian Lao |
God of the earth and permanence. |
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Jin Jia |
God of literature. He punishes wicked scholars and waves a flag before
the homes of families whose descendants will achieve high honor in the
Imperial Examinations. |
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Kui-xing |
Stellar god. In charge of issuing official testimonials. |
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Kwan Yin |
Also Guan Yin. One of the great bodhisattvas of Chinese Buddhism, Kwan
Yin is seen as the patron of mercy and childless women. Often depicted
as the thousand-eyed and thousand-armed, or holding a child.
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Lan Cai-he |
One of the Ba Xian. Depicted as dressed in rags, wearing a belt made
of black wood, and wearing a boot on one foot while the other one is
bare. In summer he would wear a thick overcoat but dress lightly in
winter. His breath is like hot steam. |
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Lao-jun |
Deified form of Lao-zi, one of the founders of Taoism. |
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Lei-gong |
Chinese god of thunder. Depicted as having the beak, wings and claws
of an owl, although his body is in the shape of a human. Carries a
drum and hammer. |
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Lei-zi |
Goddess of thunder. Taught the Chinese the art of breeding silkworms.
|
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Li Tie-guai |
One of the Ba Xian. Depicted as crippled in one leg and using a
crutch. |
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Ling-bao tian-zong |
Ruler of the Second Heaven of Taoist teachings. Guardian of magical
writings. He calculates time and regulates the yin and yang.
|
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Liu Bei |
God of basket makers and straw shoe sellers. |
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Long-wang |
The Dragon Kings, gods of funerals and rain. |
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Lu Ban |
God of carpenters. |
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Lu Dong-bin |
One of the Ba Xian of Taoism. Considered compassion to be the main way
of attaining perfection. |
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Lu-xing |
God of the imperial star. Also god of literature. As the star of
Honor, he is also a member of the San-xing. |
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Ma Wang |
God of horses. |
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Ma-mian |
Bureaucrat of the underworld. |
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Men-shen |
Two gods who guard the double-doorways of Chinese dwellings and public
buildings. |
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Mo-hi-hai |
God of water. |
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Mu Gong |
Taoist god of immortality and 'Lord of the East'. The embodiment of
Yang. |
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Mu-king |
God of fire. |
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Niu Wang |
God of cattle. |
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Nü-gua |
Goddess who created the first human beings from yellow mud. The
intermediary between men and women, and the granter of children.
|
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Pa |
God of drought. |
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Pa-cha |
God who protects crops from locusts. |
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Pan Jin Lian |
Goddess of fornication and prostitutes. |
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Pan-gu |
Primordial giant who created the earth. |
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Qi Gu-niang |
Goddess venerated by girls wanting to know who they will marry.
|
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Ru Shou |
Messenger of the sky-god. Associated with Autumn, the west and
misfortune. |
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San-qing |
The three Taoist heavens and the three immortals who inhabit them.
|
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San-xing |
Three stellar gods of good fortune. Fu-xing (Lucky Star), Lu-xing
(Star of Honor) and Shou-xing (Star of Longevity). |
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Shen Yi |
Sun god. Also known as the Heavenly Archer, for shooting nine of the
ten suns with arrows in order to stop the scorching of the earth.
Often portrayed with a sun in his hand. |
|
Shen-nung |
God who created the plow and taught man the arts of agriculture and
medicine. Patron of pharmacists. |
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Shou-lao |
Taoist god of good luck and longevity. Popular name of Shou-xing, the
Star of Longevity. |
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Shou-xing |
Deity of the stars, considered the god of longevity. Portrayed with an
enormous bald head, supporting himself on a staff, and carrying the
peach of longevity. He is a member of the San-xing. |
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Shui-guan |
God of water and overcoming of obstacles. |
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Si-ming |
God of Fate, who determines the life span of each individual. Has two
books: the Book of Death, for those who must die, and the Book of Life
for the immortals. |
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Song Di |
King of the third hell of Chinese legend. Punishes those guilty of
unofficial behavior, disobedience, disloyalty, and rebellion.
|
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Song-zi niang-niang |
Goddess who bestows children. |
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Sun-pi |
God of cobblers. |
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Tai-sui-xing |
God of time and the planets. |
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Tai-yi |
The supreme deity of some Chinese mythologies. |
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Tai-yue da-di |
Ruler of earth and mankind in Taoist faith. Decides the life span,
reincarnation, wealth, progeny, and status of all individuals.
|
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Tao-de tian-zong |
Heavenly ruler of the most supreme of Taoist heavens. He teaches the
wisdom of the Tao to earthlings. |
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Tian Hou |
Goddess of the sky and protector of fishermen. |
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Tian-guan |
Ruler of Heaven and a god of good luck, wealth and good fortune.
|
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Tian-mu |
Goddess of lightning. |
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Tu-di |
Gods of small areas, such as streets, districts and public buildings.
Keeps a record of the lives and death of all inhabitants in his area.
|
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Wang Mu niang-niang |
Goddess and keeper of the Peaches of Immortality. |
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Wei Cheng |
Guardian of the back door of homes and public buildings. |
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Wei-tuo |
God of teaching. |
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Wen-chang |
Taoist god of literature and writing, often called on by scholars to
assist them in their labors. |
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Wen-shu |
One of the four great bodhisattvas of China. Proclaimed the Buddhist
teachings in China. |
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Wu Guan |
King of the fourth hell, known as the Lake of Blood. Punishes
counterfeiters and cheats. |
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Xi Shi |
Goddess of merchants who sell face creams and perfumes. |
|
Xi Wang-mu |
Goddess of immortality and embodiment of the element of Yin.
|
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Xian |
Being who has attained physical immortality in religious Taoism.
|
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Yang Jing |
Goat god, protects his patrons from wild animals. |
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Yan-lo |
God of the dead and lord of the fifth hell. Punishes those in his
domain by memory of things past. |
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Yao-shi |
Chinese Buddha who is dedicated to saving lives, healing wounds and
curing disease. |
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Yen-lo-wang |
Earth god. |
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Yi-Ti |
God of wine. |
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Yuan-shi tian-zong |
"Celestial Venerable of the Primordial Beginning", literally the
creator of all things in Heaven and earth. Considered eternal,
limitless and invisible. |
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Yu-huang |
The Jade Emperor of Chinese mythology, he rules over all of heaven and
Earth. His administrators are the Cheng-huang and Tu-di, as well as
other deities in charge of wind, rain, thunder, love, war, etc. The
most powerful and revered of Chinese gods. |
|
Yu-qiang |
God of the sea and the ocean winds. |
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Zao-jun |
God of the heart, home and family in Chinese folk religion.
|
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Zhang Fei |
A god of butchers. |
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Zhang Xian |
Bestower of male offspring on those who follow him. |
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Zhi Song-zi |
God of rain. |
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Zhi-ni |
Goddess of spinners, who wove the robes of all other divinities.
|
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Zhong kui |
Taoist god of the afterlife and exorcism. |
|
Zhu Rong |
God of fire and ruler of the South. |
|
Zi-yu |
God who invented war and weapons. |
