THE DICTIONARY OF CHINESE DEITIES HAROLD LIU For everyone who love Chinese myth A Amitabha Amitabha is is a celestial buddha described in the scriptures of the Mahayana school of Buddhism. Amitabha is the principal buddha in the Pure Land sect, a branch of Buddhism practiced mainly in East Asia. An Qisheng An immortal who had live 1.000 year at he time of Qin ShiHuang. According to the Liexian Zhuan, Qin Shi Huang spoke with him for three entire days (including nights), and offered Anqi jade and gold. He later sent an expedition under Xu Fu to find him and his highly sought elixir of life. Ao Guang The dragon king of East sea. He is the leader of four dragon king. His son Ao Bing killed by Nezha, when his other two son was also incapitated by Eight Immortals. Ao Run The dragon king of West Sea. His crown prine named Mo Ang and help Sun Wukong several times in journey to the West story.His 3th son follow monk XuanZhang as hisdragon horse during Xuan Zhang's journey to the West. Ao Qin The dragon king of South sea AoShun The dragon King of North sea. Azzure dragon (Qing Long) One of four mythical animal in China, he reincanated many times as warrior such as Shan Xiongxin and Yom Kaesomun, amighty general from Korea who foiled Chinese invasion. It eleemnt is wood B Bai He Tongzhu (white crane boy) Young deity disciple of Nanji Xianweng (god of longevity), he act as messenger in heaven Bai Mudan (White peony) Godess of temptress Famous prostitute who sucesfully tempt immortal Lu Dongbin to sleep with her and absorb his yang essence. a legend from song dinasty decribe her as a very beautiful but haughty courtesan who often ask her customer to lick her anus and even sometimes fart in their face, actually she did this as humiliation to wealthy class and corrupt officer. Bai Wuchang and Hei Wuchang Guards of hell, their duty is to lead deceased people's soul to netherworld. Bai Wuchang has pale skin, long tongue sticked from his mouth and wearing white hat and robe. His job is to lead soul of good people. Hei Wuchang in contrary has dark skin and wearing black hat and robe. His job is to lead soul of evil people. Bai SuZhen White snake spirit who fallen in love and married young schoolar named Xu Xian. Too bad their hapiness doesnt last long, an evil monk named Fa Hai comes to their home and imprison Bai under Lei Feng pagoda. Twenty years later Bai and Xu Xian's son, Xu Shilin pray in front of Lei Feng pagoda with total devotion. Eventually this pray arrived to heaven and so his mother is released. People believe that Bai SuZhen finally become godess. Baosheng Dadi God of medicine Barefoot Immortal Funny immortal with big foot and always never wear shoes or sandals. In one legend he reincarnated as Lan Caihe, member as eight immortals. When in other he reincarnated as emperor Ten Zong of Song dinasty Bei Dou God of northeen dipper, he track everything people does in her/his lifetime Bi Gan God of wealth (Cai Shen) Uncle of King Zhou from Shang dinasty. His nephew ask his heart to cure his concubine sickness. After his death Bi Gan appointed as God of Wealth, the reason is if he can donate his heart, then should be generous to distribute wealth too. Black tortoise One of four mythical animal in China. It eleemnt is water C Cai Shen (God of wealth) Cai Shen is the Chinese god of wealth. He can be referred to as Zhao Gongming or Bi Gan Cao Guojiu Member of eight immortals Cao JingXiu was beother of empress Cao from song diansty and thus he got the title "Guo Jiu" (emperor uncle). After the death of his brother, JingXiu leave his glamorous life and become hermit. Celestial Dog (tian gou) Fierce creature resembling dog, sometime he devouring sun and cause solar eclipse Chang E Moon Godess Iniaitally Chang E was wife of Hou Yi, a mythic hero who kill nine sun with his arrow. As reward of his merit, Queen of heaven bestow pill of immortality to him. However Chang E eat this pill alone and fly to the moon. In the past Chang E known as Heng E. But because she has similar name it emperor Liu Heng, then her surname changed into "Chang' Chi You Leader of primitive tribe arch enemy of Yellow emperor, the first emperor of China. It said that Chi You was the first man who know how to make weapon from iron, then people worship him as god of war. City God (Chen Huang) Every city had thir own city god D Demon King (Mo Wang) Just like his name, he is evil deity who like to mislead human into sin Another version describe him as Budha's disciple whose duty is to seduce human to do sin. If that human can resist his tempt, than he/she will geat their reward (actually his misleading is just devotion testing for human) Dong Wanggong Dong Wanggong or Donghua Dijun is senior deity who in charge of all male deitites. In Older legend Dong Wanggong is king of heaven himself and husband of Xi Wang Mu, but in new legend his role substituted by Jade Emperor. Door god (Men Shen) A door god is god who believed to keep evil spirits from entering. The custom dates back to the Tang Dynasty, whose second emperor Tang Taizong honoured two of his most loyal generals; Qin Shubao and Yuchi Jingde by having their painted portraits hung on his front door. Dou Mu Godess mother of big dipper On of the most worshipped godess in China who rule in the big dipper constelation. Accoriding to Feng Shen Yan Yi novel she was formerly known as Mother Golden Spirit, a disciple of Tongtian Jiaozhu, an evil deity who fought against heaven. After her death she was appointed as ruler of big dipper Dragon King (Long Wang) The Dragon King is a deity in Chinese mythology commonly regarded as the divine ruler that rule in the water. There are dragon king in ocean, river, well or even in pond. The dragon king has the ability to shapeshift into human form and lives in an underwater crystal palace. He has his own royal court and commands an army comprising various marine creatures. Apart from presiding over aquatic life, the Dragon King can also manipulate the weather and bring rainfall. The Dragon King often appears in classical Chinese literature. Detailed descriptions are given of the grandeur of their palaces. Du Kang The first wine maker in chinese history and naturally become the god of wine E Erlang Shen A mighty god with 3rd eye in his forehead and nephew of Jade Emperor. His real nam is Yang Jian. His mother was imprisoned under mount Tao by his own brother; the Jade Emperor because seh violate heavenly rule by marying human being. Seventy years later his son Yang Jian cut mount Tao with his axe and set his mother free. Unfortunatelly ten sun deities come and kill her. The angry Yang Jian kill nine sun but release the last one by advise of dragon princess of western ocean, who will become his wife later. Erlang Shen use trident spear as his weapon and always accompanied by his faithful dog Xiao Tian Quan F Fan Kuai Patron of butcher A former butcer who become general under Liu Bang, the founder of Han dinasty. In other believe the patron for butcher is Zhang Fei, the great geenral from three kingdom era and swron brother of Liu Bei and Guan Yu Feng Bo God of wind Formerly he was an evil spirit, after defeated by Hou Yi he repented and become deity. Feng Bo carried the wind in a goatskin and release it if needed In some legend Feng Bo is substituted with Feng Popo Feng Popo Godess of wind She is eternal enemy for flowers fairy, since strong wind always scaterred flower. Four king of heaven (Sida Tianwang) Four giant deity guarding four gate of heaven. Their names are; Mo Liqing equiped with sword, Mo Lihai equiped with pipa, Mo Lihong brought magical umbrella in his hand and Mo Lishou who acompanied by his fox monster. They once fouht alongside the evil king Zhou, but because of virtue origin then they are canonized as god after their death. Fu Lu Shou (god of fortune, prosperity and longevity) Fu (god of good fortune). Formerly he known as Yang Cheng, a governor of Daozhou. Yang Cheng risked his life by writing a memorial to the emperor to save the people from suffering. After his death, the people built a temple to commemorate him, and over time he came to be considered the personification of good fortune Lu (god of prosperity) the god who bestow prosperity, rank, and influence. Shou (god of longevity) the star of the South Pole in Chinese astronomy, and is believed to control the life spans of mortals. According to legend, he was carried in his mother's womb for ten years before being born, and was already an old man when delivered. He is recognized by his high, domed forehead and the peach which he carries as a symbol of immortality. Shou also known as Nanji Xianweng Fu Xi Father of human being He is a culture hero reputed to be the inventor of writing, fishing, and trapping. However, Cangjie is also said to have invented writing.