Chinese deity

Chi You

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In Chinese mythology, Chi You is a war deity who fought the Yellow Emperor. For s, Chi You is a sagacious mythical king. Chi You, "txiv yawg" in Hmong, means grandfather.
Chi You is also the god of rain, and a descendant of Shennong, the inventor of agriculture. His appearance is half giant, half bull, with the front of his head covered with iron.

Mythology

Along with and , Chi You is a deity in Hmong mythology, Chi You was the mythical leader of the , king of , and once a follower of Yan Di. When Huang Di subdued Yan Di, Chi You was weary of the suppression and conspired with Yan Liang, another deity. Soon, Huang Di and Chi You clashed in the Battle of Zhuolu.

According to Chinese legends, Chi You and his people rebelled against Yellow Emperor at Zhuolu plains. Both sides used magical powers, but Chi You had the advantage because his troops were armed with forged swords and halberds. Using his power , Chi You covered the battle field in thick fog. Only with the help of a magical compass chariot could Huang Di's troops could find their way through the mist. He also used his daughter Nü Ba, the Goddess of Drought, to harm Chi You's troops. Later on, Chi You suffered more defeats and was captured. Only Ying Long, the winged dragon, being a brave servant of Huang Di, dared to slay him. Chi You's chains were transformed into acorn trees, while Ying Long was cursed to remain on earth forever.

According to Chinese legend, the people under Chiyou were defeated at Zhuolu by the military unification of Huang Di and Yandi, leaders of the Huaxia tribe as they struggled for supremacy of the Yellow River valley. The compass was believed to be the crucial reason of Huaxia's victory. The battle, believed to be taken place in the 27th century BC, was fought under heavy fog as Huaxia was able to match against Miao with the compass. After the loss, the original tribe split into two smaller splinter tribes, the Miao and the . Miao continuously moving southwest and Li southeast as the Huaxia race, now known as Han Chinese race, expanding southwards. During the course of Chinese history, they were regarded as "barbarians" by the increasingly technologically and culturally advanced Han Chinese. Some fragments of the races were assimilated into the Chinese during .

Yet, in other versions, the people of Jiuli fragmented in 3 different directions. It is said Chiyou had 3 sons, and after the fall of Jiuli, his oldest son led some people south, his middle son led some people north, and his youngest son remained in Zhuolu and assimilated into the Huaxia culture. Those who were led to the south established the San-Miao nation. Perhaps due to this splitting into multiple groups, many Far Eastern people regard Chiyou as their ancestors, and by the same token, many question the ethnicity of Chiyou as exclusively Hmong or otherwise. In some circles of thought, the Koreans also regard Chiyou as an ethnic ancestor. Chiyou is also regarded as one of China's forefathers alongside the ethnic Han ancestors, Huangdi and Yandi.

Other mythology states that Chi You had 81 brothers, and was a grotesque looking creature: he had six arms, four eyes, the head and hooves resembled an ox and his head was made of metal . He only ate stones and pebbles; therefore his teeth were almost unbreakable. One of his achievements was the first use of metal weapons in warfare. He is said to have forged the first swords from bronze or copper. He was violent and no one could defeat him.

Historical records

Across the Eastern Asia, many people had worshipped Chi You as the war guardian deity. According to Chinese history record ''Records of the Grand Historian'', at Chi You's shrine before the last battle against Xiang Yu and won. Joseon Navy Admiral Yi Sun-sin also worshipped Chi Woo, and he has never lost a battle, and thus deemed a hero in the war against Toyotomi Hideyoshi's army during
the during 1592-1598.

Figure in Hwandan Gogi

According to the controversial Korean mythology book ''Hwandan Gogi'' which was first published in 1979 and which says it was compiled and edited by Gye Yeonsoo in 1911 , 'Chiwoo' was 14th Emperor, named Jaoji-Hwanwoong, of the Empire of Baedal, which was to be succeeded by Go-Joseon, as the book says. He ruled the Empire during 109 years. According to these accounts, Emperor Chi-Woo succeeded Emperor Sawara of Baedalguk, the 13th ruler of Baedalguk, at around 41 years of age and is seen today as a great hero who expanded the territory of his empire tremendously, which was said to have reached the Shandong Peninsula area at its greatest extent. During his reign, he was said to have highly advanced the technology of his empire as well. Baedal was said to have possessed catapults, flaming arrows, and bronze swords starting from the reign of Emperor Chi-Woo, while its neighbors were still in the stone age. Chi-Woo was said to have reigned for 109 years, and died at the age of 151. He was good at making weapons such as an arrow, a bow, a spear, an amor and a helmet, and he also could deal with copper and iron. In addition, he united 12 feudal states, and was not defeated for about 70 wars. The books claims that Chiwoo's grave was in present Shandong province of China, and that in every July, the red flag, the symbol of Chi You's army appeared on top of his grave.

According to the same accounts, when Chiwoo became an emperor of Baedalguk, Yoomang , who was a descendant of Shennong, was a king in the nation of Shennong. At that time, the nation of Shennong became powerful because the population had increased so much. Emperor Chiwoo felt surrounded by threats and decided to attack the nation of Shennong, and prepared bows, arrows, spears and swords. Emperor Chiwoo assembled his army of nine grand generals and 81 adjunt generals in , and conquered the troops of Yoomang at Kuhon. Thereafter, Emperor Huangdi heard that Emperor Chiwoo was governing the land of Shennong. Huangdi assembled his troops, and waged war on Emperor Chiwoo and Baedal more than 70 times during ten years. It is said that Emperor Chiwoo defeated Emperor Huangdi in all of the battles except one.

Chiwoo, also called "Chiwoo Cheonwang" in Korea, is the mascot of the Red Devils, the supporters' group to the South Korea national football team. The manhwa ''Heavenly Executioner Chi Woo'' is partly based on the legends about Emperor Chi Woo.

Chang'e

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Chang'e, Ch'ang-O or Chang-Ngo , also known as Heng-E or Heng-O , is the goddess of the moon. Unlike many in other cultures who personify the moon, Chang'e only lives on the moon. As the "woman on the Moon", Chang'e could be considered the Chinese complement to the Western notion of a man in the moon. The lunar crater is named after her.

Chang'e is the subject of several legends in Chinese mythology, most of which incorporate several of the following elements: Houyi the Archer, a benevolent or malevolent , an elixir of life, and the moon.

Story

Chang'e and Houyi the Archer

According to legend, Chang'e and her husband Houyi were immortals living in heaven. One day, the ten sons of the Jade Emperor transformed into ten suns, causing the earth to scorch. Having failed to order his sons to stop ruining the earth, the Jade Emperor summoned Houyi for help. Houyi, using his legendary archery skills, shot down nine of the sons, but spared one son to be the sun. The Jade Emperor was obviously not pleased with Houyi's solution to save the earth: nine of his sons were dead. As punishment, the Jade Emperor banished Houyi and Chang'e to live as mere mortals on earth.

Seeing that Chang'e felt extremely miserable over her loss of immortality, Houyi decided to journey on a long, perilous quest to find the pill of immortality so that the couple could be immortals again. At the end of his quest he met the Queen Mother of the West who agreed to give him the pill, but warned him that each person would only need half the pill to become immortal.

Houyi brought the pill home and stored it in a case. He warned Chang'e not to open the case and then left home for a while. Like Pandora in Greek mythology, Chang'e became too curious: she opened up the case and found the pill just as Houyi was returning home. Nervous that Houyi would catch her discovering the contents of the case, she accidentally swallowed the entire pill. She started to float into the sky because of the overdose. Although Houyi wanted to shoot her in order to prevent her from floating further, he could not bear to aim the arrow at her. Chang'e kept on floating until she landed on the moon.

While she became lonely on the moon without her husband, she did have company. A jade rabbit, who manufactured elixirs, also lived on the moon. The mythologies of Japan and Korea also feature references about rabbits living on the moon.

Another companion is the woodcutter Wu Gang. The woodcutter offended the gods in his attempt to achieve immortality and was therefore banished on the moon. Wu Gang was allowed to leave the moon if he could cut down a tree that grew there. The problem was that each time he chopped the tree, the tree would instantly grow back, effectively condemning him to live on the moon for eternity.

Chang'e and Houyi the Archer

Chang'e was a beautiful young girl working in the Jade Emperor's palace in heaven, where immortals, good people and fairies lived. One day, she accidentally broke a precious porcelain jar. Angered, the Jade Emperor banished her to live on earth, where ordinary people lived. She could return to the Heaven, if she contributed a valuable service on earth.

Chang'e was transformed into a member of a poor farming family. When she was 18, a young hunter named Houyi from another village spotted her, now a beautiful young woman. They became friends.

One day, a strange phenomenon occurred -- 10 suns arose in the sky instead of one, blazing the earth. Houyi, an expert archer, stepped forward to try to save the earth. He successfully shot down nine of the suns, becoming an instant hero. He eventually became king and married Chang'e.

But Houyi grew to become a tyrant. He sought immortality by ordering an elixir be created to prolong his life. The elixir in the form of a single pill was almost ready when Chang'e came upon it. She either accidentally or purposely swallowed the pill. This angered King Houyi, who went after his wife. Trying to flee, she jumped out the window of a chamber at the top of palace -- and, instead of falling, she floated into the sky toward the moon.

King Houyi tried to shoot her down with arrows, but without success. Her companion, a rabbit, is constantly pounding the elixir of immortality in a large mortar.

The moon is also inhabited by a woodcutter who tries to cut down the cassia tree, giver of life. But as fast as he cuts into the tree, it heals itself, and he never makes any progress. The Chinese use this image of the cassia tree to explain mortal life on earth -- the limbs are constantly being cut away by death, but new buds continually appear.

Meanwhile, King Houyi ascended to the sun and built a palace. So Chang'e and Houyi came to represent the yin and yang, the moon and the sun.

Chang'e and the Cruel Emperor

Many years after she was already the moon goddess, Chang'e looked down upon Earth and saw that a terribly cruel emperor sat on the throne. To help the people, she allowed herself to be reborn into the mortal world. The other members of her mortal family were either killed or enslaved by the emperor, but Chang'e managed to escape to the countryside.

Meanwhile, the emperor was aging and obsessed with discovering the elixir of life. He had people all over the land brought to him and demanded of them how to find the elixir of life; nobody knew, of course, but the emperor would not accept ignorance for an answer and executed all those who could not answer.

In the countryside, Chang'e met the Buddhist goddess of compassion, Guan Yin, who proceeded to give Chang'e a small elixir. Chang'e brought the elixir to the emperor. The suspicious emperor worried that it was poison and demanded that Chang'e taste the elixir first. She did, showing no ill effects, so then the emperor took the elixir and promptly died. Then, Chang'e also left the mortal world; the effects of the elixir had only been delayed for her. However, instead of dying, she ascended to the moon to retake her place as a goddess.

Chang'e and Houyi the Archer

This version is very similar to Version 1, although in this instance Chang'e is bitter and abusive towards Yi for their exile from heaven. When Houyi obtains the Elixir of Immortality from the Queen Mother of the West, he is told that, if both he and his wife take half of it each, they will avoid death but remain on Earth. He informs Chang'e of this arrangement and trusts her with the knowledge of the Elixir's hiding place and goes out hunting to prepare a feast when they will both take the Elixir. Chang'e, however, is not content to simply avoid death so she swallows the entire Elixir herself and immediately begins to float up to Heaven. En route, she fears the wrath of the other gods for her selfishness in taking the Elixir and floats to the moon instead. Yet another variant of the story ends with Chang'e imprisoned on the moon in the form of a frog by the Queen Mother of the West as punishment for her selfishness.

Worship of Chang'e

On , the fullmoon night of the 8th lunar month, an altar is set up on the open air facing the moon to worship her. New toiletries are put on the altar for Her to bless. She endows her worshippers with beauty.

Literature and adaptation

This story was adapted in 2003 into a Chinese TV period drama titled Moon Fairy, starring Singapore actors Fann Wong and .

Chang'e appears in Wu Cheng'en's novel Journey to the West and also TV adaptions of the novel. Her story slightly changed from her going to the moon on her first try to going to the heavens, and would later be rewarded to live in the moon after an incident which involved her and Zhu Bajie.

The legend of Lady Chang-O plays a prominent role in Amy Tan's children's book, ''The Moon Lady'', retold from her more adult novel The Joy Luck Club.

Miscellaneous

The moon goddess was mentioned in the conversation between Houston Capcom and Apollo 11 crew just before the first moon landing:

: Among the large headlines concerning Apollo this morning there's one asking that you watch for a lovely girl with a big rabbit. An ancient legend says a beautiful Chinese girl called ''Chang-o'' has been living there for 4000 years. It seems she was banished to the moon because she stole the pill for immortality from her husband. You might also look for her companion, a large Chinese rabbit, who is easy to spot since he is only standing on his hind feet in the shade of a cinnamon tree. The name of the rabbit is not recorded.
: Okay, we'll keep a close eye for the bunny girl.

In 2007, China launched its first lunar probe, named Chang'e 1 in the goddess's honour.

In Mother's Agenda The Mother tells that Chinese are originally from the moon, which they had to leave when the planet started to die. One may suggest that there are links between this and Chang'e legend.

Cangjie

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Cangjie is a legendary figure in ancient China , claimed to be an official historian of the Yellow Emperor and the inventor of Chinese characters. Legend has it that he had four eyes and , and that when he invented the characters, the deities and ghosts cried and the sky rained millet. He is considered a legendary figure rather than a historical figure, or at least, not considered to be sole inventor of Chinese characters. The Cangjie method, a Chinese character input method, is named after him. A rock on Mars, visited by the Mars rover , was named after him by the rover team.

Legend of character creation

Shortly after unifying China, the Yellow Emperor, being terribly dissatisfied with his "rope knot tying" method of recording information, charges Cangjie with the task of creating characters for writing. Cangjie then settles down on the bank of a river, and devotes himself to the completion of the task at hand. After devoting much time and effort, however, he's unable to create even one character. One day, Cangjie suddenly sees a phoenix flying in the sky above, carrying an object in its beak. The object falls to the ground directly in front of Cangjie, and he discovers it to be an impression of a hoof-print. Not being able to recognize which animal the print belonged to, he asked for the help of a local hunter passing by on the road. The hunter told him that this was, without a doubt, the hoof-print of a , being different from the hoof-print of any other beast alive. His conversation with the hunter greatly inspired Cangjie, leading him to believe that if he could capture in a drawing the special characteristics that set apart each and every thing on the earth, this would truly be the perfect kind of character for writing. From that day forward, Cangjie paid close attention to the characteristics of all things, including the sun, moon, stars, clouds, lakes, oceans, as well as all manner of bird and beast. He began to create characters according to the special characteristics he found, and before long, had compiled a long list of characters for writing. To the delight of the Yellow Emperor, Cangjie presented him with the complete set of characters. The emperor then called the premiers of each of the nine provinces together in order for Cangjie to teach them this new writing system. Monuments and temples were erected in Cangjie's honor on the bank of the river where he created these characters.

Cai Shen

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Cai Shen is the Chinese god of prosperity. He can be referred to as Zhao Gongming or Bi Gan. Though Cai Shen started as a Chinese folk hero, later deified and venerated by local followers and admirers, Taoism and Pure Land Buddhism also came to venerate him as a god.

Cai Shen's name is often invoked during the Chinese New Year celebrations. He is often depicted riding a black Tiger and holding a golden rod. He may also be depicted armed with any one of several iron weapons.

Several versions of Cai Shen's political affiliation and subsequent deification are circulated. It is unclear whether he is a genuine historical figure, though the vast majority of stories agree that Cai Shen lived during the early Qin Dynasty. It is believed that Bi Gan had a wife with the surname Chen , or Chan in Cantonese. His son is Quan . After Bi Gan was assassinated, his wife and son escaped into the woods. His death eventually marked the collapse of the Shang Dynasty. Later on, Quan was honoured as the ancestor of all by Zhou Wu Wang.

Budai

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Budai or Budai Luohan, pronounced Hotei in , also known as the ''Laughing Buddha'', is an interpretation of the Bodhisattva Maitreya, the predicted Buddha to succeed Gautama Buddha in the future.

He has become incorporated into Buddhist, and Shinto culture and is based on an eccentric Chinese Zen monk who lived in the time of the Liang Dynasty. His image graces many temples, restaurants, amulets, and businesses. Budai has become a deity of contentment and abundance, when adopted by religious and Buddhists. In Japan, Hotei persists in folklore as one of the Seven Lucky Gods . He is almost always shown smiling or laughing, hence his nickname in Chinese, the "Laughing Buddha" .

History

As Angida Arhat

Budai derives from the time of Sakyamuni Buddha, where there was a monk named ''Angida'', whose name also meant ''calico bag''. Angida was one of the original eighteen Arhats of Buddhism. According to legend, Angida was a talented Indian snake catcher whose aim was to catch venomous snakes to prevent them from biting passers-by. Angida would also remove the snake's venomous fangs and release them. Due to his kindness, he was able to attain bodhi. Both Budai and Angida have similar resemblances, as they both are rotund, seen laughing and carrying a bag, However, in Chinese art, Angida is portrayed as Budai, so it may be unclear whether the imagery between the two are similar in any way.

As a Chinese Buddhist monk

In the Chinese tradition, Budai was a monk who lived during the Later Liang Dynasty of China. He was a native of Fenghua, and his Buddhist name was Qieci . He was considered a man of good and loving character. Apart from his character, his identification with the Maitreya Bodhisattva is also attributed to a Buddhist hymn he uttered before his death:

:彌勒真彌勒，化身千百億，時時示時人，時人自不識

::''Maitreya, the true Maitreya
::''has billions of incarnations.
::''Often he is shown to people at the time;
::''other times they do not recognize him.

Description

Budai is almost always represented as carrying a cloth or linen sack, which never empties, and is filled with many precious items, including rice plants , sweets for children, food, small mammals, and the woes of the world. Sometimes it can be filled with children, as they are seen as some of those precious items of this world. His duty is patron of the weak, the poor and children. In some Japanese representations, Budai may be found sitting on a cart drawn by boys, or wielding a fan called an ''ōgi'' .

In Chinese Buddhist temples of the Chán sect, Budai's statue is traditionally placed in the front part of the entrance hall. He is depicted in the familiar likeness of the above described Laughing Buddha; a stout, smiling or laughing shaved man in robes with a largely exposed pot belly stomach symbolic for happiness, good luck, and plenitude.

Some sculptures have small children at his feet. Another item that is usually seen with the Budai figure, is a begging bowl; to represent his Buddhist nature. All of these images display Budai as a wandering monk who goes around and takes the sadness from people of this world. Because he represents prosperity and happiness, statuettes are often found in homes and businesses in China and Japan.

Faiths that revere Budai

Zen Buddhism

The primary story that concerns Budai in Zen is a short kōan. In it, Budai is said to travel giving candy to poor children, only asking a penny from Zen monks or lay practitioners he meets. One day a monk walks up to him and asks, "What is the meaning of Zen?" Budai drops his bag. "How does one realize Zen?" he continued. Budai then took up his bag and continued on his way.

I Kuan Tao

Statues of Budai form a central part of shrines in the I Kuan Tao. He is usually referred to by his Sanskrit name, Maitreya, and is taken to represent many important teachings and messages, including contentment, generosity, wisdom and open kindheartedness. He is predicted to succeed Gautama Buddha, as the next . He helps people realize the essence within, which connects with all beings. and he fosters the realization of tolerance, generosity and contentment; thus, he helps to bring heaven to earth.

Phra Sangkadchai/ Phra Sangkachai

In Thailand Budai is sometimes confused with another similar monk widely respected in Thailand, Phra Sangkadchai or Sangkachai . ''Phra Sangkadchai'', a Thai spelling of Mahakaccayanathera , was a Buddhist Arhat or Arahant during the time of the Lord . Lord Buddha praised ''Phra Sangkadchai'' for his excellence in explaining sophisticated dharma in an easily and correctly understandable manner. ''Phra Sangkadchai'' also composed the Madhupinadika Sutra.

One tale relates that he was so handsome that once even a man wanted him for a wife. To avoid a similar situation, ''Phra Sangkadchai'' decided to transform himself into a fat monk. Another tale says he was so attractive that angels and men often compared him with the . He considered this inappropriate, so disguised himself in an unpleasantly fat body.

Although both Budai and Phra Sangkadchai may be found in both Thai and Chinese temples, Phra Sangkadchai is found more often in Thai temples, and Budai in Chinese temples. Two points to distinguish them from one another are:

1. Phra Sangkadchai has a trace of hair on his head while Budai is clearly bald.

2. Phra Sangkadchai wears the robes in Theravadin Buddhist fashion with the robes folded across one shoulder, leaving the other uncovered. Budai wears the robes in Chinese style, covering both arms but leaving the front part of the upper body uncovered.

Folklore

Budai in folklore is admired for his happiness, plenitude, and wisdom of contentment. One belief, popular in folklore not Buddhist doctrine, maintains that rubbing his belly brings forth wealth, good luck, and prosperity.

Black Tortoise

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The Black Tortoise is one of the of the Chinese constellations. The word for "tortoise" was taboo; and the entire entity is not just the tortoise itself, but both the tortoise and the snake. It is sometimes called the Black Warrior of the North , and it represents the north and the winter season. Although its name in , ''Xuánwǔ'', is often translated as ''Black Tortoise'' in , it is usually depicted as both a tortoise and a snake, specifically with the snake coiling around the tortoise.

The Seven Mansions of the Black Tortoise

Like the other Four Symbols, the Black Tortoise corresponds to seven "mansions", or positions, of the moon.
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Origin

In ancient China, the tortoise and the snake were thought to be spiritual creatures symbolising longevity. During the Han Dynasty, people often wore jade pendants that were in the shape of tortoises. Because of ancient Chinese influence on Japan, honorific titles and badges in Japan often referred to the tortoise or images of tortoises.

Historic Reference

In the classic novel, Journey to the West, '''' was a king of the north who had two generals serving under him, a "Tortoise General" and a "Snake General." This king had a temple at Wudang Mountains in Hubei, thus there is a "Tortoise Mountain" and a "Snake Mountain" on the opposite sides of a river in Wuhan, the capital of Hubei.

In legend it was said that ''Xuánwǔ'' was the prince of a Chinese Emperor. However, he was not interested in taking the throne, but decided to study in Tao's way. At age 15, he left his parents to search for enlightenment in Tao's way. It was said that he eventually achieved god status and was worshipped as a god of northern sky.

Other Chinese legends also speak of how the "Tortoise General" and a "Snake General" came to be. During ''Xuánwǔ's '' study to achieve enlightenment and god status he was told that in order to fully achieve god status, he must purge all ''humanly'' flesh from his body. Since he was born he had been eating the food of the world, humanly food, therefore his stomach and intestines were still human. Legend told of an event that a god came and ''changed'' out his human stomach and intestines for a godly body so he could fully achieve god status. The stomach and intestines taken out by the god whom did the surgery on ''Xuánwǔ'' were said to have taken on the shape of a tortoise and a snake . As many Chinese legends speak of certain animals becoming demons over time as they gain knowledge, that's what the tortoise and snake became, and terrorized people. As ''Xuánwǔ'', now in his god status, heard of this, he came and slayed ''the demons from his past''. However, he did not kill them, as the snake and tortoise demons showed remorse. He let them train under him and atone for their wrong doings, and they became the "Tortoise General" and "Snake General", and they assisted ''Xuánwǔ'' with his quests.

Bashe

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Bashe was a python-like giant snake that ate elephants.

Name

The term ''bashe'' ''ba'' "a proper name; tip, tail; crust; greatly desire; cling to; be near" and ''she'' "snake; serpent".

The Chinese character 巴 for ''ba'' was graphically simplified from ancient Oracle bone script and Seal script pictograms of a long-tailed snake. In early Written Chinese usage, ''ba'' 巴 frequently referred to the Zhou Dynasty state of , which was located in present-day eastern Sichuan. In modern Standard Mandarin usage, ''ba'' 巴 often transcribes foreign loanwords such as ''ba'' 巴 "bar ", ''Bali'' 巴黎 "Paris", or ''Guba'' 古巴 "Cuba". ''Ba'' 巴 is a variant Chinese character for ''ba'' 把 "grasp; handle", ''ba'' 笆 "bamboo; fence", or ''ba'' 芭 in ''bajiao'' 芭蕉 "banana" .

''Bashe'' not only names this mythical giant reptile or Chinese dragon but is also a variant Chinese name for the South Asian ''ran'' or ''mang'' "" . "Mythical draconyms often derive from names of larger reptilians", says Carr and, "Since pythons usually crush their prey and swallow them whole, one can imagine Chinese tales about southern ''ran'' 蚺 'pythons' being exaggerated into legendarily-constipated ''bashe'' 'giant snakes' that ate an elephant every three years." In literary usage, ''bashe'' is found in the four-character idiom ''bashetuxiang'' 巴蛇吞象 meaning "inordinately greedy; extremely insatiable".

Early textual occurrences

The earliest references to the legendary ''bashe'' 巴蛇 are in the ''Chuci'' and ''Shanhaijing'', two Chinese classic texts containing Warring States period materials compiled during the Han Dynasty .

The ''Chuci'' is an anthology of Chinese poems from the southern state of , and it mentions ''bashe'' in the ''Tianwen'' 天問 "Heavenly Questions" section. The preeminent ''Chuci'' translator describes the ''Tianwen'' as a "somewhat odd combination of archaic riddles with questions of a speculative or philosophical nature" and believes "it started as an ancient, priestly riddle-text which was rewritten and greatly enlarged by a secular poet". This mythological questionnaire asks.

Where are the hornless dragons which carry bears on their backs for sport? Where is the great serpent with nine heads and where is the Shu Hu? Where is it that people do not age? Where do giants live? Where is the nine-branched weed? Where is the flower of the Great Hemp? How does the snake that can swallow an elephant digest its bones?

The ''Shanhaijing'' is an ancient Chinese mytho-geography. Chapter 10, the "''Haineinan jing''" 海內南經 "Classic of Regions within the Seas: South" describes a legendary land where ''bashe'' lived.

The Big Snake eats elephants and after three years it disgorges their bones. Gentlemen take a dose of this snake so that they will never have heart disease or illnesses of the belly. The snakes of Bigsnake country are green, or yellow, or scarlet, or black. One author says the black snakes have a green head. The land of Bigsnake lies west of Rhinoceros country.

The ''Shanhaijing'' commentary by Guo Pu compares the ''ba'' snake with the southern ''ran'' 蚺 "python", which after eating a large animal can wind around a tree trunk and expel the bones from between its scales, and notes they could grow up to a length of 100 ''xun'' . Guo's commentary likewise notes this exaggerated length for the ''changshe'' 長蛇 "long snake" that the ''Shanhaijing'' locates on Daxian 大咸 Mountain "Mount Bigwhole" ; "There is a snake here named the long-snake; its hair is like pig bristles. It makes a noise like a nightwatchman banging his rattle."

The 1578 CE ''Bencao Gangmu'' entry for ''ranshe'' 蚺蛇 "python" mentions the ''bashe''.

The ''Shan-Hai-Ching'' says that pythons can eat elephants, the bones of which they emit every three years. Gentlemen who take these bones as medicine never suffer from heart or visceral ailments. They are referred to as ''Pa She'', that is the great snake.

Compare how the ''Shanhaijing'' description of the ''ba''-snake's sympathetic magic is interpereted as eating the snake or eating the undigested elephant bones . This materia medica lists uses for python bile, flesh, fat, teeth, and oil. The ''Bencao Gangmu'' says pythons can reach lengths of 50-60 ''chi'' ; but Python molurus grow up to 5.8 meters and Python reticulatus 9.2 meters.

The Chinese folklore scholar Wolfram Eberhard links ''bashe'' with the legendary archer Houyi 后翌 who descended from heaven to destroy evildoers. One of Houyi's victims was a monstrous serpent in Lake Dongting, the ''xiushe'' 修蛇 "adorned/long snake" . Eberhard concludes giant snakes such as the ''xiushe'', ''bashe'', and ''ranshe'' "were typical for the South", but were not part of a snake cult like those among the ancient Yue .

Azure Dragon

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The Azure Dragon is one of the of the Chinese constellations. It is sometimes called the Azure Dragon of the East , and it represents the east and the season. It should not be confused with the mythological that is associated with the Emperor of China.

The Seven Mansions of the Azure Dragon

Like the other Four Symbols, the Azure Dragon corresponds to seven "mansions", or positions, of the moon.
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Origin

In Book of Tang, the reincarnation of the 's Star is said to be Li Shimin's general Luo Cheng and the reincarnation of the Azure Dragon's Star is said to be the rebellious general Shan Xiongxin . They two are sworn brothers of Qin Shubao , Cheng Zhijie and Yuchi Jingde . Their souls after death are said to possess the body of the new heroes of the Tang Dynasty and the Liao Dynasty, Xue Rengui and He Suwen.

In some legends of the Tang Dynasty's general Xue Rengui, he's said the reincarnation of the White Tiger's Star. And his archenemy, Liao Dynasty's prince He Suwen is the reincarnation of the Azure Dragon's Star.

In Japan

In Japan, the Azure Dragon is one of the four guardian spirits of cities and is said to protect the city of Kyoto on the east. The west is protected by the , the north is protected by the Black Tortoise, and the south is protected by the Vermilion Bird,and in the center is protected by the Yellow Dragon. In Kyoto there are temples dedicated to each of these guardian spirits. The Azure Dragon is represented in the Kiyomizu Temple in eastern Kyoto. Before the entrance of the temple there is a statue of the dragon which is said to drink from the waterfall within the temple complex at nighttime. Therefore each year a ceremony is held to worship the dragon of the east.

In 1983, the Kitora Tomb was found in the village of . All four guardians were painted on the walls and a system of the constellations was painted on the ceiling. This is one of the only ancient records of the four guardians.

Taotie

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The ''Taotie'' is a commonly found on ritual bronze vessels from the and Zhou Dynasty. The design typically consists of a zoomorphic mask, described as being frontal, symmetrical, with a pair of eyes and typically no lower jaw area. Some argue that the design can be traced back to Neolithic jades of the ancient Yantgtze River Liangzhu culture .

Scholars have long been perplexed over the meaning of this theriomorphic design, and there is still no commonly held single answer. The hypotheses range from Robert Bagley's belief that the design is a result of the casting process, and rather than having an iconographic meaning was the artistic expression of the artists who held the technological know-how to cast bronze , to theories that it depicts ancient face masks that may have once been worn by either shamans or the god-kings who were the link between mankind and their deceased ancestors . The once-popular belief that the faces depicted the animals used in the sacrificial ceremonies has now more or less been rejected. Most scholars favor an interpretation that supports the idea that the faces have meaning in a religious or ceremonial context, as the objects they appear on are almost always associated with such events or roles. As one scholar writes "art styles always carry some social references." It is interesting that even Shang divination inscriptions shed no light on the meaning of the ''taotie'' .

In Chinese mythology, one of the Nine Dragon Children is named ''Taotie'', possibly a derivative of the earlier motif.

According to Lu’s Spring and Autumn Annals: Prophecy, "The ''taotie'' on Zhou bronzes has a head but no body. When it eats people, it does not swallow them, but harms them.* It is hard to explain what is implied in this, as so many myths concerning the ''taotie'' have been lost, but the indication that it eats people accords fully with its cruel, fearful countenance. To alien clans and tribes, it symbolized fear and force; to its own clan or tribe, it was a symbol of protection. This religious concept, this dual nature, was crystallized in its strange, hideous features. What appears so savage today had a historical, rational quality in its time. It is for precisely this reason that the savage old myths and legends, the tales of barbarism, and the crude, fierce, and terrifying works of art of ancient clans possessed a remarkable aesthetic appeal. As it was with Homer’s epic poems and African masks, so it was with the ''taotie'', in whose hideous features was concentrated a deep-seated historic force. It is because of this irresistible historic force that the mystery and terror of the ''taotie'' became the beautiful—the exalted."

*footnote by Li Zehou: "Some scholars consider that the meaning of '''taotie'' is not "eating people" but making a mysterious communication between people and Heaven ." Excerpt from ''The Path of Beauty: A Study of Chinese Aesthetics'' by Li Zehou, translated by Gong Lizeng .

See also:
Jordan Paper, "The Meaning of the 'T'ao-T'ieh'" in ''History of Religions'', Vol. 18, No. 1 , pp. 18-41.
Mircea Eliade, ''Shamanism'', trans. W. R. Trask. NY: Bollingen Foundation, 1964.
Robert Bagley, ''Shang Ritual Bronzes in the Arthur M. Sackler Collections''.
Roderick Whitfield, ed. ''The Problem of Meaning in Chinese Ritual Bronzes''. London: School of Oriental and African Studies, 1993.
K. C. Chang, ''Art, Myth, and Ritual: The Path to Political Authority in Ancient China''. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press, 1983.

Tam Kung

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Tam Kung is a sea deity worshiped in Hong Kong and Macau.

A temple dedicated to this deity is located at the end of Shau Kei Wan Man Street East, Shau Kei Wan, Hong Kong, and was originally a small shrine. Local people raised money to construct it in 1905 and reconstructed it many times afterwards. The statue of Tam Kung, which was first worshipped among the other gods in the temple, was formerly positioned in the Tam Kung Temple in Tam Kung Road in Kowloon City. There is a big rock in front of the temple and is believed to be Tam Kung's magic stamp. Local residents and fishermen are the sincere worshippers. On the birthday of Tam Kung , they will have a celebration and play a so called "kung fu" show which is a major part of the celebration. There is also a at Rua de Cinco de Outubro in Coloane, Macau.

In Victoria, BC, there is also a temple to the god Tam Kung. At 1713 Government Street is a tall, slim building established by the Yen Wo Society. Fifty-two steps up to the top floor is the oldest Chinese Temple in Canada. The statue you will find there was originally kept in a wooden box at Market Square, and it was moved to the temple by its keeper after Tam Kung appeared to him in a dream. Visitors are welcome most days, and you can make a donation to ensure your good health and the upkeep of the shrine!

Tam Kung Procession

In , Tam Kung was one of gods who could forecast the weather. He was born in Huizhou Prefecture. It was said that he could cure patients in his childhood. Tam Kung became an immortal in heaven at the age of twenty in the Nine-dragon Mountain in Huizhou.

He was granted an honor in the Ching Dynasty. People whose ancestral home are in Huizhou or Chaoshan of Guangdong province worship Tam Kung most sincerely. They built a temple for Tam Kung in A Kung Ngam. On Tam Kung's birthday on the 8th day of the 4th month in Chinese calendar, a special ceremony including parade and dragon dance is held in honor of him.

Sun Wukong

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Sun Wukong , known in the West as the Monkey King, is the main character in the classical epic novel ''Journey to the West''. In the novel, he accompanies the monk on the journey to retrieve Buddhist sutras from India.

Sun Wukong possesses incredible strength, being able to lift his 13,500 Ruyi Jingu Bang with ease. He also has superb speed, traveling 108,000 li in one somersault. Sun knows 72 transformations, which allows him to transform into various animals and objects; he is, however, shown with slight problems transforming into other people, since he is unable to complete the transformation of his tail. He is a skilled fighter, capable of holding his own against the best generals of heaven. Each of his hairs possesses magical properties, and is capable of transforming into a clone of the Monkey King himself, or various weapons, animals, and other objects. He also knows various spells in order to command wind, part water, conjure protective circles against demons, freeze humans, demons, and gods alike, to name a few. Unlike most gods, he earned his immortality through battling heaven and earth.

Background

Birth and early life

Sun Wukong was born from a mythical stone formed from the primal forces of chaos, located on the . After joining a clan of monkeys, he earned their respect by discovering the behind a large waterfall; the clan made it their new home. The other monkeys honored him as their king, and he called himself ''Měi Hóuwáng'' . However, he soon realized that despite his power over the monkeys, he was just like them, and was not beyond mortality. Determined to find immortality, he traveled on a raft to civilized lands, where he found and became the disciple of a / Patriarch Bodhi. He was able to acquire human speech and manners through his travels.

Influence

In spite of their popularity , legends regarding Sun Wukong have changed with the ebb and flow that is Chinese culture. The tale with and the "Pillars" is a prime example, and did not appear until Buddhism was introduced to China during the Han Dynasty. Various legends concerning Sun Wukong date back to before written Chinese history. They tend to change and adapt to the most popular Chinese religion of a given era.

* Some scholars believe that the character Sun Wukong was partly based on Hanuman, the "monkey god" of Hinduism described in a book by the historical Sanzang. Wukong became so well known in China that he was once worshiped by some as a real god.
* Jamie Hewlett and Damon Albarn's Chinese opera "" is based on the legend of the Monkey King. They were subsequently commissioned by the BBC to produce a two minute animated film to promote their coverage of the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, which features the characters involved in various sporting activities.
* There are some scholars who believe this character may be originated from the first disciple of Xuan Zang, .
* Sun Wukong is so prominent in ''Journey to the West'' that the famous translation by Arthur Waley entitled '''', leading to other versions of ''Journey to the West'' also being called ''Monkey'', such as the Japanese television show, ''''.
* The phrase "You burst out from a stone" has become one of the common excuses used by Chinese parents when answering the "where do babies come from" question.
* Sun Wukong is said to be the influence behind the creation of various Monkey Kung Fu styles.

In his book ''The Shaolin Monastery'' , Tel Aviv University Prof. Meir Shahar claims that Sun influenced a legend concerning the origins of the Shaolin staff method. The legend takes place during the Red Turban Rebellion of the Yuan Dynasty. Bandits lay siege to the monastery, but it is saved by a lowly kitchen worker wielding a long fire poker as a makeshift . He leaps into the oven and emerges as a monstrous giant big enough to stand astride both Mount Song and the imperial fort atop Mount Shaoshi . The bandits flee when they behold this staff-wielding titan. The Shaolin monks later realize that the kitchen worker was none other than the Monastery's guardian deity, Vajrapani, in disguise. Shahar compares the worker's transformation in the stove with Sun's time in Laozi's crucible, their use of the staff, and the fact that Sun and his weapon can both grow to gigantic proportions.

Names and titles

Sun Wukong is known as ''Syun Ng Hung'' in , ''Son Oh Gong'' in , ''T?n Ng? Kh?ng'' in , ''Son Gokū'' in and ''Sun Go Kong'' in ''Hanuman Sun Wukong'' in Cambodian

Listed in the order that they were acquired:
;''Shí Hóu'' : Meaning the "Stone monkey". This refers to his physical essence, being born from a piece of rock after millennia of incubation on the Bloom Mountains/Flower-Fruit Mountain.
;''Měi Hóuwáng'' : Meaning "Handsome Monkey-King", or Houwang for short. The adjective ''Měi'' means "beautiful, handsome, pretty"; it also means "to be pleased with oneself", referring to his ego. ''Hóu'' also highlights his "naughty and impish" character.
;''Sūn Wùkōng'' : The name given to him by his first master, Patriarch Bodhi. The surname ''Sūn'' was given as an in-joke about the monkey, as monkeys are also called ''húsūn'' , and can mean either a literal ''or'' a figurative "monkey" . The surname ''sūn'' and the "monkey"-''sūn'' only differs in that the latter carries an extra "dog" to highlight that 猻 refers to an animal. The given name ''Wùkōng'' means " ". This is translated into Japanese as ''Son Gokū''.
;''Bìmǎwēn'' : The title of the keeper of the Heavenly Horses, a punning of ''bìmǎwēn'' . A monkey was often put in a stable as people believed its presence could prevent the horses from catching illness. Sun Wukong was given this position by the Jade Emperor after his first intrusion into Heaven. He was promised that it was a good position to have, and that he, at least in this section, would be in the highest position. After discovering it was, in actuality, one of the lowest jobs in Heaven, he became angry, smashed the entire stable, set the horses free, and then quit. From then on, the title bìmǎwēn was used by his adversaries to mock him.
;''Qítiān Dàshèng'' : Meaning "Great Sage, Equal of Heaven". Wùkōng demanded this title from the Jade Emperor and was eventually granted it. This is translated into Japanese as ''seiten-taisei'' . The title originally holds no power, though it is officially a high rank. Later the title was granted the responsibility to guard the Heavenly Peach Garden, due to that many Heavenly Officials noticed that Sun Wukong had nothing to do.
;''Xíngzhě'' : Meaning "ascetic", it refers to a wandering monk, a priest's servant, or a person engaged in performing religious austerities. Xuanzang calls Wukong ''Sūn-xíngzhě'' when he accepts him as his companion. This is translated into Japanese as ''gyōja'' .
;''Dòu-zhànshèng-fó'' : "Battle-Mystic-Buddha". Wukong was given this name once he ascended to buddhahood at the end of the Journey to the West. This name is mentioned during the Chinese Buddhist evening services, specifically during the eighty-eight Buddhas repentance.

In addition to the names used in the novel, the Monkey King has other names in different languages:
*''K?u-chê-thian'' in : "Monkey, Equal of Heaven".
*''Maa⁵ lau¹ zing¹'' in : "Monkey Imp"
*''Saiten Taisei Son Goku'' in : "Great Sage Equal of Heaven"

Appearances in other media

Sun Wukong has been a staple character in many forms of media from many East Asian countries.

Film and television

Many actors including Masaaki Sakai, Liu Xiao Ling Tong, Stephen Chow, Yueh Hua , and Dicky Cheung have portrayed Sun in films and television shows. Jet Li portrays the character in the 2008 movie ''The Forbidden Kingdom'', which condenses many of the elements of his character into a single narrative.

In 1985, filmmaker wrote an early draft for the third Indiana Jones film , which featured the Monkey King. In Columbus' first draft Sun Wu Kung is benevolent deity and god to a city of pygmies and apes in Africa; but in the second draft he is a villain. George Lucas eventually decided the character was too unrealistic The script was leaked online in 1997, and many believed it was an early draft for the as the date was mistakenly printed as 1995..

The anime, ''Saiyuki'', portrayed the monkey king as Son Goku. Kazuya Minekura, the author of the manga, took the legend and made alterations to appeal to a teenage audience.

The manga and anime series Dragon Ball was based on ''Journey to the West'', and the protagonist was named . However, while Goku had a few items in his posession similar to the Monkey King , he appeared to be more human than monkey , and his initial mischievous behavior stems from his youth and innocence, rather than from arrogance and sometimes outright malice.

Su Shuang

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Su Shuang was one of two big-time merchants from . According to , he and Zhang Shiping supplied Liu Bei, Guan Yu and Zhang Fei with horses, money, and steel for making weapons. Liu Bei's forces were preparing to fight against the at the time.

Qilin

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Qi Xi , also known as Magpie Festival, falls on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month on the Chinese calendar; thus its name. It also inspired Tanabata in Japan, Chilseok in Korea, and That Tich in Vietnam. It is sometimes called Chinese Valentine's Day in recent years.

Young girls traditionally demonstrate their domestic arts, especially melon carving, on this day and make wishes for a good husband. It is also known by the following names:
* The Festival to Plead for Skills
* The Seventh Sister's Birthday
* The Night of Skills

In 2008, this festival falls on August 7.

The story of Cowherd and Weaver Girl

In late summer, the stars Altair and Vega are high in the night sky, and the Chinese tell the following love , of which there are many variations:

A young cowherd named Niulang happens across seven fairy sisters bathing in a lake. Encouraged by his mischievous companion the ox, he steals their clothes and waits to see what will happen. The fairy sisters elect the youngest and most beautiful sister Zhinü to retrieve their clothing. She does so, but since Niulang has seen her naked, she must agree to his request for marriage. She proves to be a wonderful wife, and Niulang a good husband. They lived happily and had two children. But the Goddess of Heaven finds out that a mere mortal has married one of the fairy girls and is furious. Down on Earth, Niulang is very upset learning that his wife is gone. Suddenly, his cow begins to talk telling him that if he kills him and puts on his hide, he will be able to go up to Heaven to find his wife. With tears flowing, he killed the cow, put on the skin and carrying his two children with him and off he went to Heaven to find Zhinü. The Goddess found out he had come and was very angry. Taking out her hairpin, the Goddess scratches a wide river in the sky to separate the two lovers forever .

Zhinü must sit forever on one side of the river, sadly weaving on her loom, while Niulang watches her from afar and takes care of their two children .

But once a year all the magpies in the world take pity on them and fly up into heaven to form a bridge over the star Deneb in the Cygnus constellation so the lovers may be together for a single night, the seventh night of the seventh moon.

It is said that if it rains on the night of Qi Xi, they are the tears of Niulang and Zhinü crying at the misery of their life.

See also:

As an interesting note, Barry Hughart's fantasy tale "Bridge of Birds"
is loosely based upon this celestial story, though the two figures are switched here. The girl is forced to remain on earth, and her male paramour in heaven. She is a peasant girl, and he shepherds the stars.

Variations of the story

*It was also said that the Goddess of Heaven out of pity decided to let them unite once on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month. She was touched by their love for each other.
*It is the Emperor of Heaven, or his father , who keeps the lovers separate and he does so in order that they focus on their work instead of romance.
*The star Deneb is a fairy who acts as a chaperon when the lovers meet on the magpie bridge.
*Rather than once a year, there was another version where the lovers were allowed once a month.
*It is also a Chinese myth that sometime during the night of Qi Xi the two stars Altair and Vega will actually unite on the same side of the Milky Way.

Traditions

On Qi Xi, a festoon is placed in the yard and the single or newly married women in the household make an offering to Niulang and Zhinü consisting of fruit, flowers, tea, and facial powder . After finishing the offering, half of the facial powder is thrown on the roof and the other half divided among the young women. It is believed by doing this the women are bound in beauty with Zhinü.

Another tradition is for young girls to throw a sewing needle into a bowl full of water on the night of Qi Xi as a test of embroidery skills. If the needle floats on top of the water instead of sinking, it is believed to be an indication of the girl's being a skilled embroideress.

Schedule

The seventh day of the seventh lunar month of the lunisolar calendar in the coming years.
#2008-08-07
#2009-08-26
#2010-08-16
#2011-08-06
#2012-08-23
#2013-08-13
#2014-08-02
#2015-08-20
#2016-08-09
#2017-08-28
#2018-08-17
#2019-08-07
#2020-08-25

Other romantic days in Chinese culture

Two other days have, or had, romantic associations in China: Valentine's Day on February 14th, borrowed from the West, and , on which an unmarried girl was traditionally permitted to appear in public unescorted and thus be seen by eligible bachelors. The latter no longer has such implications nowadays, however.

Vietnam: "Ngày m?a Ng?u"

In Vietnam, this day is called "Ngày m?a ng?u" . The tale is about a pair of lovers: Ng?u Lang, who is the Jade Emperor's buffalo man and an outstanding bamboo fluter, and Ch?c N?, who is responsible for fabric weaving. They were too passionate for each other to do their work well. Because of this lost productivity, the Jade Emperor became angry and decided that they must live on opposite sides of s?ng Ng?n . But after that, the Jade Emperor felt sorry for them and permitted that they can meet each other once a year on the 7th day of the 7th month on the lunar year.

However, they cannot cross the Milky Way. To fix this, the Jade Emperor ordered crows and Racquet-tailed treepie to build a bridge across the Milky Way. From then on, the bridge has the name c?u ? Th??c .

Every year, when they meet each other, they cry and cry and cry. Their tears fall down from the sky and make a special kind of rain on this day: "m?a ng?u" . This is why the people call them ?ng Ng?u and bà Ng?u .

Pixiu

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Pixiu or Pi Yao originally known as ''Pi Xie'' is a Chinese mythical creature considered to be very a powerful protector to practitioners of Feng Shui. It resembles a winged lion. Pixiu is an earth and sea variation, particularly an influential and auspicious creature for wealth. It is said to have a voracious appetite towards only gold and silver. Therefore traditionally to the Chinese, Pixiu has always been regarded as an auspicious creature that possessed mystical power capable of drawing ''Cai Qi'' from all directions. Thus, it is helpful for those who are going through a bad year according to Chinese zodiac.

There are two different types of ''Pi Xiu''. The difference is with their s. The one with two horns is known as ''Pi Ya'' and the one with one horn is called ''Tian Lu'' .

*''Tian Lu'' - is in charge of wealth. Displaying ''Tian Lu'' at home or in the office is said to prevent wealth from flowing away.
*''Pi Ya'' - wards off evil. It is also believed that ''Pi Ya'' has the ability of assisting anyone who is suffering from bad Feng Shui that is due to having offended the Grand Duke Jupiter .

''Pi Xiu'' is the ninth offspring of the . ''Pi Xiu'' craves the smell of gold and silver and it likes to bring his master money in his mouth. Statues of this creature are often used to attract wealth in feng shui.

Today, ''Pi Xiu'' is also a popular design on jade pendants.

Characteristics

Fierce looking and covered with whitish-grey fur, ''Pi Xiu'' has the head of a Chinese dragon, but is commonly depicted with only one antler as time passes. Ancient Chinese depictions of ''Pi Xiu'' show the male with the single antler, and the female with two. As with the , the common image today is a representation of a single sex. ''Pi Xiu'' has protruding eyes and sharp teeth. Its body resembles a Chinese lion and the legs of ''Pi Xiu'' are those of a ''qilin''. Looking at the posture of the ''Pi Xiu'', the creature seems to project a sense of strength, elegance and mobility. Its obvious characteristic is its fat body to indicate a full stomach loaded with unlimited amounts of good fortune. It has a single horn on its head, a pair of wings and no anus. Likewise it has a big opened mouth ready to gobble up money. Many people like ''Pi Xiu'' because ''Pi Xiu'' does not have a hole at its bottom so it only eats but does not dispose of anything. This means, the ''Pi Xiu'' could contain a lot of good fortune and wealth luck for you and your family in your office or home, stays within your premises and does not 'dispose' any of the luck.

It is believed that the common wingless ''Pi Xiu'' assists in seeking wealth while a winged ''Pi Xiu'' assists students in furthering their studies.

Due to their similar appearances, Pixiu is often confused with s or ''qilin''.

Mythology

The myth of ''Pi Xiu'' tells that the creature violated a law of heaven, so the Jade Emperor punished it by restricting the pixiu's diet to gold, and prevented the creature from defecating by sealing its anus. Thus, pixiu can only absorb gold, but cannot expel it. This is the origin of ''Pi Xiu'''s status as a symbol of the acquisition and preservation of wealth.

''Pi Xiu'' is also a fierce creature. The large s visible in the creature's mouth are used to attack demons and evil spirits, draining their essence and converting it to wealth. ''Pi Xiu'' also guards against disease caused by these same evil spirits.

In tribute to ''Pi Xiu'''s ferocity and prowess in battle, 'The ''Pi Xiu'' was synonymous with the army in ancient China.

Feng Shui

Pi Yao is the heavenly variation of a particularly powerful and auspicious creature of good fortune. He is said to have the power to assist anyone suffering from bad Feng Shui due to having offended the Grand Duke Jupiter . In 2005, the Grand Duke resided in the West, so those born in the will have been in conflict with him. Practitioners of Feng Shui should ensure that they display the Pi Yao in the West to appease Tai Sui. The Pi Yao should also be displayed in homes for those enduring a period of bad luck soon after moving into a new home or soon after undertaking renovations. In 2006, Tai Sui moved to the Northwest. His exact position in 2006 is West-Northwest.

During China's history, ''Pi Xiu'' were commonly displayed in ancient architecture to ward off ''Yin Qi'' and to harness auspicious ''Qi''.
The statues of a Pixiu are commonly found on the four corners of the roofs of houses--usually houses of important people such as the emperor. The Pixiu is lined 5th, behind the dragon, phoenix, winged horse and sea horse. In ancient China, statues of ''Pi Xiu'' were also used as tomb guardians.

*''Pi Ya'' - must be placed facing out of the house. Displaying ''Pi Ya'' at the affected area of the house or office can avoid misfortune and disasters. For displaying towards openings or entrance, a pair of ''Pi Ya'' is needed.
*''Tian Lu ''- for attracting wealth, one may place it at the desired wealth area such as attractive wealth area or accumulative wealth area. Do not place ''Tian Lu'' facing directly on any person like a confronting position. Ideally, ''Tien Lu'' should not be place on the floor but it should never be place above eye level.

Peng (mythology)

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Peng is the Romanization of the Chinese character for a mythological bird.

The character, 鵬, is comprised of and .

Literature

In Chinese mythology, the Peng and Kun :
:There lived a kind of giant mysterious fish in the northern sea. These fish are called ''Kun''. Nobody knows how big these fish actually are. They can turn into giant birds. When they are in bird form, they are known as ''Peng''. Nobody knows how big these birds actually are. When they fly, their wings are like the colorful clouds in the sky. When there is a storm in the northern sea, the Peng will fly to the southern sea. They travel three thousand in one flap of their wings. They can fly for six months without rest.

Note: the southern sea mentioned in the story is also known as .

Famous people named Peng

The Chinese word Peng symbolizes ambitions and great accomplishments. This word is commonly used as a given name in China. Several important Chinese politicians are named Peng. In contrast, the word Kun is seldom used.

*Li Peng
*Yue Fei
*Ji Pengfei
*Xiao Peng
*Bi Dapeng (毕大鹏）

Ox-Head and Horse-Face

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Ox-Head and Horse-Face are two fearsome guardians of the in Chinese mythology, where the dead face judgement prior to reincarnation. As indicated by their names, one has the head of an ox, and the other has the face of a horse. They are the first people a dead soul meets upon arriving in the Underworld; in many stories they directly escort the newly dead to the Underworld. Usually, the two are mentioned together .

In the Chinese classic novel ''Journey to the West'', at one point Horse-Face and Ox-Head are sent to capture Sun Wukong, the Monkey King. Sun Wukong overpowers both of them and scares them away. He then breaks into the Underworld and crosses out the names of himself and his people from the record of living souls, hence granting immortality to himself and his monkey followers.

Notable representations in popular media

*In Lone Wolf and Cub, the protagonist, Ogami Itto, has visions about Ox-Head and Horse-face. He refers to them as "Gozu Mezu" and uses drawings of them to advertise his services as an assassin.
*In the animated version of Rumiko Takahashi's InuYasha, the cast fights with Ox-Head and Horse-Face in order to enter the underworld - but only Sesshomaru, with the sword Tenseiga, is allowed to pass without fighting Ox-Head and Horse-Face.
* Ox-Head appears as the titular character in Takashi Miike's movie ''Gozu''.

Nine-headed Bird

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The nine-headed bird is one of the earliest forms of the Chinese phoenix, worshiped by ancient natives in Hubei Province, which during the Warring State Period was part of the kingdom of Chu .
Nine-headed bird was also called "Nine Phoenix" , which together with Chinese dragon, were two the most vastly worshiped divine/mythical creatures throughout Chinese history.

The number "Nine" was thought to possess mysterious power in Chinese culture. Nine-headed bird was, and still is believed to be a symbol of wisdom and good fortune.

Nian

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In Chinese mythology, a Nian is a beast that lives under the sea or in the mountains. Once each spring, on or around Chinese New Year, it comes out of hiding to attack people, especially children. The Nian is sensitive to loud noises and afraid of the color red.

Traditions

The Chinese New Year traditions of decorating in red, exploding firecrackers, and performing a lion dance were originally used to scare the beast away. Some people display on red banners to prevent the Nian from returning. Numerous other traditions such as wearing red clothing or handing out red envelopes are also designed to protect against the Nian.

The Chinese word for ''year'' is the same as the name of this beast. A phrase for celebrating Chinese New Year, ''guo nian'' means ''the passing of the beast''.

In the Lion Dance

A lion dance is a traditional dance usually performed by martial artists or acrobats. One or more performers hold up a large costume beast with a distinctive head, and one or more human characters will dance around the beast. Although these dances are commonly called lion dances, the beast portrayed is often not a lion. In northern China, it may be a Rui Shi or Fu Dog. In the south of China, it may be a nian. The Cantonese lion dance is sometimes a reenactment of the legend of taming the Nian.

Image gallery

Nian in Popular Culture

The Nian were a part of the Canthan New Year Celebration as part of the game Guild Wars, specifically appearing in Guild Wars Factions

Omen, a boss in World of Warcraft which appears only once a year during the Lunar Festival was inspired by the Nian.

Nezha (deity)

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Nezha or Na Zha is a deity, the ''enfant terrible'' trickster, originally of Chinese mythology, though in the he is perhaps more well known from Japanese anime. His official Taoist deity name is ''Zhongtan Yuanshuai'' or ''Nezha Qiansui'' .

Life

Nezha is often depicted flying in the sky with a wheel of fire under each foot, a golden hoop, the "cosmic ring", around his shoulder and a spear in his hands. Sometimes he is given multiple arms. Nezha is usually depicted as a youth and rarely as an adult.

As the third son of a military commander called , a military leader in Chentangguan Fortress, his birth was peculiar. When his mother Lady Yin got pregnant, she waited for three years and six months to deliver the boy, but unfortunately a ball of flesh was born. His father got so angry that he split it with a sword, which caused Nezha to jump out and grow fully, even though his mind and temperament were that of a child.

After he killed , a yaksha, and Ao Bing, the third son of Dragon King Ao Guang, Nezha flayed and disemboweled himself in order to save his parents that were taken hostage by Ao Guang, but was brought back to life by his master, Taiyi Zhenren, a Taoist immortal sage who used lotus blossoms to reconstruct a body for his soul to inhabit.

Nezha's two elder brothers are also powerful warriors. The eldest is Jinzha , who is a disciple of Manjusri Bodhisattva, and the second eldest is , a disciple of Samantabhadra Bodhisattva.

Some traced his origins to the god Nalakuvara, and legend goes that he was born in the Shang dynasty.

Appearance in ancient Chinese mythology and literature

Nezha has frequently appeared in Chinese Mythology and ancient Chinese Literature such as the ''Fengshen Yanyi'' , although the story of ''Nezha conquering the sea'' is the most famous among Chinese households. In ''Journey to the West'', Nezha was a general under the leadership of his father Li Jing. He entered into combat against Sun Wukong when the latter rebelled against the Jade Emperor, ruler of Heaven, but Nezha was beaten by Sun Wukong and had to retreat.

Animated films

The story of Nezha has been made into several animated films. One of the most well-known is the 1979 production of ''Nezha Nao Hai'' , translated into English on the recent DVD release as ''Nezha Conquers the Dragon King'', which won international award and recognition in the former USSR.

In the Chinese VCD, Nezha is shown with fire wheels, a red ribbon, and a golden ring.

Also, Nezha appears in the popular Japanese manga/anime series '''' as Nataku, a half-mortal war god who won the then-divine Son Goku 's friendship. Unfortunately, Nataku falls into a catactonic state and sits in the divine garden of heaven with only the Goddess of Mercy to keep him company staring blankly ahead for all time. In the series, Nataku is decidedly more somber than Goku and is resigned to being a puppet to the Gods. Furthermore, Nataku goes by a different title, but his background is still very much the same--right down to a Commander father and spear weapon. Nataku's father however, is then lectured by the past reincarnation of and further mis-treatment of his son is then yet to be seen in the series.

In the anime series Gundam Wing, Meilan Long, Chang Wufei's wife, insists on calling herself Nataku . After her death, Wufei would give his mobile suits, the and Gundams the nickname Nataku in her honor.

In the manga/anime series '''', one of the is named Nataku after the god. A genderless clone with the body of an adult and a childlike mentality, Nataku is presumed by its creators to be soulless and without emotions, though its actions prove otherwise.

Nezha, renamed Nata, appeared in the animated version of Monkey Magic as the main character's first major opponent. In this version Nezha was defeated more by trickery than power or skill.

Meng Po

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Meng Po is the Lady of Forgetfulness in Chinese mythology.

Literally means Old Lady Meng, Meng Po serves in Di Yu, the Chinese realm of the dead. It is her task to ensure that souls who are ready to be reincarnated do not remember their previous life or their time in hell.

To this end she collects herbs from various earthly ponds and streams to make her Five Flavored Tea of Forgetfulness. This is given to each soul to drink before they leave Di Yu. The brew induces instant and permanent amnesia, and all memory of other lives is lost.

Having been purged of all previous sins and knowledge, the dead spirit is sent to be reborn in a new earthly incarnation, and the cycle begins again.

Occasionally people are able to avoid drinking the brew, resulting in past life memories surfacing in children.

Mazu (goddess)

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Mazu , also spelt Matsu, is the Taoist who protects fishermen and sailors, and is revered as the patron saint who protects East Asians who are associated with the ocean. Her mortal name is Lin Moniang .

She is widely worshipped in the south-eastern coastal areas of China and neighbouring areas, especially Zhejiang, Fujian, Taiwan, Guangdong, and Vietnam, all of which have strong sea-faring traditions, as well as migrant communities elsewhere with sizeable populations from these areas.

Nomenclature

Popular names

* Mazu , or Mazu-po , pronounced as ''Matsu'' in Japanese
* Tian Hou or ''Thiên H?u'' in Vietnamese
* Tian Fei , pronounced as ''Tenpi'' in Japanese
* A-Ma or A-Po
* ''Tianshang Shengmu'' or ''Tianhou Shengmu'' or ''Thiên H?u Thánh M?u'' in Vietnamese

Official titles

* In Southern Song Danasty, she was given the first Title as "Princess of Supernatural Favour" in A.D. 1155 by Emperor Gaozong of Song.
* In the Yuan Dynasty, she was officially the "Protector of the Empire and the Brilliantly Outstanding Heavenly Princess" .
* In Ming Dynasty, she was given as "Holy Mother of Heaven Above" in 1417 by the Yongle Emperor.
* In the Qing Dynasty, she was made the "Heavenly Empress" . Her last imperial title was given as "Holy Mother in Heaven" in 1839 by the Daoguang Emperor.

Person

According to legend, Lin Moniang was born in 960 as the seventh daughter of Lin Yuan on Meizhou Island, Fujian. She did not cry when she was born, and thus her given name means "Silent Girl."

There are many legends about her and the sea.

Although she started swimming relatively late at the age of 15, she soon became an excellent swimmer. She wore red garments while standing on the shore to guide fishing boats home, even in the most dangerous and harsh weather.

According to one legend, Lin Moniang's father and brothers were fishermen. One day, a terrible typhoon arose while they were out at sea, and the rest of her family feared that those at sea had perished. In the midst of this storm, depending on the version of the legend, she either fell into a while for the lives of her father and brothers or dreamed of her father and brothers while she was sleeping. In either the trance or the dream, her father and brothers were drowning, and she reached out to them, holding her brothers up with her hands and her father up with her mouth. However, Moniang's mother now discovered her and tried to wake her, but Moniang was in such a deep trance or dream that it seemed like she was dead. Moniang's mother, already believing the rest of their family dead, now broke down, crying, believing that Moniang had also just died. Hearing her mother's cries, in pity, Moniang gave a small cry to let her mother know she was alive, but in opening her mouth, she was forced to drop her father. Consequently, Moniang's brothers returned alive and told the other villagers that a miracle had happened and that they had somehow been held up in the water as a typhoon raged.

There are at least two versions of Lin Moniang's death. In one version, she died in 987 at the age of 28, when she climbed a mountain alone and flew to heaven and became a goddess. Another version of the legend says that she died at age 16 of exhaustion after swimming far into the ocean trying to find her lost father and that her corpse later washed ashore in Nankan Island of the Matsu Islands.

''Lin Moniang'' , a minor Fujianese TV series, is a dramatization of the life of Mazu as a mortal.

Goddess

After her death, the families of many fishermen and sailors began to pray to her in honor of her acts of courage in trying to save those at sea. Her worship spread quickly. Much of her popularity in comparison to other sea deities resulted from her role as a compassionate motherly protector, in contrast to authoritarian father figures like the Dragon Kings. She is usually depicted wearing a red robe, and sitting on a throne. As often happens to revered folk heroes in Chinese culture, she became an empress figure during the Yuan Dynasty.

Worship

Starting from Fujian, worship of Mazu spread to the neighbouring coastal provinces of Zhejiang and Guangdong, and thence to all coastal areas of mainland China. With emigration and especially the Chinese diaspora of the 19th and 20th centuries, it further spread to Taiwan, Vietnam, Ryukyu, Japan, and South East Asia; the role of Mazu as patron of the seas ensured that newly arrived immigrants often erected temples to her first, to give thanks for arriving safely. Today, worship of Mazu is also found in other countries with sizeable populations from these regions. In total, there are around 1,500 Mazu temples in 26 countries of the world.

Hong Kong

In Hong Kong, around 60 temples are dedicated to Tin Hau, some giving reverence to other important deities. The temple in the Tin Hau area, east of , in , on Hong Kong Island, has given its name to the area and to serving it . The ''Tin Hau Temple'' is one of the declared monuments of Hong Kong. Because of their historic significance, many Tin Hau Temples in Hong Kong were graded historic buildings.

See Tin Hau temples in Hong Kong for a more detailed listing.

Macau

Macau has three Tin Hau temples . The name ''Macau'' is thought to be derived from the Templo de A-Má , a still-existing landmark built in 1448 dedicated to the goddess Mazu.

Mainland China

Aside from Fujian, there are more than 40 temples dedicated to Mazu in Guangdong and Hainan, and more than 30 in Jiangsu and Zhejiang. In northern China, there are large Mazu temples in Tianjin, Weihai, Yingkou, Qinhuangdao, Qingdao, Changdao Islands , and .

In Nanjing, the Tian Fei Palace was built by the Yongle Emperor in the Ming Dynasty, at the instigation of Admiral Zheng He after returning from his first expedition. Before and after each expedition, Zheng He would worship at the temple for Mazu's protection. Because it was a state temple built by the Emperor, this temple was the largest and enjoyed the highest status of all Mazu temples in the country. The temple was largely destroyed by Japanese bombings in 1937, but is currently being rebuilt.

In Shanghai, historically here were three principal Tian Hou Temples. During the Qing Dynasty, it was customary for diplomats departing by sea to worship at the Tian Hou Palace in the old city. All of these were progressively destroyed. The last, on the banks of the Suzhou Creek, was moved to Songjiang. This temple is now dedicated to the "Mazu of the Huangpu River". The City God Temple in the old city is also partially dedicated to Mazu.

Fujian

In Putian, the legendary birthplace of Mazu, there are hundreds of temples dedicated to the goddess, including about 20 on Meizhou island alone.

Elsewhere in Fujian, there are about 70 temples dedicated to Mazu, mostly concentrated in the coastal areas.

Heavenly Empress Temple-Meizhou Ancestral Temple is on her native Meizhou Island.

Malaysia

Malaysia has a long history of Taoist religion ever since the Chinese from Southern China settled in South East Asia region. The famous Thean Hou Temple situated in the heart of Kuala Lumpur, Capital of Malaysia is a famous tourist destination in Asia. Few tenths thousand of other temples and statues are found throughout the country.

Every year, the Nine Emperor Gods Festival is celebrated heavily especially in Penang; and the Birthday of Mazu celebrated throughout the country.

A mega project to build the world tallest Mazu statue at Northernmost tip of Borneo, Kudat was officially launched by the leader and people of Sabah recently . The statue was to measure at 10-storey high and would draw millions of tourists to the country every year. This project has however been cancelled due to protests from a few Muslims in Sabah and some political interference.

Singapore

The worship of Mazu was brought to Singapore from China by the influx of Chinese immigrants during the 19th century, a large proportion of whom came from Fujian. Two of the oldest and best known Chinese temples in Singapore, Thian Hock Keng and Yueh Hai Ching Temple, were both dedicated mainly to Mazu, and in the 19th century were frequented by immigrants who came to give thanks after a safe sea voyage from China.

Taiwan

There are about 800 to 1000 Taiwanese temples dedicated entirely or--more often--partly to Mazu. Here are some of the more famous:
* Chenlan Temple in Tachia, Taichung County, is the most famous Mazu temple in Taiwan, and an annual pilgrimage takes place there each spring.
* Chaotian Temple of Peikang Township in is was constructed in 1694 and is dedicated to Maxu. It is renowned for the extravagance of its decorative elements.
* Great Queen of Heaven Temple of Tainan City was founded in 1664.
* Tianhou Temple of Cijin in Kaohsiung dates back to 1691.
* Tianhou Temple of Lugang contains an image of Mazu brought to Taiwan from the mainland in 1684.
* Tianhou Temple of Magong on Penghu Island was built in 1593. It is Taiwan's oldest temple.

Thailand

In Thailand, there are a lots of Mazu temples too, especially in cities near the sea such as Bangkok, Chonburi, Pattani, and Phuket, there are 3 shrines as Gew Leng Thong, Sam San Tian Hew Geng, Keng Jew Hui Guan .
Many Thai Chinese worship the goddess, and some visit Fujian, China to worship her at her place of origin.

United States

Mazu is also worshipped by southeast Asians in the West as well. Many temples are dedicated to Mazu in Chinatowns in the United States.
* The oldest Taoist temple in the United States, Tin How Temple in San Francisco, built in 1852, is dedicated to Mazu.
* Another Mazu temple that has gained popularity in the west is located in , wherein many South East Asians are known to reside. Known as ''Chùa Bà Thiên H?u'' and home to the Camau Association of America, a Chinese/Vietnamese/Teochew benevolent association, it has become an immensely popular tourist attraction in Chinatown after being completed on September 5, 2005 after two years of building and an investment of around $2m. It features such attrtactions as annual 24-hour lion dances and a legal firecracker display on Chinese New Year's Eve.

Vietnam

In Vietnam, Mazu is known as ''Thiên H?u''.
* In the 19th century, the Cantonese congregation of Cholon, now a part of Ho Chi Minh City, built a well-known temple to Thiên H?u.
* The well-known Quan Am Pagoda, also in Cholon, has an altar to Thien Hau.

Festival of Mazu

Her birthday-festival is on the twenty-third day of the third lunar month of the Chinese calendar. It falls in late April or early May in the Gregorian calendar.

* 2001: April 16
* 2002: May 5
* 2003: April 24
* 2004: May 11
* 2005: May 1
* 2006: April 20
* 2007: May 9
* 2008: April 28
* 2009: April 18
* 2010: May 6

References

Luduan

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A luduan was a beast which could detect truth, in the mythology. Thus in the Qing dynasty, rulers such as the Emperor Qianlong would surround his throne with ''luduan'' in order to properly subdue his subjects. In the adjacent image, the ''luduan'' were incense burners. The enamelled charcoal braziers next to the Dragon Throne may not actually have been so close, but since Forbidden City in Beijing is at the latitude of Chicago, the Emperor may have required the braziers for comfort.

Above the throne, not shown in the image, was secreted a box in which the name of the next emperor was written. This was the way that Qianlong himself learned that he was the successor to the Dragon Throne.

Long Mu

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In Chinese mythology, Long Mu or Mother of Dragons was a woman who was deified as a goddess after raising five infant . Long Mu and her dragons developed a strong bond for each other, and have thus become an example of and parental love, an important virtue in Chinese culture.

The legend

The historic name of Long Mu was Wen Shi . She was born in 290 BC in Guangdong province, near the Xi River . Her family's ancestral home was in the Teng District in Guangxi province. She was the second of three daughters of Wen Tianrui and Liang Shi .

Wen Shi frequently went to the Xi River to fish and wash clothes for her family. One day, she found a large smooth white stone along the banks of the river. She took the beautiful stone home, but later discovered that the stone was actually an egg, from which hatched five baby snakes . Wen Shi's family was poor, but Wen Shi saved the best food she had for her baby snakes and fed them by hand. As the snakes grew, they helped Wen Shi catch fish at the Xi River. The snakes were natural swimmers and became very good at catching fish.

As the snakes grew even more, it became apparent that they weren't snakes at all. The snakes eventually matured into five powerful dragons. In Chinese culture, are considered spirits of water, and have the power to control the weather. During a drought, Wen Shi asked her dragon children to summon the rain for her village. When rain came and ended the drought, the grateful villagers gave Wen Shi the name "Mother of Dragons" or "Divine Human" .

Qin Shihuang, the Emperor of the Qin Dynasty, received word of Wen Shi and her dragons. The Emperor sent her gifts of gold and jade and requested her presence at Xianyang, the imperial capital city near the Yellow River, far to the north. By this time, Wen Shi was an elderly women in frail health. Her adult dragons feared for her safety and did not want her to travel so far from her village. Wen Shi boarded a boat to comply with the Emperor's commandment, but her dragons hid under the boat and dragged the boat backward so that the boat could never pass Guilin. Eventually, the frustrated imperial officials relented and allowed Wen Shi to remain home.

After Wen Shi died, the dragons were overwhelmed with sadness and took human form, known as the Five Scholars . They buried her on the northern side of Zhu Mountain .

Legacy

Everyone who heard the story of Long Mu was touched by the filial devotion of the dragons. During the early Han Dynasty, the Xiaotong Temple , later known as the Longmu Ancestral Temple , was built in her honor. The temple is in Yuecheng in of Guangdong province. It features calligraphy dedicated to the goddess written by the of the Ming Dynasty. The temple remains very popular and has been renovated 13 times over the centuries, most recently in 1905-1912 and 1985.

Another temple dedicated to Long Mu is the Baisha Temple in Zhaoqing, south of the Xi River in the Ruizhou District, also in Guangdong province. The temple was built in 1587, but it is not as well preserved as the Xiaotong Temple. The city declared the temple a cultural site in 1982.

Long Mu's festival is in the first week of the fifth month of the . She is a patron goddess of parents and children, and remains a popular deity throughout China.

Lei Gong

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In Chinese mythology, Lei Gong , also called Lei Shen , is the Chinese Taoist deity who, when so ordered by heaven, punishes both earthly mortals guilty of secret crimes and evil spirits who have used their knowledge of Taoism to harm human beings. Lei Gong carries a drum and mallet to produce thunder and a chisel to punish evildoers.

Lei Gong is depicted as a fearsome creature with claws, bat wings, and a blue face with a bird's beak and wears only a loincloth. Temples dedicated to him are rare, but some persons do him special honor in the hope that he will take revenge on their personal enemies.

Since Lei Gong's specialty is thunder, he has assistants capable of producing other types of heavenly phenomena. Dian-mu , for example, uses flashing mirrors to send bolts of lightning across the sky. Yun Tong whips up clouds, and Yu-zi causes downpours by dipping his sword into a pot. Roaring winds rush forth from a type of goatskin bag manipulated by Feng Bo , who was later transformed into Feng Po Po . She rides a tiger among the clouds.

Lei Gong began life as a mortal. He encountered a peach tree that had come from Heaven, due to the struggle between the Fox Demon and one of the Celestial Warriors, and had become evil. When Lei Gong took a bite out of one of its peaches, he was turned into a human with bird wings. He soon received a and a hammer that could create thunder. This is how he became the God of Thunder. Lei Gong is said to be extremely prudish, and will not enter a house where copulation is taking place. Pictures of this act are also supposed to have the same effect. He rides a chariot driven by A Xiang.

Kui Xing

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Kui Xing is a character in Chinese mythology, the of examinations, and an associate or servant of the god of literature, Wen Chang.

Kui Xing was an ugly but clever dwarf, who became the patron deity of those taking imperial examinations. He is often depicted standing on a turtle's head holding up a .

Kua Fu

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Kua Fu is a in Chinese mythology who wished to capture the sun.

One day out of the blue, Kua Fu was perplexed by the Sun's whereabouts at night and decided to chase and catch the Sun. With each stride he gets closer to the Sun, however, he could never catch up to it.

He followed the Sun from the East to the West, draining all rivers and lakes crossing his path as sources of water to quench his burning thirst as he closed in on the star. However, he wasn't able to finish his quest because he died of the extreme heat and exhaustion.

The wooden club he was carrying grew into a vast forest. In modern day usage, the story of Kua Fu chasing the sun is used to describe a person who fails to obtain his goal because he greatly overestimates himself.

Ksitigarbha

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'''''' is a bodhisattva primarily revered in East Asian Buddhism, usually depicted as a in the Orient. The name may be translated as "Earth Treasury", "Earth Store", "Earth Matrix", or "Earth Womb." is known for his vow not to achieve Buddhahood until all hells are emptied; therefore, he is regarded as the bodhisattva of hell beings. Usually depicted as a monk with a nimbus around his shaved head, he carries a staff to force open the gates of hell and a to light up the darkness.

Overview

is one of the four principal bodhisattvas in Oriental Mahayana Buddhism. The others are Samantabhadra, Manjusri, and Avalokitesvara.

At the pre-Tang Dynasty grottos in Dunhuang and Longmen, he is depicted in classical bodhisattva shape. After the Tang Dynasty, he became increasingly depicted as a monk, carrying rosaries and a staff.

His full name in is , or the Bodhisattva King ''Dizang'' of the Great Vow, pronounced as ''Dayuan Dizang Pusa'' in Beijin Mandarin dialect, Daigan Jizo Bosatsu in Japanese.

This is a reference to his pledge, as recorded in the sutras, to take responsibility for the instruction of all beings in six worlds, in the era between the death of Gautama Buddha and the rise of Maitreya Buddha. Because of this important role, shrines to often occupy a central role in any Oriental Mahayana temples.

In China

in Anhui is regarded as 's seat. It is one of the four great Buddhist mountains of China, and at one time housed more than 300 temples. Today, 95 of these are open to the public. The mountain is a popular destination for pilgrims offering dedications to .

In some areas, the admixture of traditional religions has led to being also regarded as a Taoist deity, albeit his duties differ to what Ksitigarbha does. For example, in Taiwan, followers of Buddhism, Taoism or folk religion can be found venerating , where he is often appealed to for protection against earthquakes. There, and in Hong Kong and among Overseas Chinese communities, his images are usually found in the memorial halls of Buddhist and Taoist temples.

In Japan

In Japan, , known as ''Jizō'', or ''Ojizō-sama'' as he is respectfully known, is one of the most loved of all Japanese divinities. His statues are a common sight, especially by roadsides and in graveyards. Traditionally, he is seen as the guardian of children, particularly children who died before their parents. Since the 1980s, the tendency developed in which he was worshipped as the guardian of the souls of ''mizuko'', the souls of stillborn, or fetuses. In Japanese mythology, it is said that the souls of children who die before their parents are unable to cross the mythical Sanzu River on their way to the afterlife because they have not had the chance to accumulate enough good deeds and because they have made the parents suffer. It is believed that ''Jizō'' saves these souls from having to pile stones eternally on the bank of the river as penance, by hiding them from demons in his robe, and letting them hear mantras.

''Jizō'' statues are sometimes accompanied by a little pile of stones and pebbles, put there by people in the hope that it would shorten the time children have to suffer in the underworld . The statues can sometimes be seen wearing tiny children's clothing or bibs, or with toys, put there by grieving parents to help their lost ones and hoping that ''Jizō'' would specially protect them. Sometimes the offerings are put there by parents to thank ''Jizō'' for saving their children from a serious illness. ''Jizō'''s features are also commonly made more babylike in order to resemble the children he protects.

As he is seen as the saviour of souls who have to suffer in the underworld, his statues are common in cemeteries. He is also believed to be the protective deity of travellers, and roadside statues of ''Jizō'' are a common sight in Japan. Firefighters are also believed to be under the protection of ''Jizō''.

Source

The story of is described in the '''', one of the most popular Mahayana Buddhist sutras. This sutra is said to have been spoken by the Buddha towards the end of his life to the beings of the Heaven as a mark of gratitude and remembrance for his beloved mother, . It stated that practiced filial piety as a mortal, which eventually led to making great vows to save all sentient beings.

As Sacred Girl

In the Sutra, the Buddha claimed that in the distant past aeons, was a Brahmin maiden by the name of ''Sacred Girl''. She was deeply troubled when her mother died, because she had often been slanderous towards the Triple Gem.

To save her from the great tortures of , the young girl sold whatever she had and used the money to buy offerings which she offered daily to the Buddha of her time, known as The Buddha of Flower of Meditation and Enlightenment. She made fervent prayers that her mother be spared of the pains of hell and appealed to the Buddha for help.

One day at the temple, while she was pleading for help, she heard the voice of the Buddha advising her to go home immediately and there to sit down and recite his name if she wanted to know where her mother was. She did as she was told and while doing so, her consciousness was transported to a Hell Realm where she met a guardian who informed her that through her fervent prayers and pious offerings, her mother had accumulated much merit and therefore, she had already been released from hell and ascended to heaven. She was greatly relieved and should have been extremely happy, but the sight of the great suffering she had witnessed in Hell so touched her tender heart that she made a vow to do her very best to relieve beings of their suffering forever in her future lives of s to come.

As a Monk

There is another legend about how manifested in China, and chose his bodhimanda to be Mount Jiuhua, one of the in Buddhism.

In the Eastern Han dynasty, during the reign of , Buddhism started to flourish, reaching its peak in the era of the Tang Dynasty, eventually spreading to Japan and Korea. At the time, monks and scholars arrived from those countries to seek the Dharma in China. One of these pilgrims was a former prince of Korea, which was at the time divided into . The monk, whose Korean romanization was Kim Kiaokak was a prince from Silla who became a monastic under the name of ''Earth Store'' . He came to the region of Anhui to Mount Jiuhua. After ascending, he decided to build a hut in a deep mountain area so that he may be able to cultivate.

According to records, the monk was bitten by a poisonous snake, but did not move, thus letting the snake go. A woman happened to pass by and gave the monk medicines to cure him of the venom, as well as a spring on her son's behalf. For a few years, the monk continued to meditate in his hut, until one day, a scholar named Chu-Ke led a group of friends and family to visit the mountain. Noticing the monk meditating in the hut, they went and took a look at his condition. They had noticed that the monk's bowl did not contain any food, and that his hair had grown back.

Feeling pity on the monk, Scholar Chu decided to build a temple as an offering to the monk. The whole group descended the mountain immediately to discuss plans to build the temple. Mount Jiuhua was also property of a wealthy person named the Wen-Ke, who obliged to build a temple on his mountain. Therefore, Wen-Ke and the group ascended the mountain once more and asked the monk how much land he needed.

The monk replied that he needed a piece of land that could be covered fully by his kasaya. Bewildered that a piece of sash could not be enough land to build a temple, the monk surprised them as he threw the kasaya in the air, and the robe expanded in size, covering the entire mountain! Elder Wen-Ke had then decided to renounce the entire mountain to the monk, and became the monk's protector. Sometime later, Wen-Ke's son also left the home life to start his life as a monk.

The monk lived in Mount Jiuhua for seventy five years before passing away at the age of ninety-nine. Three years after his nirvana, his tomb was opened, only to reveal that the body had not decayed. Because the monk led his wayplace with much difficulty, most people had the intuition to believe that he was indeed the transformation body of .

Monk Jijang's well-preserved, dehydrated body may still be viewed today at the monastery he built on Mount Jiuhua.

Iconography

Traditional iconography

In Buddhist iconography, is typically depicted with a shaven head, dressed in a monk's simple robes . In his left hand, holds a wish granting jewel; in his right hand, he holds a monk's staff called in Japanese a ''shakujo'' , which is used to alert insects and small animals of his approach, so that he will not accidentally harm them. Such a staff is traditionally carried by high ranking monks of Chinese Buddhist temples. Usually, will sometimes be seen wearing a crown depicting the Five Dhyani Buddhas, worn by Tibetan and Chinese monks in rituals.

In Japan, is almost always depicted in a standing position; the posture of the adjacent picture is rather unusual.

Like other Bodhisattvas, usually is seen standing upon a lotus base, symbolizing his release from the wheel of rebirth. 's face and head are also idealized, featuring the third eye, elongated ears and the other standard attributes of an being.

Misconceptions

Many uninformed Buddhists, Taoists, and those who believe in Chinese folk religion, see as identical with , the judge of Hell, but this is a misconception.

has also often been mistaken by many uninformed Buddhists to be Xuanzang, the famous Tripitaka master of the Tang Dynasty who made the hazardous journey to the west to seek the Buddhist scriptures, and the basis for the fictional character from the Chinese novel ''Journey to the West''. This is mainly because of the robe and the Five Buddha crown which both are seen to wear.

Popular iconography in Japan

The Narihira Santosen Temple in Katsushika, Tokyo contains the "Bound Jizo" of ?oka Tadasuke fame, dating from the Edo Period. When petitions are requested before the Jizō, the petitioner ties a rope about the statue. When the wish is granted, the petitioner unties the rope. At the new year, the ropes of the ungranted wishes are cut by the temple priest. The vandalism of a Jizo statue is the theme of the J-Horror movie Shibuya Kaidan.

Akasagarbha

has a twin known as , the "Void Store". While theologically equally important, ?kā?agarbha entirely lacks the popular cult of .

Phra Malai

In Theravada Buddhism, the story of a Buddhist monk called Phra Malai, who has the similar qualities of Ksitigarbha, is well known throughout Southeast Asia, especially in Thailand and Laos. Legend has it that he was an arhat from Sri Lanka, who achieved great supernormal powers through his own merits and meditation. He is also honored as a successor to Maudgalyayana, the Buddha's disciple foremost for his supernormal attainments.

In the story this pious and compassionate monk descends to Hell to give teach & comfort the suffering hell-beings there. He also learns how the hell-beings are punished according to their sins in the different hells.

Mantras

The Following Mantra is Associated with Ksitigarbha:

In Japanese Shingon Buddhism, a mantra used in public religious services is:

Kitchen God

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In Chinese folk religion and Chinese mythology, the Kitchen God, named Zao Jun or Zao Shen , is the most important of a plethora of Chinese domestic gods . It is believed that on the twenty third day of the twelfth lunar month, just before Chinese New Year he returns to Heaven to report the activities of every household over the past year to the Jade Emperor who rewards or punishes each household accordingly.

The story of Zao Jun

Zao Jun has been worshiped as a god in China since at least the 2nd century BC. There are several stories as to how he became a god. The most popular is that he was once a mortal man named Zhang Dan and was married to a virtuous woman. However, Zhang Dan fell in love with a young girl and left his wife for her. From that day on he was plagued with bad luck to punish him for his betrayal. He was struck blind, the young girl left him and he had to resort to begging.

One day, while begging for alms, he happened across the house of his former wife. Being blind, he did not recognize her. Despite his shoddy treatment of her, she took pity on him, and invited him in. She cooked him a fabulous meal and tended to him lovingly; he then related his story to her. He began to cry, and as he cried his eyesight was miraculously restored. Recognizing his benefactress as his former wife, he was overcome with shame and threw himself into the kitchen hearth- not realizing that it was lit.

His wife tried to save him, but he was consumed by the fire and all that was left of him was a leg. . His wife lovingly created a shrine to him above the fireplace where he died; this began Zao Jun's association with the stove in Chinese homes.

Alternatively Zao Jun was a man so poor he was forced to sell his wife. Years later he unwittingly became a servant in the house of her new husband. Taking pity on him she baked him some cakes into which she had hidden money, but he failed to notice this and sold the cakes for a pittance. When he realized what he had done he took his own life in despair. In both stories Heaven takes pity on Zhang Dan's tragic story. Instead of becoming a vampirish , the usual fate of suicides, he was made the god of the Kitchen, and was reunited with his wife.

Worship and customs

Traditionally every Chinese household would have a paper effigy of Zao Jun and his wife above the fireplace in the kitchen and this tradition is still widely practiced. Offerings of food and incense are made to Zao Jun on his birthday which is said to be the third day of the eighth lunar month and also on the twenty third day of the twelfth lunar month when he returns to Heaven to give his New Year's report, on this day also the lips of Zao Jun's paper effigy may be smeared with honey to sweeten his words to Yu Huang . After this the effigy will be burnt to be replaced by a new one on New Year's day and firecrackers are lit to speed him on his way to heaven. If the household has a statue or a nameplate of Zao Jun it will be taken down and cleaned on this day for the new year.

Zao Jun in literature

Laurence Yep's novel Dragonwings describes the honey ritual, but the book refers to the deity as the Stove King.

Zao Jun's story is interwoven with a feminist spin into the protagonist's story in Amy Tan's novel The Kitchen God's Wife.

Jingwei

2008-09-11T06:19:00.001-07:00

Jingwei (精衛 or 精卫） is the name of a character in Chinese mythology. Originally the daughter of the emperor Yandi, she perished at a young age in the . After her death she chose to assume the shape of a bird in order to exact revenge upon the sea by bringing stones and small twigs from the mountains nearby over the sea in an effort to fill it up. Jingwei even has a short dialogue with the sea where the sea scoffs her, claiming that she wouldn't be able to fill it up even in a million years, whereupon she claims that she will then proceed to take ten million years, even one hundred million years, whatever it takes to fill up the sea so that others would not have to perish as she did.

From this myth comes the Chinese expression 精卫填海 meaning a symbol of dogged determination and perseverance in the face of seemingly impossible odds.

Professor Manyuan Long from the University of Chicago named a new Drosophilia gene after Jingwei because it was - like the princess - 'reincarnated' with a new function and a new appearance . Other related genes were named following the legend.

Jiang Shi

2008-09-11T06:18:00.011-07:00

Daoji , commonly known as Ji Gong or , was a Buddhist monk during the Southern Song Dynasty in China. He was born with the name of Li Xiuyuan. Dao Ji was also called ''Hu Yin'' and Elder ''Fang Yuan'' . Dao Ji was a monastic in the Chán school.

History

Born Li Xiuyuan to a former military advisor, Li Maochun, Daoji was born after his parents, who could not have children, entered a temple. Upon reaching the Hall of the Five Hundred Arhats, the statue of Mahakasyapa was knocked off its lotus throne, a sign that the arhat had descended to earth.

After his parents' death, he went to Hangzhou and became a monastic at the famous near Hangzhou. Even though his eccentric behavior broke the rules of the vinaya , it is said that Daoji was kind hearted and was always ready to lend a helping hand to ordinary people. Unlike a traditional Buddhist monk, he ate meat and drank wine. The monks, bewildered and fed up with his behavior, expelled Daoji from the monastery. From then on, Daoji roamed the streets and helped people whenever he could.

According to legends, while cultivating in the Buddha's teaching, Daoji was said to attain magical powers. Many who noticed his eccentric yet benevolent and compassionate nature began to think that he was an incarnate of a bodhisattva, or as a reincarnate of an arhat. He was recognized by the public as the incarnate of the , one of the eighteen legendary arhats.

When Daoji died at the Jing Ci monastery on the 14th day of 5th Lunar month , Taoism began to revere Daoji as a god from heaven and later adopted him as a deity. Not long after that, even Buddhism began to respect his benign and compassionate nature and is involved in many classic koans from Chán Buddhists.

The I Kuan Tao has also adopted him into their pantheon of deities.

Depiction

Daoji can usually be seen smiling in his tattered monastic robes, and usually carries a bottle of wine in his right hand, and a fan in his left hand. He wears a hat with the Chinese character ''Fo''（佛）, meaning "Buddha". He can also be seen holding his shoes in his right hand.

Daoji in popular culture

*The life of Daoji has also been popularized in a TV series which aired in 1993 called "Legends of Ji Gong."
*Comedic actor and director Stephen Chow portrayed Ji Gong in his 1993 movie ''The Mad Monk''.

Huli jing

2008-09-11T06:18:00.009-07:00

Huli jing in Chinese mythology are fox spirits that are akin to European faeries. Huli jing can be either good spirits or bad spirits.

In mythology

In Chinese mythology, it is believed that all things are capable of acquiring , magical powers, and immortality, provided that they receive sufficient energy, in such forms as human breath or essence from the moon and the sun.

The fox spirits encountered in tales and legends are usually females and appear as young, beautiful women. One of the most infamous fox spirits in Chinese mythology was Daji , who is portrayed in the Ming novel ''Fengshen Yanyi''. A beautiful daughter of a general, she was married forcibly to the cruel tyrant Zhou Xin . A nine-tailed fox spirit who served Nüwa, whom Zhou Xin had offended, entered into and possessed her body, expelling the true Daji's soul. The spirit, as Daji, and her new husband schemed cruelly and invented many devices of torture, such as forcing righteous officials to hug red-hot metal pillars. Because of such cruelties, many people, including Zhou Xin's own former generals, revolted and fought against Zhou Xin's dynasty, Shang. Finally, King Wen of Zhou, one of the vassals of Shang, founded a new dynasty named after his country. The fox spirit in Daji's body was later driven out by Jiang Ziya , the first Prime Minister of the Zhou Dynasty and her spirit condemned by Nüwa herself for excessive cruelty.

Typically fox spirits were seen as dangerous, but some of the stories in Pu Songling's ''Liaozhai Zhiyi'' are love stories between a fox appearing as a beautiful girl and a young human male.

In modern and Cantonese profanity, the term ''huli jing'' is a derogatory expression describing a woman who seduces a man .

The fox spirit has also been used as an explanatory factor in the incidence of attacks of '''', an psychosis found in Southern China and Malaysia in particular.

In popular culture

*The main character of Victor Pelevin's novel "The Sacred Book of Werewolf" is inspired by the Chinese fox spirit.
*In Pokemon, the creature Ninetales is a fox with nine tails.
*In the anime Naruto, the lead character has the spirit of the nine tailed fox trapped within him.
* In DC Comics, "Ghost Fox Killer" is a member of the Great Ten, a team of Chinese superheroes.
* In the video game Okami a beautiful young woman has been possessed by a fox with nine tails.

Houyi

2008-09-11T06:18:00.007-07:00

Houyi , also simply called Yi, was a mythological Chinese archer and the leader of Dongyi. He is sometimes portrayed as a god of archery descended from heaven to aid mankind, and sometimes as the chief of the Youqiong Tribe during the reign of King of Xia Dynasty. His wife, , became a lunar deity.

The Time of the Ten Suns

In Chinese mythology, the sun is in the form of a Three-legged bird. It is believed that there were ten of them, all of whom are the offspring of Dijun, God of the Eastern Heaven. The ten sun birds resided in a mulberry tree in the eastern sea; each day one of the sun birds would be rostered to travel around the world on a carriage, driven by Xihe the 'mother' of the suns.

Folklore also held that, at around 2170 BC, the Sun-birds grew tired of the routine and decided that all of them were to rise at once. The heat on earth became intense. At a result, crops shrivelled in the fields. Lakes and ponds dried up; humans and animals cowered in shelters or collapsed from exhaustion. Time passed and the suffering continued. , the Emperor of China, decided to plead for divine intervention and ask Dijun for aid.

Dijun was well aware of his sons' misdeeds, and sent for Houyi, the God of Archery, to teach his sons a lesson. Dijun wanted Houyi to simply frighten them so that they would not dare to cause mischief again. Houyi, too, wanted to settle this crisis peacefully, but a single glance at the scorched land was enough to convince him that desperate measures were needed. Angered by the suffering of the people caused by the Sun-birds' misconduct, Houyi lifted up his bow and shot them down one by one. Upon killing the ninth, Emperor Yao hurried to halt him as killing the last one would leave the world in total darkness. Houyi agreed and was hailed as a hero for mankind. Yet, later, Houyi's actions caused him to make enemies in Heaven and as a result he was punished with divine wrath.

Banishment from the heavens

Although Yao was pleased with Houyi, Dijun was anything but happy. Yi had killed nine of the Sun-birds, nine of his errant children, instead of merely bringing them to heel as he wished. As a father, Dijun could not forgive him, so he banished the hero from the heavens and stripped him of his immortality. He thought that if Houyi cared so much for the mortals, he could live as one.

Houyi cared little about the banishment as he saw no difference between living on earth and in the heavens. In fact, Houyi continued to serve humanity selflessly after his banishment. As he was well aware, the land remained beset by chaos and it seemed as though the world was returning to its primal state of chaos. Neither the deities in Heaven or the mortal rulers could solve these problems. Yet, little did they know, Houyi's great ability would be the solution.

Houyi's heroic missions

Houyi set off on a series of epic adventures to save China. First he had to deal with Fei Lian, Count of the Winds, who created storms that swept across the Middle Kingdom, uprooting crops and tearing down houses. Fei Lian is a fearsome spirit who generally took the form of a one-eyed bull with the tail of a serpent; he resides in . Using his power to travel on the wind, he tracked the gales back to the Demon's habitat. Noticing the Divine Archer is to come and get him, Fei Lian hid in a sack. When Houyi entered the monster's cave, he saw through the Demon's lame trick and fired an arrow at it which burst the sack right open. Fei Lian attempted to run but Houyi quickly struck the Demon on his knee. Wounded, Fei Lian surrendered and promised to not stir up trouble again.

During his crusade, Houyi happened to come upon a river that had burst its banks. Houyi knew that this must be the doings of a turbulent water god, so he shot an arrow at random into the water. Soon the flood receded and a white-garbed figure on a white horse with several attendants surfaced upon the water. Instantly, Houyi attacked him, wounding him in the eye. The god then fled, leaving his companions behind. Next, Houyi took aim at the nearest figure but when he was about to fire, he noticed his target was a harmless girl. He swung his bow so that the arrow whistled harmlessly through her hair. The girl was Chang'e, the daughter of the water god that had fled. Houyi, stunned by her unearthly beauty, asked her on the spot to be his wife. Chang'e, with great respect for the hero, accepted the prosposal.

The next threat Houyi had to face was a plague of monsters marauding through the world. Among them was Chilseltooth, a fearsome giant with a single huge incisor protruding from the top of his mouth which he used to rend his victims' flesh. In addition, a monstrous water serpent was disrupting the calm of Lake Dongting, and the giant Windbird caused storms merely by flapping its wings. Houyi managed to fend off these menaces one after the other. For Houyi's service for the human realm, Emperor Yao bestowed on him the title of Marquis Pacifier of the Country.

The search for immortality

Although Houyi cared little about being banished from Heaven, he couldn't bear the fact that he would one day die
and become nothing. Searching for a way to regain his immortality, he traveled to the palace of Xi Wang Mu, the Queen Mother of the West, on Kunlun Mountain, seeking her elixir of immortality. The stories of the great hero Houyi were known to the goddess and she took pity on him and agreed to give him the elixir, but with one condition: knowing that Houyi was a skilled architect, she asked him to build her a summer palace in exchange for the immortality drug. He agreed and for many months he laboured and earned it. Before departing, Xi Wang Mu warned Houyi that these two elixir she gave him were the last of their kinds. Houyi planned to spend them on himself and his wife.

Chang'e's ascent to the Moon

When Houyi returned to his home, he found that Emperor Yao had urgent requests for him, and he made haste to respond. Houyi made a vital mistake by not taking the elixir immediately, and leaving them unguarded. While Houyi was hunting monstrous wild boars and dragons terrorizing the land, his wife stayed at home, and for months, he had no news of home.

In her boredom, Chang'e found the elixirs that her husband had left behind, and out of curiosity drank them both. At this momment, Houyi returned and to his surprise found his wife ascending to the moon. Houyi heard his wife's cry for help, tried to seize her but she was already beyond his reach. Chang'e would gain immortality and forever live alone on the moon with only white hares accompanying her.

The death of Houyi

The grief of the loss of his wife changed Houyi completely. He became violent and changed from a hero welcomed by the mortals to being hated as a tyrant.

Houyi had taught mortals the ways of using the bow and had a prized student called Feng Meng. Feng Meng's skills of archery had blossomed under Houyi's tutelage and soon he saw himself as worthy of comparison with Houyi. One day, Feng Meng challenged him in a shooting contest. Houyi easily beat him and convinced Feng Meng there was no way he could catch up to his master. Blinded by jealousy, Feng Meng decided to murder his teacher. To him, it was entirely justified as Houyi was no longer an honorable hero but a tyrant. One day during a hunt, he attacked him on the back with a club. Along with others that were angry at Houyi, he beat him to death. Although these men were to be brought to justice, the epic of Houyi finally came to a bitter end.

Variations

There are variations of the story of Houyi.

One of them involves Houyi being the chief of the Youqiong Tribe , saving the world from drought by shooting down the ten suns and slaying various beasts.

In popular culture

The tale was depicted in the music video of Australian rock band Powderfinger's 2003 hit, ''"Sunsets".''

Haetae

2008-09-11T06:18:00.005-07:00

In and Korean mythology, the haetae is a legendary creature which resembles a lion but is, in fact, a fire-eating dog. It is believed as a guardian against disaster and prejudice. Furthermore, they are said to guard against all forms of disruptive or violent change. It has the body of a lion, and occasionally is depicted with a unicorn-like horn.

According to Stephen Roney ACA, in an article for the Korea Herald, “All follows from the haetae's vocation to root out violent change. The large nose sniffs for hidden iniquity or distant smoke. The big, luminous eyes stare alert into the middle distance, concerned not with what is but with what will be. The cavernous mouth with overshot lower jaw fastens like a bulldog on the past, not letting it go. The well-bred haetae is a thoughtful, even intuitive creature. Enemy of change, it is no fan of newborn things; it will eat a child who gets too close. It can challenge time itself, bite the sun or moon, and create an eclipse.” The haetae is also to be a symbol of water, due to their fire-eating qualities, and a symbol of justice.

Haetae sculpt in architecture was widely used in China and other Asian countries. In old Chinese dynasties, emperors always preferred to utilize this sacred animal to denote their justice. In other Asian countries, this sacred animal sculpt may have different meanings. For example, In Korean, the haetae sculpture was used in architecture earliest in Joseon Dynasty which was trusted to be able to protect Hanyang.

Guan Yu

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Three Kingdoms infobox
|Name=Guan Yu
|Image=GuanYuStatue.jpg
|imagesize=
|Caption=A statue of Guan Yu on an altar.
|Title=General
|Kingdom=Shu Han
|Born=Unknown
|Died=219
|Simp=关羽
|Trad=關羽
|Pinyin=Guān Yǔ
|WG=Kuan Yu
|Zi=Yunchang
Changsheng
|Post=Marquis Zhuangmou
|Buddhism=Sangharama Bodhisattva
Qíelán Púsà Saintly Emperor Guan
|Other=
*Guān Gōng
Lord Guan
*Guān èr Yé
Lord Guan the Second
*Měi Rán Gōng
Lord of Magnificent Beard
*Guān Dì
Emperor Guan
|Notes=
1. See for more posthumous titles.

Guan Yu was a general under the warlord Liu Bei during the late Eastern Han Dynasty and Three Kingdoms era of China. He played a significant role in the civil war that led to the collapse of the Han Dynasty and the establishment of the , of which Liu Bei was the first emperor.

One of the best known Chinese historical figures throughout East Asia, Guan Yu's true life stories have largely given way to fictionalized ones, mostly found in the historical novel ''Romance of the Three Kingdoms'' or passed down the generations, in which his deeds and moral qualities have been much exaggerated.

Guan Yu had been deified as early as the Sui Dynasty and is still being worshiped by Chinese people today, especially in Hong Kong. While being seen as the epitome of loyalty and righteousness, Guan Yu had been criticized by historians for being arrogant and vain, qualities that eventually led to his downfall in the hands of Sun Quan, lord of Eastern Wu.

Physical appearance

Guan Yu is traditionally portrayed as a red-faced warrior with a long lush beard. While his beard was indeed mentioned in the '''', the idea of his red face probably derived from a later description of him in , where the following passage appears:

Alternatively, the idea of his red face could have been borrowed from opera representation, where red faces depict loyalty and righteousness. Supposedly, Guan Yu's weapon was a named Green Dragon Crescent Blade, which resembled a halberd and was said to weigh 82 ''''. During the Eastern Han Dynasty and Three Kingdoms eras, one catty was approximately 220 grams, so 82 catties would have been approximately 18.04 kilograms . A wooden replica can be found today in the Emperor Guan Temple in Xiezhou County, China. He traditionally dons a green robe over his body armour, as depicted in the ''Romance of the Three Kingdoms''.

The historical Guan Yu

Early life

Guan Yu was born in the county of Xie . The year of his birth is not found in historical records.

Guan Yu fled his hometown at the age of twenty-three after slaying a local bully named Lü Xiong . Five years later, he arrived in Zhuo Commandery , where Liu Bei was recruiting a force to heed the government's call to resist the Yellow Turban Rebellion. Together with , Guan Yu joined Liu Bei and fought against the rebel forces in northern China. For his efforts Liu Bei was appointed governor of Pingyuan County . Guan Yu and Zhang Fei were also made commanders and given their own divisions of troops. According to the ''Records of Three Kingdoms'', the three men slept on the same bed and treated one another like brothers. Guan Yu and Zhang Fei also followed Liu Bei wherever he went, and protected him from danger however perilous the situation.

In 199 Liu Bei attacked and killed Che Zhou , the governor of who was appointed by the rising warlord Cao Cao, and placed Guan Yu in control of the regional capital Xiapi, while he returned to Xiaopei. Cao Cao soon retaliated, personally leading a campaign east to reclaim Xuzhou. Liu Bei fled to seek refuge under Yuan Shao, a powerful warlord further north, but Xiapi was captured and Guan Yu surrendered to Cao Cao. Cao Cao treated Guan Yu with respect and even made him a deputy general.

Short service under Cao Cao

In 200, Yuan Shao mustered an army boasting 100,000 in strength and marched on Xuchang, the new capital and base city of Cao Cao. To ensure a safe crossing of the Yellow River, Yuan Shao sent his trusted general Yan Liang to attack as a diversionary tactic. In a counter-tactic, Cao Cao moved his main force westwards along the Yellow River, diverting Yuan Shao's army in the same direction, but sent Guan Yu and Zhang Liao east to relieve the attack on Baima. Upon reaching Baima, Guan Yu speared Yan amid the enemy troops, and brought back his severed head. Thus Yuan Shao lost an important lieutenant and the siege of Baima was unraveled. Guan Yu was then enfeoffed as Marquis of Han Shou. After doing Cao Cao this favor, Guan Yu left for Liu Bei, his former lord who was still in the camp of Yuan Shao, leaving behind a farewell letter and all of Cao Cao's rewards. When some of his subordinates wanted to pursue Guan Yu, Cao Cao stopped them, saying, "To each his own."

Capture of Jingzhou

After Cao Cao defeated Yuan Shao at the decisive Battle of Guandu, Liu Bei went south to seek shelter under governor Liu Biao, who soon died of sickness. Cao Cao took the opportunity to expand his control south and seized a great part of Jingzhou north of the Yangtze River, but Liu Bei escaped south and formed a coalition with Sun Quan, a powerful warlord controlling most of southeastern China. The coalition defeated Cao Cao at the Battle of Red Cliffs and Jingzhou was reclaimed. During the campaign against the city of Jiangling Guan Yu was sent to attack from a northern route. Li Tong ambushed him and destroyed his equipment. As a result of Guan Yu's withdrawal, Li Tong was able to reinforce Jiangling. Guan Yu was promoted to General Who Purges Rebels and made governor of Xiangyang , in charge of the defense of northern Jingzhou.

In 213, Liu Bei left for and took over the region two years later, staying there ever since. In 219, Liu Bei proclaimed himself King of Hanzhong and promoted Guan Yu to General of the Front , The popular ranking of the Five Tiger Generals, was however a work of fiction.

Downfall

In the same year, Guan Yu attacked Fancheng , a city near Xiangyang which was defended by Cao Ren, a trusted general and cousin of Cao Cao. A long spell of rainfall as autumn came around flooded the next to the city, which greatly aided Guan Yu. The flood drowned the majority of the relief troops Cao Cao sent, while their commanders, Yu Jin and Pang De, were both captured by Guan Yu. However, a further relief force under Xu Huang successfully repelled the invaders.

Further, at this time, it became known that Sun Quan attacked Guan's of Jiangling, and that the two commanders that Guan had left in charge of the home base -- Mi Fang and Fu Shiren had surrendered to Sun Quan. Instead of immediately sealing off the report of this, Guan Yu allowed this news be known to his army. The families of the soldiers accompanying Guan Yu fell under Wu control. In secret soldiers began to sneak off to rejoin their families.

With many of his troops deserting, Guan Yu attempted to retreat west to reunite with Liu Bei. However, he was encircled by Sun Quan's forces west of Maicheng . As Guan Yu attempt to escape, he and his surviving followers including his son Guan Ping, his Inspector General Zhao Lei were captured in Zhang Township . All three were executed. Sun Quan sent Guan Yu's head to Cao Cao in an attempt to lay all the blame on Cao Cao, who buried the body with the honors befitting a marquis. Guan Yu was given the posthumous title of Marquis Zhuangmou .

In 223, Liu Bei attempted a campaign to recapture Jingzhou and avenge Guan Yu, which culminated in his decisive defeat at the Battle of Yiling. Guan Yu's son Guan Xing and grandson Guan Tong both served as military commanders for Shu Han.

Guan Yu in ''Romance of the Three Kingdoms''

''Romance of the Three Kingdoms'' is a historical novel based on the events that occurred before and during the Three Kingdoms era. Written by Luo Guanzhong more than a millennium after the Three Kingdoms period, the novel incorporates many popular tales and opera scripts into the character of Guan Yu, making him one of the most altered and aggrandized in the book. Significant incidents that deviate from true history include:

Brotherhood sworn in the garden of peach blossoms

One of the most well-known story from the novel, found in the first chapter, it speaks of Liu Bei, Guan Yu and Zhang Fei who, having met by chance in the county of Zhuo in 184, found that all three shared the same desire to serve the country in the tumultuous times. They swore to be brothers the next day in Zhang Fei's backyard, which was a garden full of peach blossoms. Liu Bei was ranked the eldest, Guan Yu the second, and Zhang Fei the youngest. Having done this, they recruited more than 300 local men and joined the resistance against the Yellow Turban rebels.

The Oath of the Peach Garden inspired the present day secret societies in Chinese communities, such as the , to use a similar ritual when swearing in new members. "Though not born on the same day of the same month in the same year, we hope to die so" — the phrase the three brothers made during the oath — had also become popular among the present day secret society members.

Slaying Hua Xiong

In Chapter 5, warlords around the country formed against Dong Zhuo, the tyrannical warlord and minister who held the puppet hostage in the capital Luoyang. Guan Yu and his sworn brothers were then serving in the camp of Gongsun Zan, a warlord from northern China who was also in the coalition.

Dong Zhuo placed Hua Xiong at the to ward off the attack. Having singlehandedly slain four generals of the coalition – Zu Mao, Pan Feng, Bao Zhong, and Yu She – Hua Xiong seemed indomitable. Despite mistrust from many warlords of the coalition, most notably a commander named Yuan Shu, Guan Yu, who was a mere mounted archer then, volunteered to duel Hua Xiong. To convince them to give him the opportunity, he told them that if he failed against Hua Xiong, the coalition could take his head as punishment. Cao Cao, one of the eighteen coalition leaders, poured Guan Yu a cup of hot wine but the latter declined, claiming he would soon return. Within moments Guan Yu returned with Hua Xiong's head in hand, while the wine was still warm.

In true history Hua Xiong was executed after his force was defeated by Sun Jian at Yangren .

Repelling Lü Bu

In one of the more dramatic duels of the novel, Guan Yu's oath brother Zhang Fei attacked the infamous Lü Bu during the campaign against Dong Zhuo. Guan Yu came to his aid after the unyielding pair had fought savagely for 50 bouts, and he and Zhang Fei fought together against Lü Bu for a further 30 bouts. Still unable to gain an advantage, they were soon joined by Liu Bei. Lü Bu still managed to fend off all their attacks and they could not gain an advantage until 20 bouts later, when Lü Bu began to tire and retreated. This spectacle is one of the most consistently recreated in the ''Dynasty Warriors'' video game series.

Short service under Cao Cao

In Chapter 25, Cao Cao attacked Liu Bei's position in Xuzhou . The defeated Liu Bei escaped to seek refuge in the camp of Yuan Shao, a powerful warlord in the north. Guan Yu, along with two wives of Liu Bei, was besieged in the city of Xiapi. Taunting outside the city walls, Cao Cao's general Xiahou Dun managed to draw Guan Yu out. As he pursued his enemy far from the city gate, Guan Yu found his retreat cut off by the invading troops. He then made a stand on top of a nearby knoll, but the city was already taken.

Zhang Liao, another general under Cao Cao who was an old friend of Guan Yu, then came unarmed up the knoll. He tried to persuade Guan Yu to surrender using reason. Guan Yu agreed, but with three conditions: that the surrender was to the Han emperor and not Cao Cao; that the two wives of Liu Bei were to be suitably provided for and protected; and that all three would leave to seek Liu Bei once they found out his whereabouts. These conditions were agreed to and Guan Yu finally surrendered without breaking the code of loyalty. Cao Cao was very pleased and showered Guan Yu with many gifts, including Red Hare, a top-grade steed previously owned by the mighty warrior Lü Bu.

Slaying Yan Liang

Also in Chapter 25, Cao Cao confronted Yuan Shao on the shores of the Yellow River. To ensure a safe crossing south, Yuan Shao sent a diversionary force east under his trusted general Yan Liang to attack Baima . Cao Cao drew a 50,000-strong army and came personally to defend Baima. As the two armies made their stands across the plain, Cao Cao sent out Song Xian and Wei Xu to duel with Yan Liang, but both were slain within bouts. As suggested by advisor Cheng Yu, Cao Cao then sent for Guan Yu.

The next day, as Yan Liang's army lined up on the battlefield, Guan Yu sat with Cao Cao on a hillock and looked down. From afar he saw Yan Liang sitting on a chariot under the army standard. Leaping onto the Red Hare, Guan Yu galloped straight into the enemy ranks, which broke before him like waves before a swift vessel. Before Yan Liang could react, he was struck down by his nemesis. Guan Yu severed Yan Liang's head, tied it to the neck of his steed and rode back unhindered.

Slaying Wen Chou

In Chapter 26, following the death of Yan Liang in Guan Yu's hands, Wen Chou, another trusted general of Yuan Shao, volunteered to avenge his close friend. Leading 100,000 troops, Wen Chou crossed the Yellow River and came for Cao Cao's camp. In an unusual move, Cao Cao turned his entire formation around, placing the supplies in front. While Wen Chou's soldiers made an easy task robbing the supplies, Cao Cao directed his men south onto a knoll, from where they allowed their horses to graze. Wen Chou's soldiers pounced upon the horses as they approached the knoll and became disorganized. Cao Cao then gave the order for a counterattack, forcing the enemies to retreat.

Zhang Liao and Xu Huang immediately gave chase. Wen Chou fired two arrows from atop his horse, one of which cut off the feather on Zhang Liao's helmet and the other hit Zhang Liao's horse in the face. With his poleaxe, Xu Huang came for Wen Chou but had to retreat when a band of enemy soldiers came to their commander's rescue. Leading a dozen riders, Guan Yu cut off Wen Chou's escape and engaged in a duel with the enemy. Within three bouts, Wen Chou withdrew and attempted to evade. However, Guan Yu's Red Hare was of a superior breed and soon caught up. Guan Yu then slew Wen Chou from behind.

Crossing five passes and slaying six warriors

Another of the most popular stories surrounding Guan Yu, this tale speaks of the loyal man's hazardous journey to reunite with his lord and sworn brother Liu Bei, who was residing in Yuan Shao's camp. The five passes mentioned in fact only consist of two bona fide passes – Dongling and Sishui – while the rest were two cities and a guarded ferry point.

The story began late in Chapter 26 where, having found out the whereabouts of Liu Bei some time after the slaying of Wen Chou, Guan Yu prepared to leave Xuchang along with Liu Bei's two wives. Unable to keep the determined general, Cao Cao forbade his subjects from pursuing Guan Yu.

Riding beside the horse carriage carrying his sisters-in-law, Guan Yu set off for Luoyang. However, he was stopped at Dongling Pass by the pass defender Kong Xiu, who refused passage for the former without a document from Cao Cao. Guan Yu had no choice but to slay Kong Xiu in a duel and force through the pass.

Having crossed the first pass, Guan Yu arrived outside Luoyang. The city governor drew a thousand troops and blocked the city gate. Han Fu's aide Meng Tan came forward to duel Guan Yu. Within bouts, Meng Tan retreated in an attempt to draw Guan Yu into a trap, but Guan Yu's horse was fast and Meng Tan was slashed into halves before he could escape. However, Han Fu had already taken aim and fired an arrow at Guan Yu, who was struck in the left arm. Plucking the arrow out from the bleeding wound, Guan Yu then came for Han Fu and cleaved him clean below the shoulders.

Having dressed his wound, Guan Yu was anxious to move on. The company moved through the night to arrive at Sishui Pass . The pass defender, Bian Xi, laid 200 men in ambush in a temple outside the pass, while he went out to meet Guan Yu. Having won the trust of the latter, Bian Xi then invited Guan Yu to a feast in the temple hall. One of the monks, who was also from the county of Xie, hinted the danger to his fellow townsfolk. The ambush then failed and Guan Yu slew the scheming Bian Xi and left for Xingyang.

Wang Zhi, the governor of Xingyang, attempted a similar scheme. Feigning kindness towards Guan Yu, Wang Zhi led the company to a relay station to settle for the night. He then ordered his deputy Hu Ban to draw a thousand troops to surround the station and burn it. Curious about how the famed Guan Yu looked like, Hu Ban decided to go into the station to take a peek. Guan Yu heard him and asked who he was, whereupon he learned that Hu Ban was the son of Hu Hua , an old villager who had given Guan Yu's company lodging early in the journey. Guan Yu then passed Hu Ban a letter from his father, which told of the loyal and upright man Guan Yu was, whereupon Hu Ban divulged Wang Zhi's plot, and opened the city gate for Guan Yu to escape. However, Wang Zhi soon caught up and came for Guan Yu with his spear poised. Guan Yu spun around and cleaved him in half.

Trudging along, the company finally arrived at the ferry point on the southern shore of the Yellow River. Qin Qi, the defender of the crossing, met a similar fate as his colleagues who dared challenge Guan Yu. Within a bout, Guan Yu severed Qin Qi's head with a sweep of his saber. Thus the company finally crossed the Yellow River and came to Yuan Shao's territory, though, unknown to them, Liu Bei had by then already moved to .

After slaying Qin Qi, he encounters Xiahou Dun who seeks to battle Guan Yu in revenge for the death of his subordinate. However, the battle is averted as Zhang Liao arrives with a message from Cao Cao that Guan Yu is to be allowed to leave peacefully despite his slaying of the gate guardians.

At the end of his departure, Guan was to meet Zhang Fei, who, against the advice of others, was infuriated with Guan for having defected and picked up his spear to engage him. Guan was unprepared for this but after beheading Cai Yang , a commander loyal to Cao Cao , Guan managed to convince Zhang that he was still true to their brotherhood.

Releasing Cao Cao at Huarong Trail

In Chapter 50, after the fire started burning his ships at the Battle of Red Cliffs, Cao Cao gathered all the men he could and escaped towards the city of Jiangling. Under instruction from adviser Zhuge Liang, Guan Yu led 500 foot soldiers and lay in wait along the Huarong Trail, a narrow shortcut in the woods leading to Jiangling. Prior to leaving, Guan Yu had duly sworn an oath not to allow Cao Cao passage over past favors from the warlord.

On the other hand, Cao Cao had come to a fork in the road during his perilous escape. Columns of smoke were seen rising from the narrower path. Cao Cao judged that the smoke was a trick of the enemy to divert him to the main road, where an ambush must have been laid. He then led his men towards the narrow path – the Huarong Trail.

The smoke was indeed a trick by Zhuge Liang. Grasping Cao Cao's psychology exactly, Zhuge Liang had meant to direct him to the Huarong Trail, where Guan Yu with his men were waiting. Upon being cut off, Cao Cao rode forward and appealed to Guan Yu to remember his kindness in former days. Seeing the plight of the defeated men and recalling the former favors he received from Cao Cao, Guan Yu eventually allowed the enemy to pass through without challenge, despite his previous oath. Upon returning, Guan Yu pleaded guilty but under the beseeching of Liu Bei, Zhuge Liang fully understood the compassion and mercy of General Guan Yu and forgave him.

Treatment of a poisoned arm

In Chapter 75, during a siege on Fancheng , Guan Yu had been struck in the right arm by a bolt fired by crossbowers from the city walls. The arrow was promptly removed but poison smeared on the arrowhead had already seeped deep to the bone. As he was unwilling to abandon the offensive campaign, his subjects had to send for physicians to the camp to treat the poisoned arm.

One day, the famed physician Hua Tuo came by a boat from the east and went to see Guan Yu, who was playing a game of with adviser . After examining the wound, Hua Tuo told Guan Yu he had to cut open the flesh and scrape off the residual poison on the surface of the bones. He also suggested that the patient place the injured arm through a ring fixed to a pillar to prevent movement in the absence of anesthesia, and that blindfold be applied. However, Guan Yu requested that the primitive surgery be performed on the spot, while he continued the game. Those around him cringed at the sound of the knife scraping the bone, but Guan Yu ate and drank, talked and laughed as if he did not feel any pain, presumably not to affect the morale of his army.

Within moments, the treatment was completed. Hua Tuo applied some medications to the wound and sewed it up. Guan Yu laughed and praised the skills of the physician, for the arm felt no more pain. Hua Tuo then left without accepting any reward.

''Records of Three Kingdoms'' did record a similar incident, though the physician was not named. Also, the injury was sustained on the left arm instead of the right at an unspecified time. Hua Tuo was not alive at that time of treatment. He was credited to have died in 208 AD, 12 years before the scraping of the bones story happened, making this event an anachronism.

Enlightenment on Yuqian Hill

In Chapter 77, after Guan Yu was beheaded by Sun Quan, lord of the Kingdom of Wu, his spirit roamed the land, crying, "Give me back my head!" Thus he came to outside Dangyang County , where he met the same monk who saved his life at the temple outside Sishui Pass many years ago during his journey to reunite with Liu Bei. The monk said to Guan Yu's spirit, "Now you ask for your head, but from whom should Yan Liang, Wen Chou, the guardians of the five passes and many others ask for theirs?" The spirit was enlightened and dissipated, though it henceforth often manifested itself around the hill and protected the locals. A temple was then built by the people on the hill to worship him.

The monk mentioned in the novel, named Pujing in his faith, was said to have built a grass hut for himself at the southeastern foot of Yuquan Hill during the last years of the Eastern Han Dynasty. At the location of the hut was later built the Yuquan Temple , the oldest temple in the Dangyang region from where Guan Yu worship originated, completed within the last decade of the 6th century, during the Sui Dynasty. Accordingly, it was to the first reverend of the Yuquan Temple Guan Yu's spirit manifested itself and requested entrance into Buddhism. One of the temple halls, named Sangharama Hall, is dedicated to Guan Yu .

Revenge on Lü Meng

Also in Chapter 77, after executing Guan Yu and reclaiming , Sun Quan threw a feast to celebrate and commend Lü Meng, chief planner and commander of the maneuver to capture Jingzhou and Guan Yu. On the feast, however, Lü Meng was possessed by Guan Yu's spirit and seized Sun Quan. As others rushed forward to save their lord, the possessed Lü Meng swore revenge. In moments, Lü Meng collapsed onto the floor and died. The frightened Sun Quan then sent Guan Yu's severed head in a wooden box to Cao Cao, meaning to sow a discord between the Kingdom of Shu and Kingdom of Wei.

When Cao Cao opened the box, he saw that Guan Yu looked as he did alive. Cao Cao smiled and said to Guan Yu's head, "I hope you are well since we last parted." To his horror, Guan Yu opened his mouth, and the long beard and hairs stood on their ends. Cao Cao fell to the floor and did not regain consciousness for a long time. When he did, he exclaimed, "General Guan is truly a god from heaven!" He then ordered the head be buried with honors accorded to a noble.

Historically, Lü Meng died of illness some time after Guan Yu's death, naming as his successor. In what can be seen as a case of irony, Lü Meng's death gave the brilliant young strategist his chance to inflict a far more devastating defeat on Liu Bei at Yiling, all but destroying Shu's war making capability.

Miscellaneous information

In the novel, Guan Yu was said to have had three sons: Guan Ping, Guan Xing and Guan Suo; and a daughter who was not named. His sworn brothers were Liu Bei and Zhang Fei. Guan Yu was also often flanked by two generals, Zhou Cang and Liao Hua, who were both former Yellow Turbans who came to join Guan Yu.

Worship of Guan Yu

Guan Yu has been deified as early as the Sui Dynasty and is still popularly worshipped today among the Chinese people variedly as an indigenous Chinese deity, a bodhisattva in Buddhism and a guardian deity in Taoism. He is also held in high esteem in Confucianism. These are not necessarily contradictory or even distinguished in these Chinese religious systems, which merge multiple ancient philosophies and religions.

In the Western world, Guan Yu is sometimes called the Taoist ''God of War'', probably because he is one of the most well-known military generals in . This is misconceived as, unlike or Tyr, Guan Yu as a god does not necessarily bless those who go to battle but rather people who observe the code of brotherhood and righteousness.

General worship

In general worship, Guan Yu is widely referred to as Emperor Guan , short for his Daoist title Saintly Emperor Guan , and as Guan Gong, literally "Lord Guan." Temples and shrines dedicated exclusively to Guan Yu can be found in parts of Mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, and other places with Chinese influence such as Vietnam, South Korea, and Japan. Some of these temples, such as the Emperor Guan Temple in Xiezhou , Shanxi, were built exactly in the layout of a palace, befitting his status as an "".

The apotheosis of Guan Yu occurred in stages, as he was given ever larger posthumous titles. Liu Shan, the second emperor of Shu Han, gave Guan Yu the posthumous title of Marquis Zhuangmou four decades after his death. During the Song Dynasty, bestowed upon Guan Yu the title of Duke Zhonghui , and later even the title of a prince. In 1187, during the reign of Guan Yu was established as ''Prince Zhuangmou Yiyong Wu'an Yingji'' . After Song was annihilated by Mongols, who established the Yuan Dynasty in China, Guan Yu was renamed ''Prince of Xianling Yiyong Wu'an Yingji'' by .

The escalation of Guan Yu's status to that of an emperor took place during the Ming Dynasty. In 1614, the Wanli Emperor bestowed on Guan Yu the title of ''Saintly Emperor Guan the Great God Who Subdues Demons of the Three Worlds and Whose Awe Spreads Far and Moves Heaven'' . During the Qing Dynasty, the Shunzhi Emperor gave Guan Yu the title of Zhongyi Shenwu Great Saintly Emperor Guan in 1644. This title was expanded to ''The Grand Emperor Zhongyi Shenwu Lingyou Renyong Weixian Huguo Baomin Jingcheng Suijing Yizan Xuande Guan Sheng Dadi'' , a total of 24 , by mid-19th century.

Throughout history Guan Yu had also been credited with many military successes. During the Ming dynasty his spirit was said to have aided the founding emperor Zhu Yuanzhang's fleet at the Battle of Lake Poyang. In 1402, launched a coup d'état and successfully deposed his nephew, the Jianwen Emperor. Zhu Di claimed that he had been blessed by the spirit of Guan Yu. During the last decade of the 16th century, Guan Yu was also credited with the repulse of Japanese invasion of Korea by Toyotomi Hideyoshi . The ruling Manchu house of the Qing dynasty also associated with Guan Yu's martial qualities. During the 20th century, Guan Yu was worshipped by the warlord Yuan Shikai, president and later a short-lived emperor of China.

Today Guan Yu is still widely worshiped by common folks, with many shrines to him are found in homes or businesses. In Hong Kong, a shrine for Guan Yu is located in each . Though by no means mandatory, most Chinese worship and pay respect to him. Seemingly ironic, members of the Triad gangs and the Hung clan worship Guan Yu as well.There's difference between statue used by triad gangs and police station for the shrine, indicated by which arm held his weapon, right for the police whether left for triads. This explain in which side Guan Yu is worshipped, by the righteous people or vice versa. Guan Yu's statue face for triads usually appears more sinister than the usual one or right hand armed statue.
This exemplifies the Chinese belief that a code of honor, epitomized by Guan Yu, exists even in the underworld. In Hong Kong, Guan Yu is often referred to as "Yi Gor" for he was second to Liu Bei in their legendary sworn brotherhood. Guan Yu is also worshipped by Chinese businessmen in Shanxi Province, Hong Kong, Macau and Southeast Asia as an alternative wealth god, since he is perceived to bless the upright and protect them from the crooked. Another reason being related to the release of Cao Cao during the Huarong Pass incident where he let Cao Cao and his general passed through safely. As for that, he was perceived to be able to give a lifeline to those that needed it.

Among the Cantonese Chinese who emigrated to California during the mid-19th century, worship of Guan Yu was an important element. Statues and tapestry images of the god can be found in a number of historical California joss houses , where his name may be given with various Anglicized spellings, including Kwan Dai, Kwan Tai, Kuan Ti, Kuan Kung, Wu Ti, Mo Dai, Guan Di, Kuan Yu, Kwan Yu, or Quan Yu. The Joss House, a historical landmark also known as Mo Dai Miu, The Military God-King's Temple, or Temple of Kwan Tai, built in 1852, is a typical example of the small shrines erected to Guan Yu in America.

Worship in Taoism

Guan Yu is revered as Saintly Emperor Guan and a leading subduer of demons in Taoism. Taoist worship of Guan Yu began during the Song Dynasty. Legend has it that during the second decade of the 12th century, the saltwater lake in the present day Xiezhou County gradually ceased to yield salt. then summoned Celestial Master Zhang Jixian , thirtieth descendant of Celestial Master Zhang Daoling, to investigate the cause. The emperor was told that the disruption was the work of Chi You, a deity of war. The Master then recruited the help of Guan Yu, who did battle with Chi You over the lake and triumphed, whereupon the lake resumed salt production. Emperor Huizong then bestowed upon Guan Yu the title of Immortal of Chongning , formally introducing the latter as a deity into Taoism.

In early Ming Dynasty, the forty-second Celestial Master Zhang Zhengchang recorded the incident in his book ''Lineage of the Han Celestial Masters'' , the first Taoist classic to affirm the legend. Today Taoism practices are predominant in Guan Yu worship. Many temples dedicated to Guan Yu, including the Emperor Guan Temple in Xiezhou County, show heavy Taoist influence. Every year, on the twenty fourth day of the sixth month on the , a street parade in the honor of Emperor Guan would also be held.

Worship in Buddhism

In Chinese Buddhism, Guan Yu is revered by most practicing Buddhists as Sangharama Bodhisattva a protector of the Buddhist dharma. ''Sangharama'' in Sanskrit means 'community garden' and thus 'monastery'. The sangharama refer to a group of devas and spirits who guard Buddhist monasteries, the dharma, and the faith itself. Over time, Guan Yu was seen as a representative ''sangharama'' guardian of the temple and the garden in which it stands. His statue is usually located on the far left of the main shrine, opposite his counterpart, .

According to Buddhist legends, in 592, Guan Yu manifested himself one night before Ch'an Master Zhiyi, the founder of the Tientai school of Buddhism, along with a retinue of spiritual beings. Zhiyi was then in deep meditation on when he was distracted by Guan Yu's presence. Guan Yu then requested the master to teach him about the dharma. After receiving Buddhist teachings from the master, Guan Yu took refuge in the triple gems and also requested the Five Precepts. Henceforth, it is said that Guan Yu made a vow to become a guardian of temples and the Dharma. Legends also claim that Guan Yu assisted Zhiyi in the construction of the Yuquan Temple , which still stands today.

In the historical novel ''Romance of the Three Kingdoms'', Luo Guanzhong wrote that Guan Yu manifested himself to a monk named Pujing on Yuquan Hill on the night of his death, with his spirit shouting "Return my head!" From Pujing, Guan Yu sought the Buddhist teachings and entered the faith after being told by Pujing "Where will Yan Liang, Wen Chou, and the guardians of the five passes whom you have slain should seek their heads?" While this being a modification of the "true" account, Pujing did exist in history. The location at which Pujing built a grass hut for himself was where the Yuquan Temple was later built on.

In popular culture

Film

*In Zhang Yimou's 2005 film ''Riding Alone for Thousands of Miles'', a ''nuo'' opera performance of ''Riding Alone for Thousands of Miles'' forms a major part of the film's narrative.

*In 's 1994 comedy ''From Beijing with Love'', Chow plays an absentminded spy named "Ling Ling Chai" who is shot by a double agent during a mission. When it is discovered the bullet has lodged deep into his thigh bone, he watches an film to divert his attention from the wound while the bullet is retrieved. When asked why, he calls upon Guan's example of playing Chess while Hua Tuo performed surgery on .
*In the 2008 horror-comedy ''My Name is Bruce'', Guan Yu's vengeful spirit is accidentally set free by a group of teenagers and he begins to terrorize their town. The town then enlists the aid of B-movie actor Bruce Campbell to combat Guan Yu because of his experience with dispatching monsters in his previous films. Campbell accepts the job, believing it to be some impromptu movie production, but later discovers the threat is real.
*In the 2008 historical epic "Red Cliff", Guan Yu is played by Ba Sen Zha Bu and is featured primarily in the Battle of Changban and later in a semi-fictional land battle near Chibi, which preceded the major naval battle.

Manga

In the manga'' Ikki Tousen'', all the warriors from ''Romance of the Three Kingdoms'' are reborn as Japanese high school students whose lives have to replay the entire story. His reincarnation is schoolgirl , who carries the Blue Dragon Crescent Blade with her.
In the manga ''BB Senshi Sangokuden Fuuun Gouketsu Hen'', ZZ Gundam portrayed as ''Guan Yu Gundam'', similar to the ''Three Kingdoms'', his personality same as the story, except some words, including his weapon, are different.

Video games

*Guan Yu is a playable character in Koei's ''Dynasty Warriors'' video game series. In the first title, he is depicted as a tall, red-skinned man dressed in a green robe, alluding to his legendary portrayal. In all subsequent releases, Guan's depiction is much more realistic, with his red skin becoming a more natural colour. Guan is portrayed as a man who places great emphasis on honor, dedication and duty. He often displays respect for his enemies and fulfills debts to friend and foe alike. His weapon is an elaborate guan dao called the "Blue Moon Dragon", and is of the exact same design as Zhang Liao's polearm, the "Gold Wyvern". Guan often appears atop Red Hare in combat and during cinematic sequences. In the latest release, ''Dynasty Warriors 6'', Guan still uses the "Blue Moon Dragon", although its appearance has been significantly revamped. His appearance appears to be a throwback of his ''Dynasty Warriors 3'' design.

*Guan Yu is also an officer in the video game series ''''. He often possesses one of the highest "War" and "Leadership" statistics, making him one of the best overall characters in the series.

*Guan Yu also appears in ''Sango Fighter''. Like ''Dynasty Warriors'', in ''Sango Fighter'', Guan Yu is also depicted as a tall, red-skinned man dressed in a green robe.

*''MapleStory'', a MMORPG from Wizet, has recently added a Guan Yu costume. It includes a turban hat, green battle gown, shoes, beard and his well known Green Dragon crescent-moon blade weapon.

*In ''Destiny of an Emperor'' from the original Nintendo Entertainment System, he is a general who becomes available to add on to the player's fighting group and is generally considered one of the strongest commanders in the game.

*In '''', Guan Yu is a Taoist hero with some knowledge of . He can fill warehouses with soybeans, lead troops into battle, and bless a military fort to fill it with weapons for training soldiers.

Card games

*In '''''s ''Portal Three Kingdoms'' game set, he is a playable rare creature card with the "Horsemanship" ability.

*In the History Channel's '''' card game, Guan Yu's cards have high initiative. His weapon is the "", his armor is "Jiang Jun Zhi Kai", his Special card is "", and his inspiration card is "Guan Di", possibly alluding to his worship in the Taoist pantheon. Artwork for the five cards was done by Rob Alexander.

Guan Yin

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Guanyin is the bodhisattva of compassion as by East Asian s, usually as a female. She is also known as the Chinese Bodhisattva of Compassion. The name Guanyin is short for Guanshi'yin which means " the Sounds of the ".

It is generally accepted that Guanyin originated as the Sanskrit ''Avalokite?vara'' , which is her male form. Commonly known in the West as the Goddess of Mercy, Guanyin is also revered by Taoists as an . It should be noted that in Taoist mythology, Guan Yin has other origination stories which are not directly related to Avalokite?vara.

Guanyin's origin is still debated among scholars. The official Buddhist view is that Guanyin originated with the male Avalokiteshvara. While it is certain that this is where the name "Guanshi'yin" originated, the image of the Chinese/Korean/Japanese/Vitnamese Bodhisattva may be partly derived from other sources. Indigenous to the region where Guanyin first appeared was a local Goddess: the Queen Mother of the West.

Names in East Asia

Guanshi'yin changed to Guanyin under the naming taboo of Emperor Taizong of Tang. In , Guanyin is pronounced Kannon , occasionally Kan'on, or more formally Kanzeon ; the spelling ''Kwannon'', based on a pre-modern pronunciation, is sometimes seen. In , the Bodhisattva is called ''Gwan-eum'' or ''Gwanse-eum'' , In , the name is called ''Kuan Eim'' or ''Prah Mae Kuan Eim'' , and in , the name is ''Quan ?m'' or ''Quan Th? ?m B? Tát''. In Hong Kong where there are many temples to her the name is written as ''Kwun Yum''. In , the name is ''Kwan Im'' or ''Dewi Kwan Im'' referring the word ''Dewi'' as ''Devi'' or Goddess. In the same countries, especially Japan, the variant Kanjizai is also well attested.

Depiction

Guanyin is the Chinese name for the Bodhisattva Avalokite?vara. However, folk traditions in China and other East Asian countries have added many distinctive characteristics and legends. Avalokite?vara was originally depicted as Buddha when he was still a prince, and therefore wears chest-revealing clothing and may even sport a moustache. However, in China, Guanyin is usually depicted as a woman. Additionally, some people believe that Guanyin is neither man nor woman.

In China, Guanyin is usually shown in a white flowing robe, and usually wearing necklaces of Indian/Chinese royalty. In the right hand is a water jar containing pure water, and in the left, a willow branch. The crown usually depicts the image of Amitabha Buddha, Guan Yin's spiritual teacher before she became a Bodhisattva.

In some Buddhist temples and monasteries, Guanyin images are occasionally depicted as a young man dressed in Northern Song Buddhist robes sitting gracefully. He is usually depicted looking or glancing down, symbolising that Guanyin continues to watch over the world.
There are also regional variations of Guan Yin depictions. In the Fukien region of China, for example, a popular depiction of Guan Yin is as a maiden dressed in Tang dynasty style clothing carrying a fish basket. A popular image of Guan Yin as both Guan Yin of the South Sea and Guan Yin With a Fish Basket can be seen in late 1500s Chinese encyclopedias and in prints that accompany the novel ''Golden Lotus''.

In Chinese art, Guan Yin is often depicted either alone, standing atop a dragon, accompanied by a bird, flanked by two children, or flanked by two warriors. The two children are her acolytes who came to her when she was meditating at Mount Putuo. The girl is called ''Long Nü'' and the boy . The two warriors are the historical character Guan Yu who comes from the Three Kingdoms period and the mythological character who features in the Chinese classic Canonisation of the Gods. The Buddhist tradition also displays Guan Yin, or other buddhas and bodhisattvas, flanked with the two said warriors, but as bodhisattvas who protect the temple and the faith itself.

Veneration

In Chinese Buddhist iconography, Guan Yin is often depicted as meditating or sitting alongside one of the Buddhas and usually accompanied by another bodhisattva. Which buddha or bodhisattva usually depends upon which school it represents. In the Pure Land school, for example, Guan Yin is frequently depicted as standing alongside Amitabha Buddha and bodhisattva Mahasthamaprapta. Temples that revere the bodhisattva Ksitigarbha usually depict him meditating alongside the Buddha and Guan Yin.

Along with Buddhism, Guanyin's veneration was introduced into China as early as the 1st century CE, and reached Japan by way of Korea soon after Buddhism was first introduced into the country in the mid-7th century. Some Taoist records claim Guanyin was a Chinese female who became immortal during Shang Dynasty.

More recently in Europe and America, a new wave of believers have spread a devotional cult beyond Buddhism, Taoism and folk traditional beliefs. Guan Yin is not only a bodhisattva or a goddess but a focus of devotion by some Eastern New Age movements.

Guanyin's representation

Representations of the bodhisattva in China prior to the Song Dynasty were masculine in appearance. Images which later displayed attributes of both genders are believed to be in accordance with the Lotus Sutra, where Avalokitesvara has the supernatural power of assuming any form required to relieve suffering, and also has the power to grant children . Because this bodhisattva is considered the personification of compassion and kindness, a mother-goddess and patron of mothers and seamen, the representation in China was further interpreted in an all-female form around the 12th century. In the modern period, Guan Yin is most often represented as a beautiful, white-robed woman, a depiction which derives from the earlier ''Pandaravasini'' form.

Legends

Guanyin and the Thousand Arms

One Buddhist legend presents Guan Yin as vowing to never rest until she had freed all sentient beings from samsara, reincarnation. Despite strenuous effort, she realized that still many unhappy beings were yet to be saved. After struggling to comprehend the needs of so many, her head split into eleven pieces. Amitabha Buddha, seeing her plight, gave her eleven heads with which to hear the cries of the suffering. Upon hearing these cries and comprehending them, Avalokitesvara attempted to reach out to all those who needed aid, but found that her two arms shattered into pieces. Once more, Amitabha came to her aid and appointed her a thousand arms with which to aid the many. Many Himalayan versions of the tale include eight arms with which Avalokitesvara skillfully upholds the Dharma, each possessing its own particular implement, while more Chinese-specific versions give varying accounts of this number.

In China, it is said that fishermen used to pray to her to ensure safe voyages. The titles ''Guan Yin of the Southern Ocean'' and 'Guan Yin the Island' stem from this tradition.

Legend of Miao Shan

Another story describes Guan Yin as the daughter of a cruel king who wanted her to marry a wealthy but uncaring man. The story is usually ascribed to the research of the Buddhist monk Chiang Chih-ch'i in 1100 AD. The story is likely to have a Taoist origin. Chiang Chih-ch'i, when he penned the work, believed that the Guan Yin we know today was actually a Buddhist princess called Miao Shan , who had a religious following on Fragrant Mountain. Despite this, however, there are many variants of the story in Chinese mythology.

According to the story, after the king asked his daughter Miao Shan to marry the wealthy man, she told him that she would obey his command, so long as the marriage eased three misfortunes.

The king asked his daughter what were the three misfortunes that the marriage should ease. Miao Shan explained that the first misfortune the marriage should ease was the suffering people endure as they age. The second misfortune it should ease was the suffering people endure when they fall ill. The third misfortune it should ease was the suffering caused by death. If the marriage could not ease any of the above, then she would rather retire to a life of religion forever.

When her father asked who could ease all the above, Miao Shan pointed out that a doctor was able to do all these.

Her father grew angry as he wanted her to marry a person of power and wealth, not a healer. He forced her into hard labor and reduced her food and drink but this did not cause her to yield.

Every day she begged to be able to enter a temple and become a nun instead of marrying. Her father eventually allowed her to work in the temple, but asked the monks to give her very hard chores in order to discourage her. The monks forced Miao Shan to work all day and all night, while others slept, in order to finish her work. However, she was such a good person that the animals living around the temple began to help her with her chores. Her father, seeing this, became so frustrated that he attempted to burn down the temple. Miao Shan put out the fire with her bare hands and suffered no burns. Now struck with fear, her father ordered her to be put to death.

In one version of this legend, when she was executed, a supernatural tiger took Guan Yin to one of the more hell-like realms of the dead. However, instead of being punished by demons like the other inmates, Guan Yin played music and flowers blossomed around her. This completely surprised the head demon. The story says that Guan Yin, by merely being in that hell, turned it into a paradise.

A variant of the legend says that Miao Shan allowed herself to die at the hand of the executioner. According to this legend, as the executioner tried to carry out her father's orders, his axe shattered into a thousand pieces. He then tried a sword which likewise shattered. He tried to shoot Miao Shan down with arrows but they all veered off.

Finally in desperation he used his hands. Miao Shan, realising the fate the executioner would meet at her father's hand should she fail to let herself die, forgave the executioner for attempting to kill her. It is said that she voluntarily took on the massive karmic guilt the executioner generated for killing her, thus leaving him guiltless. It is because of this that she descended into the Hell-like realms. While there she witnessed firsthand the suffering and horrors beings there must endure and was overwhelmed with grief. Filled with compassion, she released all the good karma she had accumulated through her many lifetimes, thus freeing many suffering souls back into Heaven and Earth. In the process that Hell-like realm became a paradise. It is said that , King of , sent her back to Earth to prevent the utter destruction of his realm, and that upon her return she appeared on Fragrant Mountain.

Another tale says that Miao Shan never died but was in fact transported by a supernatural tiger, believed to be the Deity of the Place, to Fragrant Mountain.

The Legend of Miao Shan usually ends with Miao Chuang Yen, Miao Shan's father, falling ill with jaundice. No physician was able to cure him. Then a monk appeared saying that the jaundice could be cured by making a medicine out of the arm and eye of one without anger. The monk further suggested that such a person could be found on Fragrant Mountain. When asked, Miao Shan willingly offered up her eyes and arms. Miao Chuang Yen was cured of his illness and went to the Fragrant Mountain to give thanks to the person. When he discovered that his own daughter had made the sacrifice, he begged for forgiveness. The story concludes with Miao Shan being transformed into the Thousand Armed Guan Yin, and the king, queen and her two sisters building a temple on the mountain for her. She began her journey to heaven and was about to cross over into heaven when she heard a cry of suffering from the world below. She turned around and saw the massive suffering endured by the people of the world. Filled with compassion, she returned to earth, vowing never to leave till such time as all suffering has ended.

After her return to Earth, Guan Yin was said to have stayed for a few years on the island of Mount Putuo where she practised meditation and helped the sailors and fishermen who got stranded. Guan Yin is frequently worshipped as patron of sailors and fishermen due to this. She is said to frequently becalm the sea when boats are threatened with rocks. After some decades Guan Yin returned to Fragrant Mountain to continue her meditation.

Guanyin and Shan Tsai

Legend has it that was a disabled boy from India who was very interested in studying the Buddha Dharma. When he heard that there was a Buddhist teacher on the rocky island of Putuo he quickly journeyed there to learn. Upon arriving the island, he managed to find Bodhisattva Guan Yin despite his severe disability.

Guan Yin, after having a discussion with Shan Tsai, decided to test the boy's resolve to fully study the Buddhist teachings. She conjured the illusion of three sword-wielding pirates running up the hill to attack her. Guan Yin took off and dashed off to the edge of a cliff, the three illusions still chasing her.

Shan Tsai, seeing that his teacher was in danger, hobbled uphill. Guan Yin then jumped over the edge of the cliff, and soon after this the three bandits followed. Shan Tsai, still wanting to save his teacher, managed to crawl his way over the cliff edge.

Shan Tsai fell down the cliff but was halted in midair by Guan Yin, who now asked him to walk. Shan Tsai found that he could walk normally and that he was no longer crippled. When he looked into a pool of water he also discovered that he now had a very handsome face. From that day forth, Guan Yin taught Shan Tsai the entire Buddha Dharma.

Guanyin and Lung Nü

Many years after Shan Tsai became a disciple of Guan Yin, a distressing event happened in the South Sea. The sons of one of the Dragon Kings was caught by a fisherman while taking the form of a fish. Being stuck on land, he was unable to transform back into his dragon form. His father, despite being a mighty Dragon King, was unable to do anything while his son was on land. Distressed, the son called out to all of Heaven and Earth.

Hearing this cry, Guan Yin quickly sent Shan Tsai to recover the fish and gave him all the money she had. The fish at this point was about to be sold in the market. It was causing quite a stir as it was alive hours after being caught. This drew a much larger crowd than usual at the market. Many people decided that this prodigious situation meant that eating the fish would grant them immortality, and so all present wanted to buy the fish. Soon a bidding war started, and Shan Tsai was easily outbid.

Shan Tsai begged the fish seller to spare the life of the fish. The crowd, now angry at someone so daring, was about to prise him away from the fish when Guan Yin projected her voice from far away, saying "A life should definitely belong to one who tries to save it, not one who tries to take it."

The crowd realising their shameful actions and desire, dispersed. Shan Tsai brought the fish back to Guan Yin, who promptly returned it to the sea. There the fish transformed back to a dragon and returned home. Paintings of Guan Yin today sometimes portray her holding a fish basket, which represents the aforementioned tale.

But the story does not end here. As a reward for Guan Yin saving his son, the Dragon King sent his granddaughter, a girl called Lung Nü , to present to Guan Yin with the Pearl of Light. The Pearl of Light was a precious jewel owned by the Dragon King that constantly shone. Lung Nü, overwhelmed by the presence of Guan Yin, asked to be her disciple so that she might study the Buddha Dharma. Guan Yin accepted her offer with just one request: that Lung Nü be the new owner of the Pearl of Light.

In popular iconography, Lung Nü and Shan Tsai are often seen alongside Guan Yin as two children. Lung Nü is seen either holding a bowl or an ingot, which represents the Pearl of Light, whereas Shan Tsai is seen with palms joined and knees slightly bent to show that he was once crippled.

Guanyin and Vegetarianism

Due to her symbolising compassion, in East Asia Guan Yin is associated with vegetarianism. are generally decorated with her image, and she appears in most Buddhist vegetarian pamphlets and magazines.

Guanyin in Chinese Buddhism

In Chinese Buddhism, Guanyin/Kuan Yin/Kannon/Kwannon is synonymous with the Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara, the pinnacle of mercy and compassion. Among the Chinese, Avalokitesvara is almost exclusively called ''Guan Shi Yin Pu Sa'' . The Chinese translation of many Buddhist sutras has in fact replaced the Chinese transliteration of Avalokitesvara with ''Guan Shi Yin'' Some Taoist scriptures give her the title of ''Guan Yin Da Shi'', and sometimes informally as ''Guan Yin Fo Zu''.

In Chinese Buddhism, the popular myth and worship of Guan Yin as a goddess by the populace is generally not viewed to be in conflict with the bodhisattva Avalokitesvara's nature. In fact the widespread worship of Guan Yin as a "Goddess of Mercy and Compassion" is seen as the boundless salvific nature of bodhisattva Avalokitesvara at work. The Buddhist canon states that bodhisattvas can assume whatsoever gender and form is needed to liberate beings from ignorance and dukkha. With specific reference to Avalokitesvara, he is stated both in the Lotus Sutra and the Surangama Sutra to have appeared before as a woman or a goddess to save beings from suffering and ignorance. Some Buddhist schools refer to Guan Yin both as male and female interchangeably.

Also in Mahayana Buddhism, to which Chinese Buddhism belongs, gender is no obstacle to Enlightenment. The Buddhist concept of non-duality applies here. The Vimalakirti Sutra in the Goddess chapter clearly illustrates an Enlightened being who is also a female and deity. In the Lotus Sutra a maiden became Enlightened in a very short time span. That bodhisattva Avalokitesvara is also the goddess Guan Yin is not seen as contradictory.

Given that bodhisattvas are known to incarnate at will as living people according to the sutras, the princess Miao Shan is generally viewed as an incarnation of Avalokitesvara.

Guanyin is immensely popular among Chinese Buddhists, especially those from devotional schools. She is generally seen as a source of unconditional love and more importantly as a savior. In her bodhisattva vows, Guan Yin promises to answer the cries and pleas of all beings and to liberate all beings from their own karmic woes. Based upon the Lotus Sutra and the Shurangama sutra, Avalokitesvara is generally seen as a savior, both spiritually and physically. The sutras state that through his saving grace even those who have no chance of being Enlightened can be Enlightened, and those deep in negative karma can still find salvation through his compassion.

In Pure Land Buddhism, Guan Yin is described as the "Bark of Salvation". Along with Amitabha Buddha and the bodhisattva Mahastamaprata, She temporarily liberates beings out of the Wheel of Samsara into the Pure Land, where they will have the chance to accrue the necessary merit so as to be a Buddha in one lifetime.

Even among Chinese Buddhist schools that are non-devotional, Guan Yin is still highly venerated. Instead of being seen as an active external force of unconditional love and salvation, the personage of Guan Yin is highly revered as the principle of compassion, mercy and love. The act, thought and feeling of compassion and love is viewed as Guan Yin. A merciful, compassionate, loving individual is said to be Guan Yin. A meditative or contemplative state of being at peace with oneself and others is seen as Guan Yin.

In the Mahayana canon, the Heart Sutra is ascribed entirely to the bodhisattva Kuan Yin/Kwannon. This is unique, as most Mahayana Sutras are usually ascribed to Shakyamuni Buddha and the teachings, deeds or vows of the bodhisattvas are described by Shakyamuni Buddha. In the Heart Sutra, Guan Yin/Avalokitesvara describes to the Arhat Sariputra the nature of reality and the essence of the Buddhist teachings. The famous Buddhist saying "Form is emptiness, emptiness is form" comes from this sutra.

Guanyin and Chinese Folk Belief

Guan Yin is an extremely popular Goddess in Chinese folk belief and is worshiped in Chinese communities throughout East and South East Asia. Guan Yin is revered in the general Chinese population due to her unconditional love, compassion and mercy. She is generally regarded by many as the protector of women and children. By this association she is also seen as a fertility goddess capable of granting children. She is also seen as the champion of the unfortunate, the sick, the disabled, the poor, and those in trouble. Some coastal and river areas of China regard her as the protector of fishermen, sailors, and generally people who are out at sea, thus many also come to believe that , the Taoist goddess of the sea, is a manifestation of Guan Yin. Due to her association with the legend of the Great Flood where she sent down a dog filled with rice grains in its tail after the flood, she is worshiped as a rice goddess. In some quarters, especially among business people and traders, she is looked upon as a Goddess of Luck and Fortune. In recent years there have been claims of her being the protector of air travelers.

Guanyin and the Virgin Mary

Some Christian observers have commented on the similarity between Guan Yin and the Blessed Virgin Mary of Christianity, the mother of Jesus Christ. The Tzu-Chi Foundation, a Taiwanese Buddhist organization, also noticing the similarity, commissioned a portrait of Guan Yin and a baby that resembles the typical Roman Catholic Madonna and Child painting.

Some Chinese of the overwhelmingly Roman Catholic Philippines, in an act of syncretism, have identified Guan Yin with the Virgin Mary.

During the Edo Period in Japan, when Christianity was banned and punishable by death, some underground Christian groups venerated the Virgin Mary disguised as a statue of Kannon; such statues are known as ''''. Many had a cross hidden in an inconspicuous location.

Guanyin in popular culture

* Guan Yin plays a central role in the plot of the classic Chinese novel ''Journey to the West''.

* A space probe called ''Kuan-Yin'' features in the 1982 science fiction novel ''Voyage from Yesteryear'' by .

* The name of the Japanese company Canon Inc. derives from the Japanese name of the deity.

* Her birthday, the 19th day of 2nd lunar month , based on Chinese calendar is a .

* She is played by Gloria Yip in the 2005 television miniseries, ''Magic Sword of Heaven and Earth''.

* In the Japanese anime Gensoumaden Saiyuki, Guan Yin appears as Kanzeon Bosatsu, the Goddess of Mercy, who watches over the four on their Journey to the West.

Gong Gong

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Gong Gong is a Chinese water god who is responsible for the great floods, together with his associate, Xiang Yao , who has nine heads and the body of a snake. In Chinese mythology, Gong Gong was ashamed that he lost the fight to claim the throne of Heaven and in a fit of rage he smashed his head against Mount Buzhou , a pillar holding up the sky. The pillar suffered great damage and caused the sky to tilt towards the northwest and the earth to shift to the southeast. This caused great floods and suffering to the people. Nüwa , an important and benevolent goddess, cut off the legs of a giant tortoise and used them to supplant the fallen pillar and alleviate the situation, but she was unable to fully correct the tilted sky. This explains the phenomenon that sun, moon, and stars move towards the northwest, and that rivers in China flow southeast into the Pacific Ocean.

Gao Yao (Xia Dynasty)

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Gao Yao was a political advisor of the Yu the Great in China during the Xia Dynasty. His son was Bo Yi .

He is cited admonishingly saying to his king: " Heaven can see and hear, and does so through the eyes and ears of the people; Heaven rewards the virtuous and punishes the wicked, and does it through the people." This admonition does not promote a democratic idea, as some Taiwanese politicians say. It conforms to the principle of humane actions.

Four Heavenly Kings

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In the , the Four Heavenly Kings are four guardian gods, each of whom watches over one cardinal direction of the world. They are collectively named as follows:

*Sanskrit: ''caturmahārāja'' "Four Kings" or '''' "guardian of the world"
*: ''Tiānwáng'' "Heavenly kings" or ''Sì Tiānwáng'' "Four heavenly kings"
*: ''Cheonwang'' "Heavenly kings" or ''Sacheonwang'' "Four heavenly kings"
*: "Four heavenly kings"
*: ''rgyal.chen bzhi'' "Four great kings"
*: ''chatumaharaja'' "Four great kings" or ''chatulokkaban'' "guardian of the world"

They reside in the Cāturmahārājika heaven on the lower slopes of Mount Sumeru, which is the lowest of the six worlds of the of the . They are the protectors of the world and fighters of evil, each able to command a legion of supernatural creatures to protect the . They are:

Further associations between the four directions and elements, seasons, planets, animals, internal organs, etc. can be found at Five elements . Note, however, that the colors assigned to the Four Heavenly Kings represent an independent tradition and do not correspond to the traditional Chinese association of colors and directions.

All four serve ?akra , the lord of the devas of . On the 8th, 14th and 15th days of each lunar month, the Four Heavenly Kings either send out messengers or go themselves to see how virtue and morality are faring in the world of men. Then they report upon the state of affairs to the assembly of the devas.

On the orders of ?akra, the four kings and their retinues stand guard to protect from another attack by the , which once threatened to destroy the kingdom of the devas. They are also vowed to protect the Buddha, the , and the Buddha's followers from danger.

According to Vasubandhu, devas born in the Cāturmahārājika heaven are 1/4 of a kro?a in height . They also have a five-hundred year lifespan, of which each day is equivalent to 50 years in our world; thus their total lifespan amounts to about nine million years .

In Chinese they are known collectively as "Fēng Tiáo Yǔ Shùn" , which translates into "Good Climate". This mnemonic reminds one of the symbols the Heavenly Kings carry. For instance, "Fēng" sounds like the Chinese word for "edge" , hence the corresponding symbol is a sword. "Tiáo" sounds like "Tune", hence the corresponding symbol is a musical instrument. "Yǔ" means "rain", hence the corresponding symbol is an umbrella. "Shùn" refers to the symbol of a crimson .

These symbols also link the deities to their followers; for instance, the , magical creatures who can change form between human and serpent, are led by , represented with a snake; the gandharvas are celestial musicians, led by , represented with a lute. The umbrella was a symbol of regal sovereignty in ancient India, and the sword is a symbol of martial prowess. 's mongoose, which ejects jewels from its mouth, is said to represent generosity in opposition to greed.

Fenghuang

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Fenghuang are birds that reign over all other birds. The males are called Feng and the females Huang. In modern times, however, such a distinction of gender is often no longer made and the Feng and Huang are blurred into a single feminine entity so that the bird can be paired with the Chinese dragon, which has male connotations. The Fenghuang is also called the "August Rooster" since it sometimes takes the place of the Rooster in the Chinese Zodiac. In the , it is commonly referred to as the Chinese .

Appearance

A common depiction was of it attacking snakes with its talons and its wings spread. According to scripture Erya - chapter 17 ''Shiniao'', Fenghuang is said to be made up of the beak of a rooster, the face of a , the forehead of a fowl, the neck of a snake, the breast of a goose, the back of a tortoise, the hindquarters of a stag and the tail of a fish. Today, however, it is often described as a composite of many birds including the head of a golden pheasant, the body of a mandarin duck, the tail of a peacock, the legs of a crane, the mouth of a parrot, and the wings of a swallow.

Origin

Images of an ancient bird have appeared in China for over 7,000 years, the earliest as Shang Dynasty pottery motifs, then appearing decorating bronzes, as well as jade figurines . Some believe they may have been a good-luck totem, believing that it is a totem of eastern tribes in ancient China. Current theories suggest that it is likely based in part - for example the snake-like neck - on folk memory of the Asian Ostrich which was common in prehistoric China but became extinct several thousand years ago. That this bird was well-known to the early modern humans in Asia, noted for its peculiarity, and hunted for food, is attested by numerous archaeological finds, such as pottery decorated with what appear to be painted ostriches, and bones by early campsites.

Fenghuang seems to have no connection with the phoenix of the Western world, which derives from Egyptian mythology. Peculiarly, the "Western" may also in part reference a prehistoric bird, the Bennu Heron. Unlike the Fenghuang, which is a chimera not very much like any actual bird , the Egyptian phoenix was a rather conventional animal most often considered similar to a heron or eagle which "merely" had a supernatural lifestyle.

During the Han Dynasty two phoenixes, one a male and the other a female were often shown together facing one other. Later, during the Yuan Dynasty the two terms were merged to become the generally translated "phoenix", but the "King of Birds" came to symbolize the Empress when paired with a dragon as a dragon represented the Emperor. From the period of the Emperor Jiajing on, a pair of phoenixes was differentiated by the tail feathers of the two birds (typically together forming a closed circle pattern--the male identified by five serrated tail feathers and the female by what appears to be one, but is in fact, two curling or tendriled tail feathers. It was also in the Ming Dynasty that phoenixes first began to appear with combs, hence comb-less phoenixes are pre-Ming, and phoenixes depicted with combs, Ming or post-Ming.

The phoenix represented power sent from the heavens to the Empress. If a phoenix was used to decorate a house it symbolized that loyalty and honesty were in the people that lived there. Or alternatively, phoenix only stays when the ruler is without darkness and corruption .

Meaning

The Fenghuang has very positive connotations. It is a symbol of high virtue and grace. The Fenghuang also symbolizes the union of yin and yang. It appears in peaceful and prosperous times but hides when trouble is near. Shan Hai Jing - chapter 1 ''Nanshan jing'' records each part of Fenghuang's body symbolizes a word, the head represents virtue the wing represents duty the back represents propriety the abdomen says belief and the chest represents mercy

In ancient China, they can often be found in the decorations for weddings or , along with s. This is because the Chinese considered the and phoenix symbolic of blissful relations between husband and wife, another common yin and yang metaphor.

Modern usage

* "Fèng talon" is a of chicken feet cooked in a black bean sauce.
* "Fènghuáng" is a common element in the names of Chinese girls .
* "Dragon and Fèng infants" is an expression meaning a set of boy and girl fraternal twins.
* Fenghuang is also a county in western Hunan province of China, formerly a sub-prefecture. Its name is written with the same Chinese characters as the mythological bird.
* In Korea, it has been used for the royal emblem or the presidential emblem.
* The Vermilion Bird of the South, one of the of Chinese myth, is sometimes mistaken for the Fenghuang, when in reality, they are two separate entities.

Erlang Shen

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Erlang Shen , is a God with a in the middle of his forehead.

Er-lang Shen may be a deified version of several semi-mythical folk heroes who help regulate China's torrential floods, dating variously from the , and dynasties. A later Buddhist source identify him as the second son of the Northern Vaishravana.

In the semi-mythical novels ''Creation of the Gods'' and ''Journey to the West'' Er-lang Shen is the nephew of the Jade Emperor. In the former he assisted the army in defeating the . In the latter, he is the offspring of a mortal and the Jade Emperor's sister.

Origin

Li Erlang

Of the various identifications of Erlang Shen the most common is as Li Erlang, the second son of Li Bing, the engineer behind the Dujiangyan Irrigation System.

According to ''Story About Li Bing and His Son in Harnessing the Rivers'', in ''Records of Guansian'', Li Erlang assisted his father in the construction of the complex irrigation system that prevented the Min River from flooding and irrigated the Chengdu Plain. In thanks for the prosperity that this brought to them the local people elevated the father and son to gods and dedicated the Erwang Temple to their honour.

Legend states that Governor Li Bing sent his son out to discover the source of the flooding. He spent a year exploring the county without success. One day whilst sheltering in a cave he encountered a tiger which he slew and seven hunters who had witnessed this bravery agreed to join him on his quest.

The group finally came to a cottage on the outskirts of Guanxian. From within they heard the sound of an old woman crying. The woman was Grandma Wang and she told them that her grandson was to be sacrificed to an evil dragon who was the local river god. Li Erlang reported this to his father who devised a plan to capture the dragon.

The eight friends hid in the River God Temple and jumped out on the dragon when it arrived to claim its offering. The dragon fled to river pursued by Li Erlang who eventually captured it. Grandma Wang arrived with an iron chain and the dragon was secured in the pool below the Fulonguan Temple freeing the region from floods.

Another legend tells of Li Erlang suppressing a fire dragon that lived in the mountains north of Dujiangyan by climbing to the top of Mount Yulei, turning into a giant and building a dam with 66 mountains then filling it with water from Dragon Pacifying Pool.

Other Identifications

Erlang Shen is also identified with Zhao Yu, a hermit who lived on Mount Qingcheng and was appointed by Sui Dynasty Emperor Yangdi as Governor of . Zhao Yu is said to have set forth with 1000 men to defeat a flood dragon that had been tormenting the area. Upon reaching the river Zhao Yu dived into the water with his double-edged sword and emerged holding the dragon’s head, Following his death, according to the ''Chronicle of Changshu County'', the region was once again plagued by flood and he was seen riding a white horse amidst the swirling currents. The locals built a temple enshrining Zhao Yu as the God Erlang and the floods were subdued.

Deng Xia is said to have been a general under Erlang who surpassed his predecessors in valour and defeated a flood dragon receiving the title Erlang Shen and a temple in his honour at Zhongqingli in Hangzhou.

Yang Jian , the second son of the Indian god Vaisravana Heavenly King, who lead the troops of heaven to guard the national borders is also identified as Erlang Shen in Chinese folk tales such as ''Journey to the West'' and ''Investiture of the Gods''.

Representations in Chinese culture

Journey to the West

Erlang makes an appearance near the start of the folk classic ''Journey to the West'' by Wu Cheng'en. Erlang, who is titled as being either True Lord, or Illustrious Sage, is the nephew of the Jade Emperor. Erlang made his first appearance when he had been ordered by the Jade Emperor to subdue Sun Wukong, who was to be punished for his havoc in heaven.

Throughout the course of Erlang's duel between Sun Wukong, Erlang had been the stronger adversary. After many transformations that were performed in their duel . Near the conclusion of the battle, he managed to see through Sun Wukong's disguise using his third-eye. He eventually defeated Wukong through teamwork with several other gods; Lao Tzu personally had dropped his refined golden ring that had hit Sun Wukong on the head, giving Erlang a chance to bring him down, and Erlang's dog bit him in the leg. After Sun Wukong had been captured, he and his heavenly soldiers would burn random areas of the Bloom Mountains. Erlang would once again be seen far later into the novel, in which he would assist Sun Wukong through chance by fighting against a certain ancient Dragon King and his allies.

Fengshen Yanyi

In ''Investiture of the Gods'', Yang Jian would first appear during the time of the Diablo Brother's attack on the Western Foothills. After hearing of the situation, Yang would personally take the offensive against the brothers. During his duel against all four brothers, Yang would deliberately allow himself to be consumed by Diablo Long Life's flying mink. Following the battle, Yang Bliss would suddenly reappear before Jiang Ziya after killing the mink inside it's stomach with his many transformations. To trick the Diablo Brothers, Yang would later transform himself into Long Life's flying mink and steal Diablo Red's Havoc-Umbrella. Thus, Yang would be renowned as the true reason for Jiang Ziya's victory over the Diablo Brothers at an overall point.

Bao Lian Deng

In the tale, Lotus Lantern, Erlang had a sister known as the Holy Mother of Mount Hua. She married a mortal, Liu Yanchang, who was a scholar and had a son by the name of Chen Xiang. She was admonished by Erlang for this unlawful human-deity union and imprisoned under Mt Hua. When Chen Xiang came of age, he split the mountain with an axe to free his mother, but not before facing people who repeatedly tried to undermine his mission, most notably his own uncle Erlang.

As a filial deity

In Chinese belief he was a filial son that entered the Chinese underworld to save his deceased mother from torment and will punish unfilial children by striking them with thunder strike as a punishment, hence the Chinese parent saying "Being smitten by lightning for being unfilial and ungrateful" towards unruly children. A warring deity, he wields a ''Sān Jiān Liǎng Rèn Dāo'' and always has his faithful ''Xiàotiān quǎn'' by his side. This dog also helps him subdue evil spirits.

Dragon King

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The four Dragon Kings are, in Chinese mythology, the divine rulers of the four seas . Although Dragon Kings appear in their true forms as , they have the ability to shapeshift into human form. The Dragon Kings live in crystal palaces, guarded by shrimp soldiers and crab generals.

Besides ruling over the aquatic life, the Dragon Kings also manipulate clouds and rain. When enraged, they can flood cities. According to ''The Short Stories on the People'' , the Qian Tang Dragon King did just that when he found out his niece had been abused by her husband. Qian Tang also ate the abusive husband.

The Dragon King of the Eastern Sea is said to have the largest territory.

Dragon Kings appeared commonly in literature. Detailed descriptions were given of the finery of their crystal palaces. In the Chinese classical novel ''Journey to the West'', a Dragon King is one of the main characters in the tenth chapter.

*Dragon of the East: Ao Guang
*Dragon of the South: Ao Qin
*Dragon of the West: Ao Run
*Dragon of the North: Ao Shun

The four Dragon Kings also appeared in ''Fengshen Yanyi''. But their names are different from those in ''Journey to the West''.

Temples

There are numerous temples dedicated to Dragon Kings in China. One temple in Beijing was built during the Yuan Dynasty and renovated in the early 21st century. Chao-Tian Palace of Beigang Township , Yunlin, devoted to the Goddess , also has human-shaped statues for the four Dragon Kings, each riding on a dragon. In contrast to the Dragon Kings, Mazu, although also a deity of sea, is a motherly figure who never wreaks havoc.

City god

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City gods or town gods are deities in Chinese mythology, responsible for the affairs of the city. There are temples dedicated to the local town gods in many medium to large cities of China.

Forbidden City

The Forbidden City in Beijing, being a in its own right, has its own city god. The temple is located in the northwestern corner of the palace complex. Much of the contents were destroyed in the Cultural Revolution. It is not open to the public.

Hong Kong

A temple is located at the junction of Shau Kei Wan Main Street East and Kam Wa Street, in Shau Kei Wan, Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong. The temple was built in 1877 and originally named "Fook Tak Tsz". This gives a feeling that there is a "temple in a temple" . With the advantage of being conveniently located near the Shau Kei Wan terminal, the temple is frequented by many local residents.

Deities , Shing Wong, Ng Tung are enshrined in the temple. Deity To Ti is in change of earth and is also called "Fook Tak Kung" . Deity Ng Tung is in charge of wealth, time, as well as good fortune.

Shanghai

The City God Temple in the old city of Shanghai is an important civic and commercial centre. It, the nearby Yuyuan Garden, and the surrounding commercial district, is today one of the city's key tourist attractions.

Chinese guardian lions

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Chinese guardian lions, also called a Fu Lions, lions of Buddha, or sometimes s in Chinese art, is a common representation of the lion in pre-modern China, which is believed to have powerful protective powers that has traditionally stood in front of Imperial palaces, temples, emperors' tombs, government offices, and the homes of government officials and the wealthy from the Han Dynasty , until the end of the empire in 1911.

Lions of Fo are often created in pairs, with the male playing with a ball and the female with a cub. They occur in many types of Chinese pottery and in Western imitations.

Pairs of Chinese guardian lions, also called Chinese stone lions are still common decorative and symbolic elements at the entrances to restaurants, hotels, supermarkets and other structures, with one sitting on each side of the entrance, in China and in other places around the world where the Chinese people have immigrated and settled specially in local Chinatowns.

In Tibet, the guardian lion is known as a Snow Lion and similar to Japanese . In Myanmar they are called Chinthe and gave their name to the World War II Chindit soldiers.

Appearance

The lions are traditionally carved from decorative stone, such as marble and granite or cast in bronze or iron. Because of the high cost of these materials and the labor required to produce them, private use of Imperial guardian lions was traditionally reserved for wealthy or elite families. Indeed, a traditional symbol of a family's wealth or social status was the placement of Imperial guardian lions in front of the family home. However, in modern times less expensive lions, mass produced in concrete and resin, have become available and their use therefore no longer restricted to the elite.

The lions are generally present in pairs, with the female on the left and the male on the right. The male lion has his right paw on a ball, which represents the "" The female is essentially identical, but has a single cub under her left paw, representing the cycle of life. Symbolically, the female fu lion protects those dwelling inside, while the male guards the structure. Sometimes the female has her mouth closed, and the male open. This symbolizes the enunciation of the sacred word "om". However, Japanese adaptions state that the male is inhaling, representing life, while the female exhales, representing death. Other styles have both lions with a single large pearl in each of their partially opened mouths. The pearl is carved so that it can roll about in the lion's mouth but sized just large enough so that it can never be removed.

According to feng shui, when facing the entrance the male lion with the globe should be placed on the right with the female on the left.

History

Interestingly, the lion is not indigenous to China however Asiatic lions were quite common in neighboring India then. These Asiatic lions found in nearby India are the ones depicted in the Chinese culture. When Buddhist priests, or possibly traders, brought stories to China about stone Asiatic / Indian lions guarding the entry to Indian Buddhist temples, Chinese sculptors modeled statues after native dogs for use outside their temples as nobody in China had ever seen a real lion before. The mythic version of the animal, was known as the Lion of Fo, the word Fo 佛 being Chinese for Buddha. The Chinese word for lion is "Shi" which was adopted from their Sanskrit name "Sinh" in the neighboring India.

Lions of Fo are often created in pairs, with the male playing with a ball and the female with a cub. They occur in many types of Chinese pottery and in Western imitations.

The Buddhist version of the Lion was originally introduced to Han China as the protector of dharma and these lions have been found in religious art as early as 208 BC. Gradually they were incorporated as guardians of the Chinese Imperial dharm. Lions seemed appropriate regal beasts to guard the emperor's gates and have been used as such since.

The mythic Lion is sometimes associated with feng shui, and are often called Fu Lions. Fu means 'happiness' in Chinese; however, the term "Fu Lion," and its variant Foo Lion, are not used in Chinese. Instead, they are known as Rui Shi or simply Shi .

There are various styles of imperial guardian lions reflecting influences from different time periods, imperial dynasties, and regions of China. These styles vary in their artistic detail and adornment as well as in the depiction of the lions from fierce to serene.

Image gallery

In the above gallery, note that the standing lion is wearing ornaments similar to those seen at the top of the article but does not have the shin armor.

Zhu Rong (god)

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Zhu Rong is the Chinese god of fire and ruler of the southern hemisphere from mythology. He is depicted as a proud man clad in armor wielding a sword and riding on a large tiger. He was one of the gods that helped separate Heaven and Earth and set up Universal Order.

He is most famous for battling his own son Gong Gong, who was a water demon responsible for causing floods. When Zhu Rong heard that his son was attempting to seize the throne of Heaven, he went to stop him. The two of them battled for days across Heaven until both plummeted down to Earth. Finally Gong Gong was defeated and sulked away in shame while Zhu Rong returned to Heaven triumphant, after having won a great battle.

Lady Zhurong from the ''Romance of the Three Kingdoms'' claims to be a descendant of Zhu Rong.

Modern References

*Zhu Rong was included in as a card in the card game by TriKings.

Zhong Kui

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Zhong Kui is a figure of Chinese mythology. Traditionally regarded as a vanquisher of ghosts and evil beings, and reputedly able to command 80,000 demons, his image is often painted on household gates as a guardian spirit, as well as in places of business where high-value are involved.

According to folklore, Zhong Kui travelled with Du Ping , a friend from his hometown, to take part in the imperial examinations at the capital. Though Zhong achieved top honours in the exams, his title of "zhuangyuan" was stripped by the emperor because of his disfigured appearance. In anger, Zhong Kui committed suicide upon the palace steps by hurling himself against the palace gate until his head was broken. Du Ping buried him. After Zhong became king of ghosts in Hell, he returned to his hometown on the Chinese New Year's Eve. To repay Du Ping's kindness, Zhong Kui gave his younger sister in marriage to Du.

Zhong Kui's popularity in folklore can be traced to the reign of Emperor Xuanzong of Tang China . According to Song Dynasty sources, once the Emperor Xuanzong was gravely ill. He had a dream in which he saw two ghosts. The smaller of the ghosts stole a purse from imperial consort Yang Guifei and a flute belonging to the emperor. The bigger ghost, wearing the hat of an official, captured the smaller ghost, tore out his eye and ate it. The bigger ghost then introduced himself as Zhong Kui. He said that he had sworn to rid the empire of evil. When the emperor awoke, he had recovered from his illness. So he commissioned the court painter Wu Daozi to produce an image of Zhong Kui to show to the officials. This was highly influential to later representations of Zhong.

Yinglong

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Yinglong was a believed to be a powerful servant of , the yellow emperor, who was later immortalized as a dragon. One legend states that Yinglong helped a man named Yu stop the Yellow River from flooding by digging long channels with his tail .

Yaoguai

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Yaoguai or yaomo or yaojing is a Chinese term that generally means "demon". Yaoguai are mostly malevolent animal spirits or fallen celestial beings that have acquired magical powers through the practice of Taoism. The evil ones are usually referred to as ''guài'' or ''mó'' in Chinese. Their greatest goal is achieving immortality and thus deification.
In Journey to the West, the demons seek this mostly by the abduction and consumption of a holy man .

Not all ''yaojing'' are actually demons; some others are of quite unusual origins. In the case of Bai Gu Jing, she was a skeleton that became such a demon.
Many ''yaojing'' are , or according to the Journey to the West, pets of the deities.
There are also ''yaoguai'' kings that command a number of lessor demon minions.

In Chinese folklore, the Chinese hell is a place that is populated by various demonic spawns. Most of these demons are influenced by the Indian raksasa or yaksa and therefore bear some similarity with the Japanese .

In Japanese, ''yaoguai'' are known as yōkai .

Famous ''yaoguai'' in Chinese mythology:

*Bai Gu Jing - literally, "white bone spirit"
*Niu Mo Wang - literally, "bull demon king"
*Pipa Jing and Jiutou Zhiji Jing - in ''Fengshen Yanyi''

Note: Sun Wukong uses this term often to insult his adversaries.

Wong Tai Sin

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Wong Tai Sin is a deity popular in Hong Kong with the power of healing. His name literally translates to the "Great Wong". Wong Tai Sin is the divine form of the individual "Wong Cho Ping".

Legend

According to ''Self-Descriptions of Chisongzi'' located in Wong Tai Sin Temple, in Hong Kong, Wong Tai Sin was born under the name Wong Cho Ping in 338 in today's , , Zhejiang Province, China. Western sources have him listed at . He began practicing Taoism at fifteen. Forty years later, he was said to have been able to transform s into sheep under the cultivation of the religious philosophy. He rented an apartment in Wan Chai, and set up an altar in his apartment. Later he opened an herbal medicine shop nearby and moved the altar to the back of the shop. Customers coming to his shop could pray at Wong Tai Sin's altar and seek advice for their ailments. Leung would then fill their prescriptions. We can assume that healing did take place, as the popularity of Wong Tai Sin began to grow.

However in 1918, Leung's shop was destroyed by fire. In 1921, Leung said that he received a message from Wong Tai Sin instructing him that a new shrine should be built. The message said that the god had chosen a site that was 3,600 paces from a pier. Leung soon found the spot at the foot of Lion Rock Mountain, near Chuk Yuen village, which was the right distance from the Kowloon City pier.

Leung continued to receive messages from the god dictating the orientation and dimensions of the temple to be built. Wong Tai Sin also told Leung that the shrine should be called "Puyi Tan", and that the temple compound should be called "Sik Sik Yuen" .

Transition

The revival of Wong Cho Ping into Wong Tai Sin only happened at the end of the 19th century. Prior to 1911, the dynastic mostly served as the divine religious symbol, often stretching the mandate of heaven into religious terms. After the fall of the Qing Dynasty, a replacement faith symbol was needed. Leung Renyan arrived in Hong Kong in 1915 with a portrait of the Taoist god. Because his timing of reviving the figure into modern society was so exceptional, one can debate whether the success of Wong Tai Sin Temple is beyond pure coincidence.

Influence

The area and s are named after the deity's influence. Today, Sik Sik Yuen is an educational and charitable foundation that, true to Leung's origins as a healer, runs a free clinic.
In Hong Kong, there is one MTR station named after Wong Tai Sin and there is a Wong Tai sin Temple. Many tourists from all over the world visit Wong Tai Sin temple every day.

White Tiger (Chinese constellation)

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The White Tiger is one of the of the Chinese constellations. It is sometimes called the White Tiger of the West , and it represents the west and the autumn season.

The Seven Mansions of the White Tiger

Like the other Four Symbols, the White Tiger corresponds to seven "mansions", or positions, of the moon.
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Origin

During the Han Dynasty, people believed the tiger to be the king of all beasts. Legend had it that when a tiger reached 500 years old, its tail would turn white. In this way, the white tiger became a kind of mythological creature. It was said that the white tiger would only appear when the ruled with absolute virtue, or if there was peace throughout the world. Because the color white of the also represents the west, the white tiger thus became a mythological guardian of the west.

In Book of Tang, the reincarnation of White Tiger 's Star is said to be Li Shimin's general Luo Cheng and the reincarnation of Azure Dragon 's Star is said to be the rebellious general Dan Xiongxin . They two are sworn brothers of Qin Shubao , Cheng Zhijie and Yuchi Jingde . Their souls after death are said to possess the body of the new heroes of Tang Dynasty and Liao Dynasty, Xue Rengui and He Suwen .

In some legends of the Tang Dynasty's general Xue Rengui, he's said the reincarnation of the White Tiger's Star. And his archenemy, Liao Dynasty's prince He Suwen is the reincarnation of the Azure Dragon's Star.

Vermilion Bird

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The Vermilion Bird is one of the of the Chinese constellations. According to Wu Xing, the Taoist five-elemental system, it represents the fire-element, the direction south, and the season summer correspondingly. Thus it is sometimes called the Vermilion Bird of the South . It is often mistaken for the Fenghuang due to similarities in appearance, but the two are different creatures. The Fenghuang is the king of birds, while the Vermilion Bird is a mythological spirit creature of the Chinese constellations.

The Seven Mansions of the Vermilion Bird

Like the other Four Symbols, the Vermilion Bird corresponds to seven "mansions", or positions, of the moon.
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Nature of The Vermilion Bird

The Vermilion Bird is an elegant and noble bird in both appearance and behavior, it is very selective in what it eats and where it perches, with its feathers in many different hues of reddish orange.

The Vermilion Bird is often associated with the mythical Phoenix due to their associations with fire.

Tu Di Gong

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Tu Di Gong is a local earth god worshipped in China. A popular Chinese deity, he is worshiped by Chinese folk religion worshipers and Taoists. A formal name for Tu Di Gong is ''Fúdézhèngshén'' , meaning the earth god of wealth and merit.

In China, every village had a shrine to Tu Di Gong. It was this deity who was in charge of administering the affairs of a particular village. In traditional times, village concerns were primarily agricultural or weather-related. This god was not all-powerful, but was a modest heavenly bureaucrat to whom individual villagers could turn in times of drought or famine.

Today, he is still worshiped by most Chinese, with many housing small shrines with his image, commonly located under the main altar, or below the house door. Many worshipers make prayers to him for wealth and their well being. He is also traditionally worshiped before the burial of a loved one, to thank him for using his land to return their loved one to the earth.

Commoners often called Tu Di Gong "Grandpa," which reflects his close relationship to the common people.

Tu Di Gong is portrayed as an elderly man with a long white beard, a black or gold hat and a red or yellow robe, which signifies his position as a bureaucrat. He carries a wooden staff in his right hand and a golden ingot on the left.

In the countryside, he is sometimes given a wife, ''Tu Di Po'' , placed next to him on the altar. She may be seen as a just and benevolent deity, or as a grudging old woman holding back her husband's benedictions, which explains why one does not always receive fair retribution for good behaviour.

Hung Shing

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Hung Shing , also known as Hung Shing Ye and Tai Wong , was a government official in the Tang Dynasty named Hung Hei serving Pun Yue in present-day Guangdong, China.

He promoted the study and application of astronomy and geography, contributing to the well being of people under his governance, especially fishermen and sea traders. Unfortunately, he died young and after his death, fishermen in the surrounding area built many temples to worship him. An Emperor of Tang dynasty named him to be Nam Hoi Kwong Li Hung Shing Tai Wong , lit. the Saint King Hung the Widely Beneficial of South Sea. It is usually shortened to Hung Shing or Tai Wong.

His birthday is 13th day of 2nd month in Chinese calendar.

Temple

His temple is widely found every corner in Hong Kong under the name of Hung Shing Miu or Tai Wong Miu .