The Chinese deity hierarchy is very different than that of western religions. In Western religions, there is a singular god at the top, often with angels and archangels at the base. In addition to the god at the top, there may be patron saints, prophets, and a head of denomination, district, or region. However, Chinese deities have no such hierarchy.
Zhi Nu
The Zhi Nu deity is a female deity. She represents weaving and is a descendant of the Heavenly Mother. In the story, Zhi Nu falls in love with a cowherd named Nui Lang. Zhi Nu’s father approved of their marriage because she had worked hard on her weaving. After the two married, Zhi Nu and Nui Lang lived happily together. The couple had two children.
The Zhi Nu is the goddess of weaving and spinning. She has been described as a weaving maiden who wore a heavenly robe made of clouds. The Jade Emperor granted her permission to visit earth to marry Niu Lang. They fell in love, but she returned to her heavenly home. As a punishment, the Jade Emperor was angry with her. As a result, she and Niu Lang were placed on opposite sides of the Milky Way. This makes their meeting a once-a-year event.
Chinese mythology traces the Zhi Nu deity’s origin as a weaving and knitting goddess. This deity is also known as the Weaver Girl and Cow Herder. She was born of the Heavenly Mother and Jade Emperor and is related to the Chinese folktale of the Weaver Girl.
The legend of Zhinu is quite interesting. The goddess of fertility was the most sought-after by humans. The blind goddess was sought by couples who wanted to have children. The cowherd goddess is immortalized in the most popular Chinese folktale, in which the cowherd goddess falls in love with a mortal cowherd and is punished for her transgression.
The Zhi Nu deity has love, unity, and divination themes. Her location in the constellation Lyra indicates that her role is to bring harmony to relationships. The legend of Zhinu reveals her role as a mother in human society. The myth is believed to date back 2600 years. The Zhi Nu deity is still prevalent in China and is prayed to for divine help.
Shenlong
The five-clawed dragon, Shenlong, has long been considered an omen of imperial power. Chinese empires have revered dragons for centuries. Shenlong is also used to describe a wish-fulfilling dragon in the famous Chinese manga Dragon Ball. In addition, it is the name of a Gundanium mobile suit in the popular anime series Mobile Suit Gundam Wing. Shenlong is also the name of a close combat prototype in the popular light novel series Infinite Stratos.
The name Shenlong comes from the Chinese word for “mountain dragon” (she means “mountain eye”). Some people also refer to her as a “spirit snake,” which is a homage to the snake-like nature of the snake-like creature. Various forms of Shenlong are described, including the lion-like Shenlong, the fiery Shenlong, the sea serpent, the waterfall dragon, and the sky snake-like Panlong.
In Chinese mythology, the Shenlong is a spiritual dragon, equal to Tianlong, the celestial dragon. These dragons control rain, clouds, wind, and agricultural life. In addition to being a god of rain, Shenlong is the Creator of thunder.
The Chinese have several deities that are closely related. The Fucanglong god, for example, is the underworld guardian of jewels and precious metals. He is also associated with volcanoes, which are thought to be created by this god. Meanwhile, the Dilong is the earth dragon who controls rivers and seas. He spends the spring in heaven and autumn in the ocean.
Another name for Shenlong is Xianglong. It means “brother dragon.” It is said that the Shenlong appears during battles. Some believe that this dragon can change its form and become a human.
Lan Cai
Lan Cai is the patron deity of the impoverished and wears only one boot and wood belt. He sleeps on the snow semi-naked in the winter and wraps himself in a thick coat in the summer. His mastery of the body may be similar to other Taoist immortals.
The story behind the deity has several elements. First, the Creator is said to have donated his wealth to the poor. In addition, Lan Caihe used his herbs to heal a beggar, later known as Li Tieguai. This incident granted Lan immortality. Later, Lan cai is associated with the Eight Immortals, who decided to test their immortality without clouds. Therefore, they chose personal emblems to ride the waves.
The concept of a presiding deity has changed over the years. According to Chinese mythology, the role of the presiding deity has fluctuated. Some deities are associated with certain activities and households. Others are related to specific cities. Others are believed to provide tutelary help.
Another important deity in Chinese mythology is the moon goddess, Change. The older name of this deity was Chang’O. However, this name was changed due to the taboo against naming gods. These deities are still worshipped today. They also have several minions and minor officials performing different functions.
In the ancient past, the sky was prone to flooding, and the Yellow River flooded for nine years. The flood disrupted society and threatened human life. Yao’s son Gun was in charge of the flood problem, but after nine years, he failed to alleviate the situation. He was executed by Shun’s minister, Zhurong, and exiled from the capital.
Muong
Muong is a deity in Chinese mythology. He is the Lord of the Spirits and guards the male spirits of the Donghua region. He is often depicted as a beautiful woman. In some versions, he is described as a male.
Chinese deities are usually given honorific titles. Some are called “Tianhou,” which means “day.” Some of these deities also go by other names. A common honorific title for these deities is “duke.” The title is derived from the Latin dux, which describes divine inspiration.
The emperors of the San Huang Dynasty reigned in China for a long time. Their ancestors were Xian dynasty deities. When their earthly reigns ended, they returned to heaven. One of the San Hsing emperors was Fu-Xi, who created humanity from mud. He bestowed good fortune and prosperity on people. His successor Shen-Nung took over and taught farming. He was supposedly meant to be the successor to Fu-Xi when he passed away in 2698 BC.
Another important figure in Chinese mythology is Guanyin. This deity is the goddess of mercy. She is said to have both feminine and masculine attributes. As the patron goddess of fishermen and sailors, she was one of the most popular deities in China and was adored by both men and women.
Several deities were worshipped in ancient China. Some were later developed than others, but all were important to the Chinese.
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Pangu is the Chinese god of the sky and the land. According to legend, Pangu was created from the chaos of the universe. In the beginning, heaven and earth were intertwined. Then, Pangu came into existence and split the yin-yang into the ground and the sky. This created the world and many other deities. There are many different traditions about how Pangu created the world. In one practice, Pangu was born as an egg and split yin and yang to create earth and sky. Once the eggs grew to full size, he held the sky and landed apart.
The Pangu myth originated in the Western Zhou Dynasty. According to the legend, Pangu created the world, then spent 18,000 years dead. During that time, he grew thick and tall. His left eye became the sun, and his right eye became the moon. His body was made up of many elements and became the mountains, rivers, and fertile lands. The deity also had many helpers who helped him form the earth. Ultimately, these elements were used to create humans and other animals.
The ancient Chinese believed Pangu was the Creator of the world and the heavens. According to their myth, Pangu emerged from an egg that contained the cosmos. This birth triggered the creation of the universe. He is also believed to split the yin and yang using his axe.
According to the Buyei people of South China, Pangu had children. He was an expert in rice cultivation and married the daughter of Dragon King Long Wang. His son Xinheng was born into this union. However, his temper caused him to disrespect his mother, and she left for heaven.
