Love and relationships are central to the Chinese mythology. It was believed that love could heal wounds and bring happiness to the lovers. The gods of love were often referred to as ‘nuwa’ and ‘fuxi’. These deities were mother and father to humans and were born at the beginning of creation. Initially, they were mistaken as being evil but later redeemed themselves. Nuwa was said to have built a palace for herself that became a model for Chinese architecture. She was accompanied by her brother Fuxi and lived with him. They were often depicted as human-dragons.
Guan Yin
Guan Yin is the Chinese deity of love, often depicted holding a water vase and a willow branch in her right hand. The vase represents good fortune, and the willow branch represents flexibility and unbreakable strength. Both objects are used to sprinkle the goddess’ nectar on followers. The deity is also known as the Child-Sending Guanyin, and is considered a patron saint of mothers. She is believed to grant filial children to mothers who wish for them.
Guan Yin is often depicted as a beautiful woman in white. This modern representation is derived from her older form, the Pandaravasini. The goddess of love is also believed to be the protector of the poor and disabled.
In Buddhism, Guan Yin was first a male bodhisattva named Avalokiteshvara. The name was later translated into Chinese as “Guan Yin” and was adopted by Chinese communities. In Chinese culture, Guan Yin is usually portrayed in full-figure statues. She is the principal deity in Lugang’s Longshan Temple.
This female god is a transgender cosmic being. She was born as a male, but was later transformed into a female. Her transgender nature enables her to embody the best qualities of both genders. She is the patron of fishermen and sailors, and is one of the most popular deities in China.
Yanluo Wang
In Chinese mythology, Yanluo Wang is the God of Death and Ruler of the Fifth Court of Diyu. His duties include punishing souls for their crimes on earth. The deity is often compared to Yama. One day, Heaven complained that he was too lenient. It was causing too many souls to cross the Golden Bridge and go to Heaven. This caused the Jade Emperor to place Qinguang Wang as the ruler of Judgment and to assign Yanluo Wang to the Fifth Hell. Since then, Yanluo Wang has developed a taste for making souls miserable.
Yanluo Wang’s image varies depending on which version of Taoism is practiced in China. Some versions of Yanluo Wang are based on a version of Taoism where the deity is named the fifth of ten kings. Other variants of Yanluo Wang include Shidian Yanluo Wang, Qin Guang Wang, Chu Jiang Wang, Song Di Wang, Zhuan Lun Wang, and Heidi.
Despite his eminent role in Chinese mythology, Yanluo Wang is also associated with Yama in Buddhism, which is the god of death in the Buddhist tradition. He is traditionally male and is often depicted with a long black beard and a book of souls with their allotted death dates. He is also the judge of the Underworld and assists Yanwang.
The name of this deity is derived from the Chinese word “Yanluo” – meaning “million of goddesses”. This deity is the daughter of Emperor Yao, one of the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors. The three Sovereigns and Five Emperors are not the same, but are related. In Chinese mythology, the Three Patrons are the Three Sovereigns and Three Patrons. The first two are the rulers and protectors of the earth, while the last two are the protectors of humankind.
Lady White
Legends of the Chinese deity of love godgodess have been retold over the centuries, with various versions appearing in Chinese literature, operas, and plays. She is also the subject of Chinese comics. Her story dates back to the 7th century CE.
Legends about the deity are abundant, ranging from mythical creatures to a mythical woman called Momu. According to legend, this ugliest of women impressed the legendary Emperor Huangdi, who invited her to oversee the divine palace. Her appearance scared away evil spirits, and people hung pictures of her in their houses to protect them. In Daoist tradition, another mythology deity, Nu Ji, was an immortal lady who gained power through sexual practices.
Legends tell of this goddess’s origins in the ancient south. She evolved from southern shamenesses and was a patron of the city of Wushan. She was also the daughter of the Queen Mother of the West and brought writing to Jianyong. In addition to Lady White, another deity of love is called Yue Lao. She wears a red band around her leg.
Another mythological creature that resembles Lady White is a peacock. It is a manifestation of the heavenly Phoenix on earth. It has a hundred eyes on its tail, which symbolize Kuan Yim’s thousand eyes.
Nu Kua
In ancient Chinese mythology, Nu Kua is a love godgodess and creator goddess. She fashioned the first human beings out of yellow clay and invented the flute. Her music brought order, prosperity, and good luck. Nu Kua was also credited with teaching humans how to cultivate land and build dams. In addition, she is credited with helping people reestablish order after a time of rebellion.
The story of Nu Kua begins in the creation of the world. Before the creation of humans, the two were living alone on Mount K’un-lun. They were in love and sought a way to marry. In order to get married, they offered sacrifice and prayed. When the smoke from their sacrifice stayed stationary, the marriage was sanctioned.
As the mother of the world, Nu Kua has been depicted in many forms. Sometimes she is depicted as a beautiful half-woman and half-dragon. In her role as creator, she created order out of chaos. In addition, she settled land, sea, and sky. She was later deemed the wife of Fu-hsi, the emperor of the sky and heaven.
Nuwa was a powerful goddess, and she acted to punish a human emperor who was disrespectful to her. She created flutes, which were used in classical compositions, and ruled as one of the first sovereigns of China. One of her greatest achievements was the repair of the heavens, which became a source of great myth. The flood myth of China was caused by damage done to the sky, and Nuwa repaired it with three multi-colored stones and the body of a giant tortoise.
Lady Chang’O
Chinese deities of love and fertility are associated with the moon. Lady Chang’O, whose name is the Chinese translation of the Greek word “moon”, lives on the Moon and shines beneficial energies down upon mankind. As the Goddess of Love, she inspires devoted relationships, purity, growth, and manifestation.
Lady Chang’O is also revered for her wisdom. She grants wishes during the full moon, which is regarded as her birthday. Many people also venerate her statues as votive offerings. The festival also celebrates the power of Yin, the divine feminine force that rules the universe.
The legend surrounding Chang’e dates back to the 5th century BC. This myth is part of the Warring States period. Although we know little about Chang’e’s life, we do know that she stole an elixir of immortality from Xi Wang Mu, the Queen Mother of the West. After drinking the elixir, she flew to the moon and became a godgodess.
The myths surrounding Lady Chang’O are fascinating, and they tell us much about the history of China’s ancient culture. The Goddesses of China share common values with aboriginal and first cultures. Many of the traditional myths predict the rebirth of the ancient ways. Many goddesses incarnate in new forms and could inspire a new civilization.
Several other deities are related to her. The wrathful Tibetan dakini Mamo is also a goddess of springtime. In addition to love, Lady Chang’O is also associated with fertility. She is often invoked to bring good fortune and luck.
Yue Lao
The Chinese deity of love godgodess, Yue Lao, was first mentioned in the Tang Dynasty. It is said that her power can restore a marriage or family back to harmony. The power of Yue Lao is so strong that her blessings are sought after today.
In ancient China, people believed that destiny determined their fate. While they did have some freedom, the course of their lives was foretold before birth. The fate of future couples was also known in advance. In Chinese mythology, Yue Lao was responsible for bringing couples together and binding them to each other with a red string. Attempts to break the string led to tragedy.
In the story, “The Maker of Moons”, Yue Lao is the leader of the Kuen-Yuin sect of Chinese sorcerers. According to this story, Yue Lao corrupted the good genii in China and turned them into monstrous composite beings. He is also associated with a pack of gold makers.
In the same story, Yue Lao points to a three-year-old girl in a market and says that she will be the future wife of Wei Gu. Unfortunately, Wei Gu did not believe the old man was a god. So, he hired assassins to kill the girl. But later, he found out that his future wife was the daughter of a blind woman.