The Chinese 7 deities represent various aspects of life. They are based on Hindu gods and goddesses, and include Benzaiten, the god of wealth. Benzaiten embodies the principles of good luck and wealth, and is the embodiment of human beings.
Benzaiten
In Japanese mythology, Benzaiten is a dragon-goddess. The dragon-goddess Benzaiten first appeared to the Japanese priest Enchin Yuan Zhen in 814. The goddess has a serpent’s body and a man’s head. In addition, she is associated with the goddess Ugajin. Some Buddhists consider her a form of the goddess of wealth.
Benzaiten is often represented in Buddhist art. She is also associated with local deities. Benzaiten is sometimes portrayed as a nun or courtesan holding a biwa. Other depictions depict her with Buddhist halos and other holy symbols. Her appearances vary from time to time, and she is also associated with nagas, snakes, and comets in the sky.
Benzaiten is a highly syncretic deity that is associated with music, speech, dance, and the arts. She is also regarded as a protector of the state and people. The Japanese translation of the Sutra of the Golden Light names Benzaiten as a protector of monks and promises prosperity to those who follow Buddhist principles. The Japanese believed that Benzaiten would bless a Japanese government under Buddhist leadership. But her popularity went far beyond Japanese Buddhism.
The Japanese goddess Benzaiten also has Indian roots. She originated in India as the Hindu goddess Sarawati and later became a Buddhist goddess. She is one of the Seven Lucky Gods of Japan and is the only female among the seven.
Benzaiten is based on the Hindu goddess Saraswati
The goddess Benzaiten is a Shito version of the Hindu goddess Saraswati. Saraswati is a goddess of language, music, rivers, and wisdom. Benzaiten is a symbol of prosperity and good luck. Her symbolism is based on the Golden Light Sutra.
Saraswati has one hundred eight names in various cultures. In India, she is most commonly known as Saraswati, although she also has different names in the Chinese and Japanese languages. In Thailand, she is known as Suratsawadi.
Benzaiten is also known as the river goddess, three-headed snake, and the supreme sun goddess. One of her most famous forms is a lute-playing woman, and she is associated with artists, poets, writers, and samurai.
Saraswati is often depicted as a beautiful, light-skinned woman in a white outfit. Her white complexion symbolizes purity and the ability to differentiate between good and bad. She is also pictured holding a book and a crystal mala, which symbolise the power of meditation. She also holds a pot of sacred water.
In addition to being a Hindu goddess of knowledge, Saraswati is also revered in Buddhism, where she serves as the guardian deity of Gautama Buddha’s teachings. Different cultures have given Saraswati different names, and they are all related to her role. In Japan, she is known as Benzaiten.
Benzaiten is the god of wealth
The god of wealth in Chinese 7 is a female deity known as Benzaiten. She is often depicted in the form of a courtesan or nun holding a biwa. She is sometimes adorned with a Buddhist halo and holy symbols. She is also associated with snakes, dragons, and even comets in the sky.
Benzaiten is also represented in Buddhist art and sculpture, particularly in Japanese works. Many Buddhist saints have worshipped him. His eight-armed form was particularly popular among samurai warriors and the samurai, including Minamoto Yoritomo, the great unifier, and Toyotomi Hideyoshi, the chief of the Tokugawa clan. Benzaiten also appears on several islands of the Japanese Sea.
The god of wealth in Chinese 7 is represented by a series of female attendants. Two of them are drawn in smaller forms than the rest of the women. They ride white foxes. The other two are unidentified, though they are reminiscent of the eight-armed Benzaiten from 12th century zushi paintings.
The god of wealth in Chinese 7 has many different faces. Benzaiten is also represented by Otogoho Zenshin Yi Hu Fa Shan Shen, a semi-divine human. Otogoho is also known as Benzaiten’s avatar, but his story is very different from Zenzai’s.
Benzaiten is embodied by human beings
The Chinese 7 deity Benzaiten can be seen in many forms, but most commonly, she appears as a biwa-playing woman holding a sword. Some depictions also feature a wish-granting jewel. The iconic form of Benzaiten first appeared in the ninth century and was thought to have evolved from depictions of her in India.
Benzaiten is related to Hindu deities such as the goddess Kali (aka. Death), who is also linked to the color black. In addition, she has many associations with the Japanese sun goddess Amaterasu, who hid in a cave and plunged the world into darkness. She is considered a warrior goddess. In addition, the 8-armed form of Benzaiten is also associated with human beings, including samurai warriors.
The Children of Benzaiten are a group of sixteen human beings who were believed to be descended from the ancient continent Mu. They were subsequently named after various continents and countries.
Tudi Gong is embodied by human beings
In Taiwan, the religious practices of the Chinese 7 deity are embodied by human beings. The author Liu Senhower says that when he was a child, he was raised by a mother who was a true believer in popular religion. She taught the family how to worship the gods and taught them the proper ways to pray. Liu’s father was drafted into the Japanese army and, during the war, his mother prayed that he would be safe and repeated the names of the gods.
Confucius is a key part of the Chinese pantheon. His life is celebrated as a symbol of Chinese culture. In addition to Tudi Gong, the other 6 deities include He Bo, the Yellow River, and Hou Tu, a goddess of the Earth. These deities are important in Chinese mythology, as they assisted Da Yu during the Great Flood of China.
While Chinese religion does not share a common canon or spiritual authorities, all cults share a cosmology developed during late antiquity and the Han period. This philosophy dictates that the spiritual and material realms are not separate, but rather are two sides of the same coin. Essentially, the universe is a complex organic system governed by rules.
Lu Ban is embodied by a mountain
Chinese mythology relates that the legendary woodworker and engineer Lu Ban was the inspiration behind the first saw. He is also considered a folk hero and the patron god of craftsmen. His wife is said to have crafted a portable umbrella to protect him from the elements while working outside. His legacy is still revered by craftsmen and artisans today.
Interestingly, the Chinese god Lu Ban was born in the state of Lu. The god grew up in a working class family and was said to be filled with a great desire to learn. He was credited with a number of important inventions and was even referenced as a legendary master carpenter in ancient texts. Despite his humble beginnings, Lu Ban grew to become a cultural deity and patron of builders and craftsmen.
Lu Ban was born in the Zhou Dynasty and is believed to have been an inventor and a structural engineer. His name is the origin of the saw, and the mountain symbolizes the earth and its creatures. Many craftsmen and master craftsmen worship him and cite him as inspiration for their work. According to legend, Lu Ban lived during the Spring and Autumn Period of the Zhou Dynasty, when the government had relatively little control over individual states.
Jurojin is a Taoist-Buddhist deity
In Chinese culture, Jurojin is the god of long life and good health. He is a syncretic deity who combines elements of both Taoist and Buddhist beliefs. Traditionally, this god is depicted as an old man with a long white beard, holding a scroll and holding a fungus – a symbol of immortality. He is also often seen with a deer, which is associated with good health and longevity.
Fukurokuju, the Taoist god of longevity, is closely associated with Jurojin. Both deities have the ability to live for a very long time without eating and can resurrect the dead. Despite their commonality, Jurojin is also portrayed as an elderly man who is sided by a deer or crane. In addition to a deer, Jurojin is also associated with wisdom and longevity.
Another popular Chinese god is Jurojin, the god of wisdom. Based on Chinese tales, he is a wise old man who enjoys wine and women. His features include a long beard, a walking stick, and a scroll that holds all the wisdom of the world. He is also accompanied by a white stag, which is often paired with a tortoise, which represents longevity.
