Deities of Taoism

The supreme trinity of Taoism: the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning, the Celestial Worthy of Numinous Treasure, and the Celestial Worthy of the Way and Its Virtue. Born before chaos divided, the primordial One Breath transformed itself into three in the great realm of Daluo — three persons of one source, each presiding over one of the Three Pure Realms, from whom the whole teaching descends.

Identified with Haotian Shangdi, the August Heaven of high antiquity. The Chart of Ranks of the Perfected seats him in the first central position of the Jade Purity palace, and Song court histories record emperors sacrificing to him at the Chaoyuan Hall and conferring his full imperial title. In popular faith he is the supreme administrator of the celestial court.

Laozi, honored as Taishang Daozu — the common patriarch venerated by every Taoist lineage, who transmitted the scripture at Hangu Pass. According to the Scripture of Opening Heaven he has appeared in age after age; tradition holds he was born in the state of Chu, in today's Luyi, Henan, and took the surname Li from the plum tree beneath which he was born.

Zhang Daoling, founding patriarch of the Zhengyi (Orthodox Unity) tradition and eighth-generation descendant of the Han statesman Zhang Liang. He could recite the Daodejing at seven, served briefly as a magistrate, then left office to cultivate the Way. In 142 CE he founded the Celestial Master community in Sichuan — history's first Taoist order with complete doctrine and organization — and refined the elixir at Mount Longhu in Jiangxi.

Guan Yu, courtesy name Yunchang, the Shu-Han general of the Three Kingdoms era, born 160 CE in Hedong. Sworn to Liu Bei and Zhang Fei in the Peach Garden, he became the very figure of loyalty and courage; successive dynasties ennobled him ever higher, to Martial Emperor. Confucians honor him among the five Wenchang, and Taoism venerates him as Xietian Dadi, the Emperor Who Assists Heaven.

Born in 960 on Meizhou Island off Putian, Fujian, the sixth daughter of coastal inspector Lin Weique. Because she never cried in her first month of life she was named Moniang, the silent maiden. Extraordinary from childhood, she is venerated as the Holy Mother of Heaven, the protector of those at sea whom Taiwanese devotees have trusted for centuries.

The God of Blessings and Virtue, universally known as Tudi Gong. He descends from the she, the soil altars of high antiquity, when every twenty-five households raised a shrine to the earth that fed them; the classics call the soil god the master of the land. His small temples still watch over nearly every neighborhood in Taiwan.

In full, the Three Officials of the Three Origins and Three Ranks, popularly called Sanjie Gong, Lords of the Three Realms. After heaven and earth took form they came forth to govern Heaven, Earth and the Waters: the Heaven Official bestows blessings, the Earth Official pardons faults, the Water Official dispels misfortune. They stand second only to the Jade Emperor, examining the merits of gods and mortals alike.

Incarnation of the star lord of the celestial North Pole — also called Xuanwu or Zhenwu, the Perfected Warrior, bearing the litany title Celestial Worthy Who Saves from Suffering at the End of the Kalpa. As the Dark Warrior he commands the seven northern constellations, revered since Han dynasty star-lore as guardian of the northern quarter.

The foremost of female immortals, enthroned on Mount Kunlun. She appears twice in the Classic of Mountains and Seas, and ancient records tell how she aided the Yellow Emperor in his victory over Chiyou. Modern scholarship, drawing on archaeology, holds that the traditions preserved from between the Qin and Han rest on real foundations.