Aug 13, 2010 © Ulrich Theobald
This list includes deities of the Daoist pantheon that were either acknowledged by imperial patronage of found widespread veneration among Daoists. The second part includes deities and spirits that are venerated in popular religion, but only such that are venerated in a wider area or nation-wide. The third part a group of immortals appearing in Daoist tales or historical persons that were later venerated as deities.
Daoist Deities |
三清 |
Sanqing |
The Three Pures |
四御 |
Siyu |
The Four Guides |
玉皇 |
Yuhuang |
The Jade Emperor |
后土 |
Houtu |
The Goddess of the Soil |
護法四聖 |
Hufa sisheng |
The Four Saints Protecting the Standards |
五老君 |
Wulaojun |
The Five Old Lords |
五星七曜星君 |
Wuxing qiyao xingjun |
The Lords of the Five Stars and the Seven Radiances |
北斗七星君 |
Beidou qixing jun |
The Lord of the Seven Stars of the Northern Dipper |
四靈二十八宿 |
Siling ershibaxie |
The Twenty-Eight Seats of the Four Spirits |
真武大帝 |
Zhenwu dadi |
The Great Perfect Martial Emperor |
長生大帝 |
Changsheng dadi |
The Great Emperor of Longevity |
三官大帝 |
Sanguan dadi |
The Three Great Imperial Officials |
黄帝 |
Huang Di |
The Yellow Emperor |
西王母 |
Xiwangmu |
The Queen Mother of the West |
東王公 |
Dongwang gong |
The Lord King of the East |
九天玄女 |
Jiutian xuannü |
The Mysterious Maidens of the Nine Heavens |
斗姆 |
Doumu |
Mother Dipper |
嫘祖 |
Leizu |
The Goddess of Silk |
二郎神 |
Erlangshen |
The Two Divine Ministers |
玉女 |
Yunü |
Jade Girl, daughter of the Jade Emperor; Celestial servant |
三皇五帝 |
Sanhuang wudi |
The Three Augusts and the Five Emperors |
Popular deities
城隍
Chenghuang City gods
土地
Tudi or
Sheshen 社神
Local deities
太歲
Taisui The Planet Jupiter
雷神
Leishen The God of Thunder
門神
Menshen The Door Gods
福祿壽三星
Fu lu shou sanxing The Three Stars of Wealth, Status and Longevity
竈神
Zaoshen The Kitchen Goddess
財神
Caishen The God of Money
Zhao Gongming 趙公明, god of money and of pestilence
行神
Xingshen
三尸神
Sanshishen
瘟神
Wenshen The Gods of Pestilence
蠶神
Canshen The goddess of silk
廁神
Ceshen The Goddess of the Latrine
醫王
Yiwang The King of Medicine
葯王
Yaowang The King(s) of Pharmaceuticals
杜康
Du Kang The God of Wine
媽祖 Goddess Mazu
Zhong Kui 鍾馗 (legendary person fighting against demons)
臨水夫人
Linshui furen The Lady of River Lin
保生大帝
Baosheng dadi The Great Emperor Protecting Life
開漳聖王
Kaizhang shengwang The Saint Prince of Kaizhang
三山國王
Sanshanguo wang The King of the Three Mountain Lands
Immortals and deified historical persons
赤松子 Master Red Pine
寧封子 Master Ningfeng
廣成子 Master Guangcheng
容成公 Master Rongcheng
赤精子 Master Red Essence
Peng Zu 彭祖 (Daoist immortal)
趙公明
Zhao Gongming (see also
God of Money and
Gods of Pestilence)
太玄女 Taixuannü (
Xuan Nü The Maiden of the Great Mystery, Mysterious Maiden
關聖帝君
Guansheng dijun or 關公 Guan Gong (
Guan Yu 關羽)
王喬 Wang Qiao
鬼谷先生 Guigu xiansheng
安期生 Anqi sheng
許真君 Xu zhenren
尹真人 Yin zhenren
薩真人 Sa zhenren
陰長生 Yin changsheng
河上公 Heshang gong
張三豐 Zhang Sanfeng
岳飛 Yue Fei
三茅真君
Sanmao zhenjun
麻姑
Magu
驪山老母
Lishan laomu The old lady from Mt. Lishan
四大真人
Si da zhenren
八仙
Baxian The eight immortals
王靈官 Wang Lingguan
文昌帝君
Wenchang dijun
東嶽大帝
Dongyue dadi
酆都大帝
Fengdu dadi
關聖帝君
Guansheng dijun
碧霞元君
Bixua yuanjun
降魔護道天尊
Jiangmo hudao tianzun
五嶽大帝
Wuyue dadi The great emperors of the five summits