China (also officially known as the People's Republic of China) is a country located in Eastern Asia. Its capital is Beijing.

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DEITIES

Some deities have multiple names, so we provide all those names and the Chinese characters for your reference if it is useful for you if you decide to refer to this mythology for your next story!

For deities whose gender is unknown, they are referred to as "deity."

God of Heaven: Aside from Shangdi and Taidi, the God of Heaven may be described with the terms outlined below or as Yudi (Jade Deity) or Taiyi (Great Oneness).

Tiāndì (天帝) - the Deity of Heaven / Emperor of Heaven

Tiānzhǔ (天主) - the Lord of Heaven

Tiānhuáng (天皇) - the King of Heaven

Tiāngōng (天公) - the Duke of Heaven / General of Heaven

Tiānjūn (天君) - the Prince of Heaven / Lord of Heaven

Tiānzūn (天尊) - the Heavenly Venerable

Tiānshén (天神) - the God of Heaven

Shénhuáng (神皇) - God the King

Lǎotiānyé (老天爺) - the Olden Heavenly Father

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Cosmic Deities

Yudi (玉帝) / Yuhuang (玉皇) - Jade Emperor / Jade King, a popular human-like representation of the God of the Heaven. 

Doumu (斗母)  / Tianhou (天后) - Mother of the Great Chariot / Queen of Heaven, the mother of the Big Dipper (which is also known as the Great Chariot). She is considered the wife and the mother of the God of Heaven.

Pangu (盤古) - a macranthropic (anthropomorphic body with various parts of the universe assigned to its body parts) metaphor of the cosmos. He is known for separating yin and yang, thus creating the earth and the sky. When he died, everything was made from his body.

Xiwangmu (西王母) - Queen Mother of the West. She is a dark, chthonic goddess associated with creation and destruction. She represents pure yin.

Dongwanggong (東王公) / Mugong (木公) - King Duke of the East. He is the male counterpart to Xiwangmu and represents yang.

Yanwang (閻王) - Purgatory King. He is the ruler of the underworld.

Yinyanggong (陰陽公) / Yinyangsi (陰陽司)- Yinyang Duke / Yinyang Controller. He is the personification of the union of yin and yang.

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The Three Patrons and Five Deities

Sānhuáng (三皇) / Sāncái (三才) - Three Patrons / Three Deities that correspond to the Three Realms and yin, yang, and the medium between them. They includes Fúxī (伏羲) / Bāguàzǔshī (八卦祖師), the patron of heaven; Nǚwā (女媧), the patron of earth; and Shénnóng (神農), Peasant God and the patron of humanity.

The Five Deities correspond to the five phases of creation, five constellations which rotate around the celestial pole and five planets, the five sacred mountains, five directions of space, and five Dragon Gods. 

     They include Huángdì (黃帝), the Yellow Emperor or Yellow Deity. He is associated with Saturn, the essence of earth and the Yellow Dragon. He also represents the heart of creation and Kunlun (which is also known as the axis mundi).

     Cāngdì (蒼帝) / Qīngdì (青帝), the Blue Deity or Bluegreen Deity. He is also known as the East Deity (東帝) and the Great Deity of the Eastern Peak (東岳大帝). He is associated with Jupiter, the essence of wood and the Bluegreen Dragon. He is the god of fertility and spring.

     Hēidì (黑帝) / Běidì (北帝) / Běiyuèdàdì (北岳大帝), the Black Deity / North Deity / or Great Deity of the Northern Peak. Today, he is frequently worshipped as Xuánwǔ (玄武) - Dark Warrior or Zhēnwǔ (真武). He is associated with the essence of water, Mercury, winter, the Black Dragon, and the tortoise-snake.

     Chìdì (赤帝) / Nándì (帝) / Nányuèdàdì (南岳大帝), the Red Deity / South Deity / Great Deity of the Southern Peak. He is associated with the essence of fire, summer, Mars, the Red Dragon, and the phoenix. He is also the god of agriculture, animal husbandry, medicinal plants, and market.

     Báidì (白帝 ) / Xīdì (西帝) / Xīyuèdàdì (西岳大帝), the White Deity / the West Deity / Great Deity of the Western Peak. He is associated with the essence of metal, autumn, Venus, the White Dragon, and the tiger.

Sānguān (三官) / Sānguāndàdì (三官大帝) - the Three Officials [of Heaven] or Three Officer Great Deities: Yao, the Official of Heaven (Tiānguān 天官); Shun, the Official of Earth (Deguān 地官); and Yu, the Official of Water (Shuǐguān 水官)

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Celestial / Terrestrial Phenomena Deities

Lóngshén (龍神) / Lóngwáng (龍王) / Sìhǎi Lóngwáng (四海龍王) - Dragon Gods / Dragon Kings / Dragon Kings of the Four Seas. They are patron deities of water to the four seas and four cardinal directions: Ao Guang (敖廣 or 敖光) / Azure or Blue-Green Dragon (Qīnglóng, 靑龍 or Cānglóng 蒼龍), who is the Dragon God of the east and essence of spring; Ao Qin (敖欽) / Red Dragon (Chìlóng, 赤龍 or Zhūlóng, 朱龍, literally translates to Cinnabar or Vermillion Dragon), who is the Dragon God of the South and the essence of summer; Ao Shun or Ao Ming (敖順 or 敖明) / Black Dragon (Hēilóng, 黑龍), who is the Dragon God of the North and the essence of winter; Ao Run or Ao Jun or Ao Ji (敖閏 or 敖君 or 敖吉) / White Dragon (Báilóng, 白龍), who is the Dragon God of the West and the essence of autumn. The fifth dragon is the Yellow Dragon (Huánglóng, 黃龍).

Báoshén (雹神) - God of Hail

Dòushén (痘神) - God of Smallpox

Fēngshén (風神) / Fēi Lián (飛帘)- God of Wind

Hǎishén (海神) / Hǎiyé (海爷) - God of the Sea / Sea Lord

Héshén (河神) / Hébó (河伯) - River God / River Lord

Gǔshén (穀神) - Valley God

Huǒshén (火神) / Zhùróng (祝融)- God of Fire

Húshén (湖神) - Lake God

Jīnshén (金神) / Rùshōu (蓐收) - God of Gold, but often identified as Qiūshén (秋神), the God of Autumn.

Jǐngshén (井神) - Waterspring God

Léishén (雷神) / Léigōng (雷公) - God of Thunder

Mùshén (木神) / Chūnshén (春神) / Jùmáng (句芒) - Woodland God, also identified as the God of Spring.

Shānshén (山神) - Mountain God

Shuǐshén (水神) - God of Water

Tǔdìshén (土地神) / Tǔshén (土神) / Tǔdìgōng (土地公) - God of the Local Land / God of the Earth / Duke of the Local Land.

Wēnshén (瘟神) - God of Plague

Xiāngshuǐshén (湘水神) - Patron Goddesses of Xiang River

Xuěshén (雪神) - God of Snow

Yuèshén (月神) / Changé (嫦娥) / Chángxī (常羲) / Shí'èryuèzhīmǔ (十二月之母) - Moon Goddess / Mother of the Twelve Moons

Yǔshén (雨神) - God of Rain

Xīhé (羲和) / Shírìzhīmǔ (十日之母) - Great Sun Goddess / Mother of the Ten Suns

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Human Virtues and Crafts Deities

Wéndi (文帝) / Wénchāngdì (文昌帝) / Wénchāngwáng (文昌王) - Culture Deity / Deity who Makes Culture Thrive / King who Makes Culture Thrive

Kuíxīng (魁星) - Chief Star, another god of culture and literature

Wǔdì (武帝) / Guāndì (關帝) / Guāngōng (關公) / Guānyǔ (關羽) - Military God

Zhànshén (戰神) - Fight God

Bǎoshēngdàdì (保生大帝) - The Great Deity who Protects Life

Bāxiān (八仙) - The Eight Immortals. These are a group of legendary immortals which include He Xiangu (何仙姑); Cao Guojiu (曹國舅); Li Tieguai (李鐵拐); Lan Caihe (藍采和); Lü Dongbin (呂洞賓); Han Xiangzi (韓湘子); Zhang Guolao (張果老); and Zhongli Quan (鍾離權).

Cánshén (蠶神) / Cánmǔ (蠶母) / Cángū (蠶姑) - Silkworm God / Silkworm Mother / Silkworm Maiden.

Cáishén (財神) - Wealth God

Cāngjié (倉頡) - the inventor of Chinese characters

Chénghuángshén (城隍神) - Moat and Walls God / Boundary God

Chénjìnggū (陳靖姑) / Línshuǐ Fūrén (臨水夫人) - Old Quiet Lady / Waterside Dame

Chēshén (車神) - Vehicle God

Èrlángshén (二郎神) - God of Engineering / Twice Young God

Guǎngzé Zūnwáng (廣澤尊王) - Honorific King of Great Compassion

Guānyīn (觀音) - She Who Hears the Cries of the World and the goddess of mercy

Huáng Dàxiān (黃大仙) - Great Immortal Huang

Jìgōng (濟公) - Help Lord, known for helping the poor and standing up to injustice

Jiǔshén (酒神) / Yidi (儀狄) - Wine God

Jiǔtiān Xuánnǚ (九天玄女) - Mysterious Lady of the Nine Heavens

Lóngmǔ (龍母) - Dragon Mother

Lǔbān (魯班) - God of Carpentry

Lùshén (路神) - Road God

Māzǔ (媽祖) - Ancestral Mother, often called the Queen of Heaven

Píng'ānshén (平安神) - Peace God

Qīngshuǐ Zǔshī (清水祖師) - Venerable Patriarch of the Clear Stream

Táoshén (陶神) - Pottery God

Tùershén (兔兒神) - Leveret God, known as the God of Love to men

Tuōtǎlǐ Tiānwáng (托塔李天王) - Tower-Wielding Heavenly King

Wǔxiǎn (五顯) - Five Shining Ones, believed to be referring to the Five Deities

Xǐshén (喜神) - Joy God

Yàoshén (藥神) / Yàowáng (藥王) - Medicine God / Medicine King

Yuèxià Lǎorén (月下老人) - Old Man Under the Moon, knowing for being a matchmaker

Yùshén (獄神) - Jail-Purgatory God

Zàoshén (灶神) - Hearth God, the master of the household deities including: Chuángshén, the Bed God (床神); Ménshén, the Gate Gods (門神); and Cèshén / Zigu, the Toilet god (廁神)

Sānxīng (三星) - Three Stars, a cluster of three astral gods of well-being: Fúxīng (福星) - Prosperity Star, god of happiness; Lùxīng (祿星) - Firmness Star, god of firmness and success in life and examinations; Shòuxing (壽星) - Longevity Star, who stands for a healthy and long life

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Animal and Vegetal Life Deities

Huāshén (花神) - Flower Goddess

Húsān Tàinǎi (胡三太奶) - Great Lady of the Three Foxes (specific to northeast China)

Húsān Tàiyé (胡三太爷) - Great Lord of the Three Foxes (specific to northeast China)

Húshén (狐神) / Húxiān (狐仙) / Húxiān Niángnián (狐仙娘娘) - Fox Goddess / Fox Immortal / Fox Immortal Lady

Mǎshén (馬神) / Mǎwáng (马王) - Horse God / Horse King

Niúshén (牛神) / Niúwáng (牛王) - Cattle God or Ox God / Cattle King

Lángshén (狼神) - Wolf God

Shùshén (樹神) - Tree God

Wǔgǔshén (五谷神) - Five Cereals God

Yuánshén (猿神) / Yuánwáng (猿王) / Sūn Wùkōng (孙悟空) - Monkey God / Monkey King

Zhīmáshén (芝蔴神) - Sesame God

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Mother Goddesses

There are nine goddesses that are believed to be representations of the singular deity, Bixia Yuanjun, the Lady of the Blue Dawn (碧霞元君) / Tiānxiān Niángniáng, the Heavenly Immortal Lady (仙娘娘) / Tàishān Niángniáng, Lady of Mount Tai (泰山娘娘) / Jiǔtiān Shèngmǔ, Holy Mother of the Nine Skies (九天聖母) / Houtu, the goddess of the earth

Bānzhěn Niángniáng (瘢疹娘娘) - goddess who protects children from illness

Cuīshēng Niángniáng (催生娘娘) - goddess who protects midwives and ensures swift childbirth

Nǎimǔ Niángniáng (奶母娘娘) - goddess who protects nursing and presides over maternal milk

Péigū Niángniáng (培姑娘娘) - goddess who cultivates children

Péiyǎng Niángniáng (培養娘娘) - goddess who protects the upbringing of children

Sòngzi Niángniáng (送子娘娘) / Zǐsūn Niángniáng (子孫娘娘) - goddess who presides over offspring

Yǎnguāng Niángniáng (眼光娘娘) - goddess who protects eyesight

Yǐnméng Niángniáng (引蒙娘娘) - goddess who helps guide young children

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Northeast China Gods

Huángxiā (黃仙) - Yellow Immortal, Weasel God

Shéxiān (蛇仙) / Liǔxiān (柳仙) - Snake Immortal / Immortal Liu OR  Chángxiān (常仙) / Mǎngxiān (蟒仙) - Viper Immortal / Python or Boa Immortal

Báixiān (白仙) - White Immortal, Hedgehog God

Hēixiān (黑仙) - Black Immortal often considered to be Wūyāxiān (烏鴉仙) - Crow Immortal; or Huīxiān (灰仙) - Rat Immortal

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Other Deities

These deities have been adapted from Hinduism.

Guānyīn (觀音) - She Who Hears the Cries of the World. She is modeled after the bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara

Sìmiànshén (四面神) - Four Faced God

Xiàngtóushén (象頭神) - Elephant-Head God

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To read about Chinese mythical creatures, please check out the next chapter!