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Bi Gan, or Bigan, was a prominent Chinese figure during the last days of the Shang Dynasty, and played an important role in the Ming Dynasty novel 'Fengshen Yanyi'. Bi Gan was the son of King Wen Ding, and uncle to King Zhou of Shang, last of the Shang Dynasty.<br/><br/> King Zhou was infamous for his corruptive and cruel ways, especially after his betwitching by the fox spirit Su Daji, and became annoyed with Bi Gan's constant advice and attempts to rectify his ways. It is said that, on Daji's whisperings, King Zhou ordered Bi Gan to be executed through the extraction of his heart, under the pretext of curiosity on whether 'a good man's heart has seven openings'.<br/><br/> In 'Fengshen Yanyi', Su Daji plots to kill Bi Gan after he kills some of her fellow fox spirits. The sage Jiang Ziya, predicting that Bi Gan will die soon, gives him a charm that will save his life. After his heart is removed, Bi Gan does not die immediately, and follows Jiang Ziya's instructions to go straight home without looking back. On the way home however, he is fooled by the malevolent spirit Pipa Jing to turn around, collapsing and then dying on the spot. Bi Gan was honoured by Confucius as 'one of the three men of virtue' of Shang, and he was later deified as Cai Shen, the god of fortune.
Xuan Wu (The Dark Martial or The Mysterious Martial), posthumously known as The Dark or Mysterious Heavenly Upper Emperor (Xuan Tian Shang Di), as well as True Warrior Grand Emperor (Zhen Wu Da Di), and commonly known as The Northern Emperor (Bei Di) or Emperor Lord (Di Gong) is one of the higher ranking Taoist deities, and one of the more revered deities in China.<br/><br/> He is revered as a powerful god, able to control the elements (worshipped by those wishing to avoid fires), and capable of great magic. He is particularly revered by martial artists, and is the patron saint of Hebei, Manchuria and Mongolia. Since the third Ming Emperor, Zhu Di, claimed the help of Zhen Wu in his war to take over the Ming Empire, monasteries were built under the Imperial Decree in Wudang Mountains, in China's Hubei Province, where he allegedly attained immortality. Xuan Wu is also the patron saint of Cantonese and Min Nan speakers (particularly those of Hokkien ancestry) in southern China, whose ancestors fled south following the Song Imperial House of Zhao.<br/><br/> Lotus Pond or Lotus Lake (Chinese: 蓮池潭; pinyin: Liánchí Tán; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Liân-tî-thâm) opened in 1951, and is famous for the lotus plants on the lake and the numerous temples around the lake, including the Spring and Autumn Pavilions (春秋閣), the Dragon and Tiger Pagodas (龍虎塔), and the Confucian Temple (孔廟).
Xuan Wu (The Dark Martial or The Mysterious Martial), posthumously known as The Dark or Mysterious Heavenly Upper Emperor (Xuan Tian Shang Di), as well as True Warrior Grand Emperor (Zhen Wu Da Di), and commonly known as The Northern Emperor (Bei Di) or Emperor Lord (Di Gong) is one of the higher ranking Taoist deities, and one of the more revered deities in China.<br/><br/> He is revered as a powerful god, able to control the elements (worshipped by those wishing to avoid fires), and capable of great magic. He is particularly revered by martial artists, and is the patron saint of Hebei, Manchuria and Mongolia. Since the third Ming Emperor, Zhu Di, claimed the help of Zhen Wu in his war to take over the Ming Empire, monasteries were built under the Imperial Decree in Wudang Mountains, in China's Hubei Province, where he allegedly attained immortality. Xuan Wu is also the patron saint of Cantonese and Min Nan speakers (particularly those of Hokkien ancestry) in southern China, whose ancestors fled south following the Song Imperial House of Zhao.<br/><br/> Lotus Pond or Lotus Lake (Chinese: 蓮池潭; pinyin: Liánchí Tán; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Liân-tî-thâm) opened in 1951, and is famous for the lotus plants on the lake and the numerous temples around the lake, including the Spring and Autumn Pavilions (春秋閣), the Dragon and Tiger Pagodas (龍虎塔), and the Confucian Temple (孔廟).
Xuan Wu (The Dark Martial or The Mysterious Martial), posthumously known as The Dark or Mysterious Heavenly Upper Emperor (Xuan Tian Shang Di), as well as True Warrior Grand Emperor (Zhen Wu Da Di), and commonly known as The Northern Emperor (Bei Di) or Emperor Lord (Di Gong) is one of the higher ranking Taoist deities, and one of the more revered deities in China.<br/><br/> He is revered as a powerful god, able to control the elements (worshipped by those wishing to avoid fires), and capable of great magic. He is particularly revered by martial artists, and is the patron saint of Hebei, Manchuria and Mongolia. Since the third Ming Emperor, Zhu Di, claimed the help of Zhen Wu in his war to take over the Ming Empire, monasteries were built under the Imperial Decree in Wudang Mountains, in China's Hubei Province, where he allegedly attained immortality. Xuan Wu is also the patron saint of Cantonese and Min Nan speakers (particularly those of Hokkien ancestry) in southern China, whose ancestors fled south following the Song Imperial House of Zhao.<br/><br/> Lotus Pond or Lotus Lake (Chinese: 蓮池潭; pinyin: Liánchí Tán; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Liân-tî-thâm) opened in 1951, and is famous for the lotus plants on the lake and the numerous temples around the lake, including the Spring and Autumn Pavilions (春秋閣), the Dragon and Tiger Pagodas (龍虎塔), and the Confucian Temple (孔廟).
Cai Shen can also be referred to as Zhao Gongming (Chao Kung-ming) or Bi Gan (Pi-kan). Though Cai Shen began as a Chinese folk hero, later deified and venerated by local followers and admirers, Taoism and Pure Land Buddhism also came to venerate him as a god. Cai Shen's name is often invoked during the Chinese New Year celebrations. He is often depicted riding a black tiger and holding a golden rod. He may also be depicted armed with any one of several iron weapons.
Xuan Wu (The Dark Martial or The Mysterious Martial), posthumously known as The Dark or Mysterious Heavenly Upper Emperor (Xuan Tian Shang Di), as well as True Warrior Grand Emperor (Zhen Wu Da Di), and commonly known as The Northern Emperor (Bei Di) or Emperor Lord (Di Gong) is one of the higher ranking Taoist deities, and one of the more revered deities in China.<br/><br/> He is revered as a powerful god, able to control the elements (worshipped by those wishing to avoid fires), and capable of great magic. He is particularly revered by martial artists, and is the patron saint of Hebei, Manchuria and Mongolia. Since the third Ming Emperor, Zhu Di, claimed the help of Zhen Wu in his war to take over the Ming Empire, monasteries were built under the Imperial Decree in Wudang Mountains, in China's Hubei Province, where he allegedly attained immortality. Xuan Wu is also the patron saint of Cantonese and Min Nan speakers (particularly those of Hokkien ancestry) in southern China, whose ancestors fled south following the Song Imperial House of Zhao.
Cai Shen can also be referred to as Zhao Gongming (Chao Kung-ming) or Bi Gan (Pi-kan). Though Cai Shen began as a Chinese folk hero, later deified and venerated by local followers and admirers, Taoism and Pure Land Buddhism also came to venerate him as a god. Cai Shen's name is often invoked during the Chinese New Year celebrations. He is often depicted riding a black tiger and holding a golden rod. He may also be depicted armed with any one of several iron weapons.
Cai Shen can also be referred to as Zhao Gongming (Chao Kung-ming) or Bi Gan (Pi-kan). Though Cai Shen began as a Chinese folk hero, later deified and venerated by local followers and admirers, Taoism and Pure Land Buddhism also came to venerate him as a god. Cai Shen's name is often invoked during the Chinese New Year celebrations. He is often depicted riding a black tiger and holding a golden rod. He may also be depicted armed with any one of several iron weapons.
Cai Shen can also be referred to as Zhao Gongming (Chao Kung-ming) or Bi Gan (Pi-kan). Though Cai Shen began as a Chinese folk hero, later deified and venerated by local followers and admirers, Taoism and Pure Land Buddhism also came to venerate him as a god. Cai Shen's name is often invoked during the Chinese New Year celebrations. He is often depicted riding a black tiger and holding a golden rod. He may also be depicted armed with any one of several iron weapons.
Cai Shen can also be referred to as Zhao Gongming (Chao Kung-ming) or Bi Gan (Pi-kan). Though Cai Shen began as a Chinese folk hero, later deified and venerated by local followers and admirers, Taoism and Pure Land Buddhism also came to venerate him as a god. Cai Shen's name is often invoked during the Chinese New Year celebrations. He is often depicted riding a black tiger and holding a golden rod. He may also be depicted armed with any one of several iron weapons.
Xuan Wu (The Dark Martial or The Mysterious Martial), posthumously known as The Dark or Mysterious Heavenly Upper Emperor (Xuan Tian Shang Di), as well as True Warrior Grand Emperor (Zhen Wu Da Di), and commonly known as The Northern Emperor (Bei Di) or Emperor Lord (Di Gong) is one of the higher ranking Taoist deities, and one of the more revered deities in China.<br/><br/> He is revered as a powerful god, able to control the elements (worshipped by those wishing to avoid fires), and capable of great magic. He is particularly revered by martial artists, and is the patron saint of Hebei, Manchuria and Mongolia. Since the third Ming Emperor, Zhu Di, claimed the help of Zhen Wu in his war to take over the Ming Empire, monasteries were built under the Imperial Decree in Wudang Mountains, in China's Hubei Province, where he allegedly attained immortality. Xuan Wu is also the patron saint of Cantonese and Min Nan speakers (particularly those of Hokkien ancestry) in southern China, whose ancestors fled south following the Song Imperial House of Zhao.