jade emperor

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ade EmperorFrom Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Jade Emperor

Literal meaning Jade Emperor

Chinese

Literal meaning Heavenly Grandfather

[show]Transcriptions

Chinese

Literal meaning August Personage of Jade

[show]Transcriptions
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The Jade Emperor(Chinese:;pinyin:Y Hungor, Y D) in Chinese folk culture, is the ruler

ofHeavenand all realms of existence below including that ofManandHell, according to a version ofTaoist

mythology. He is one of the most important gods of theChinese traditional religionpantheon. In actual Taoism,

the Jade Emperor governs all of the mortals' realm and below, but ranks below theThree Pure Ones.

The Jade Emperor is known by many names, including Heavenly Grandfather (, Tin Gng) which is used

by commoners; the Pure August Jade Emperor, August Personage of Jade (, Yu Huang Shangdior

, Yu Huang Dadi); the Xuanling High Sovereign; and his rarely used, formal title, Peace Absolving,

Central August Spirit Exalted, Ancient Buddha, Most Pious and Honorable, His Highness the Jade-Emperor,

Xuanling High Sovereign().

Contents

[hide]

1 Chinese mythology

o 1.1 Origin

o 1.2 Vanquishing evil

o 1.3 Creation

o 1.4 In The Journey to the West

o 1.5 The princess and the cowherd

o 1.6 The zodiac

o 1.7 His predecessor and successor

2 Worship and festivals

3 Toponyms

4 See also

5 References

[edit]Chinese mythology

Part ofa serieson

Taoism
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Fundamentals

Dao (Tao) De (Te)Wuji Taiji Yin-YangWu

Xing Qi Neidan Wu wei

Texts

Laozi (Tao Te Ching) Zhuangzi LieziDaozang

Deities

Three Pure Ones Guan ShengdiEight Immortals Yellow

Emperor Li HongXiwangmu Jade EmperorChang'eOther

deities

People

LaoziZhuangzi Zhang Daoling Zhang JueGe Hong Chen Tuan

Schools

Tianshi DaoShangqing LingbaoQuanzhen Dao Zhengyi

Dao Wuliupai

Sacred sites

Grotto-heavens Mount Penglai

Taoism portal

V

T

E

There are many stories inChinese mythologyinvolving the Jade Emperor.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/De_(Chinese)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/De_(Chinese)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/De_(Chinese)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wuji_(philosophy)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wuji_(philosophy)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wuji_(philosophy)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taiji_(philosophy)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taiji_(philosophy)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taiji_(philosophy)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yin_and_yanghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yin_and_yanghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yin_and_yanghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wu_Xinghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wu_Xinghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wu_Xinghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wu_Xinghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neidanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neidanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neidanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wu_weihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wu_weihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wu_weihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tao_Te_Chinghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tao_Te_Chinghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zhuangzi_(book)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zhuangzi_(book)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zhuangzi_(book)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liezihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liezihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liezihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daozanghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daozanghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daozanghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_Pure_Oneshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_Pure_Oneshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guan_Yuhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guan_Yuhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guan_Yuhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eight_Immortalshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eight_Immortalshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eight_Immortalshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yellow_Emperorhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yellow_Emperorhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yellow_Emperorhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yellow_Emperorhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Li_Hong_(Taoist_eschatology)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Li_Hong_(Taoist_eschatology)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Li_Hong_(Taoist_eschatology)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Queen_Mother_of_the_Westhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Queen_Mother_of_the_Westhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Queen_Mother_of_the_Westhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chang%27ehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chang%27ehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chang%27ehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Chinese_deitieshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Chinese_deitieshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Chinese_deitieshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Chinese_deitieshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Taoistshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Taoistshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laozihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laozihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zhuangzihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zhuangzihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zhuangzihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zhang_Daolinghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zhang_Daolinghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zhang_Daolinghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zhang_Juehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zhang_Juehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zhang_Juehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ge_Honghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ge_Honghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ge_Honghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chen_Tuanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chen_Tuanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chen_Tuanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Way_of_the_Celestial_Mastershttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Way_of_the_Celestial_Mastershttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shangqing_Schoolhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shangqing_Schoolhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shangqing_Schoolhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lingbao_Schoolhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lingbao_Schoolhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lingbao_Schoolhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quanzhen_Schoolhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quanzhen_Schoolhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quanzhen_Schoolhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zhengyi_Daohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zhengyi_Daohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zhengyi_Daohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zhengyi_Daohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wuliupaihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wuliupaihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wuliupaihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grotto-heavenshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grotto-heavenshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Penglaihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Penglaihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Penglaihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:Taoismhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:Taoismhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Taoismhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Taoismhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template_talk:Taoismhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template_talk:Taoismhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Template:Taoism&action=edithttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Template:Taoism&action=edithttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_mythologyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_mythologyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_mythologyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Taijitu_red.PNGhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_mythologyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Template:Taoism&action=edithttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template_talk:Taoismhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Taoismhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:Taoismhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Penglaihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grotto-heavenshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wuliupaihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zhengyi_Daohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zhengyi_Daohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quanzhen_Schoolhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lingbao_Schoolhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shangqing_Schoolhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Way_of_the_Celestial_Mastershttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chen_Tuanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ge_Honghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zhang_Juehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zhang_Daolinghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zhuangzihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laozihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Taoistshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Chinese_deitieshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Chinese_deitieshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chang%27ehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Queen_Mother_of_the_Westhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Li_Hong_(Taoist_eschatology)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yellow_Emperorhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yellow_Emperorhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eight_Immortalshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guan_Yuhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_Pure_Oneshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daozanghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liezihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zhuangzi_(book)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tao_Te_Chinghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wu_weihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neidanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wu_Xinghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wu_Xinghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yin_and_yanghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taiji_(philosophy)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wuji_(philosophy)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/De_(Chinese)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tao


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[edit]Origin

It was said that the Jade Emperor was originally the crown prince of the kingdom of Pure Felicity and Majestic

Heavenly Lights and Ornaments. At birth, he emitted a wondrous light that filled the entire kingdom. When he

was young, he was kind, intelligent and wise. He devoted his entire childhood to helping the needy (the poor

and suffering, the deserted and single, the hungry and disabled). Furthermore, he showed respect and

benevolence to both men and creatures. After his father died, he ascended the throne. He made sure that

everyone in his kingdom found peace and contentment. After that, he told his ministers that he wished to

cultivateTaoon the Bright and Fragrant Cliff.

After 1,550kalpas, each kalpa lasting for 129,600 years, he attained Golden Immortality. After another one

hundred million years of cultivation, he finally became the Jade Emperor (using the given figures, this period

before his becoming the Jade Emperor lasted for a total of about 300,880,000 years.)

[edit]Vanquishing evil

One of the myths describes how the Jade Emperor became the monarch of all the deities in heaven. It is one of

the few myths in which the Jade Emperor really shows his might.

In the beginning of time, the earth was a very difficult place to live; a much harsher place to live in than it is

now. People were having tremendous difficulty coping with existence; not only did they have to deal with harsh

conditions, but also with all kinds of monstrous beings. At this time, there were also not many gods or deities to

protect them. Furthermore, a lot of powerful, evil demons were defying the immortals of heaven. The Jade

Emperor was still at the time an ordinary immortal who roamed earth to help as many people as he could. He

was, however, saddened by the fact that his powers were limited and could only ease the sufferings of humans.He decided to retreat in a mountain cave and cultivate his Tao. He passed 3,200 trials, each trial lasting about

3 million years.

Unfortunately, a powerful, evil entitya demon of sorts, which dwelt on earthhad the ambition to conquer the

immortals and gods in heaven and proclaim sovereignty over the entire universe. This evil entity also went into

retreat and meditation to expand its power, though later than the Jade Emperor. He passed through 3,000 trials

each trial lasting for about 3 million years too. After it passed its final trial, it felt confident that no one could

defeat it anymore. It re-entered the world again, and recruited an army of demons with the purpose of attacking

heaven.

The immortals, being aware of the threat, gathered themselves and prepared for war. The gods were unable to

stop the powerful demon and it defeated them all.

Fortunately, the Jade Emperor finished his cultivation in the midst of this war. He was changing the land to

make it more liveable for men and repelling all kinds of monstrous beasts. Suddenly, he saw an evil glow

emitting from heaven and knew something was amiss. He ascended and saw that a war was going on, he saw
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that the demon was too powerful to be stopped by any of the gods present. He went up and challenged the

demon, and a battle ensued between them. Mountains shook and rivers and seas toppled; however, the Jade

Emperor stood victorious due to his deeper and wiser cultivation, not for might but for benevolence. After

defeating the demon, all the other demons were scattered by the gods and immortals.

Because of his noble and benevolent deeds, the gods, immortals and humans proclaimed the Jade Emperor

the supreme sovereign of all.

[edit]Creation

Jade Emperor in a Ming Dynasty ink and color painting on silk, 16th century.

The world started withwuji(, nothingness) according to theChinese creation myth, Jade Emperor was the

head of the pantheon but not responsible to the creation process itself.

According to another version ofcreation myth, the Jade Emperor fashioned the first humans from clay, but as

he left them to harden in the sun, it rained, misshaping some of the figures, thus explaining the origin of

sickness and physical abnormalities (The most common alternative Chinese creation myth states that human

beings were once fleas on the body ofPangu.)

The story above is also told asNwa, who fashions men out of the mud from the Yellow River by hand. Those

she made became the richer people of the earth. After getting lazy, she dipped her scarf into the mud and

swung it around. The drops that fell from the scarf became the poorer humans.

[edit]In The Journey to the West
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In the popular novel byWu Chengen, the Jade Emperor is featured many times in the story.

Main article:Journey to the West

[edit]The princess and the cowherd

Main article:Qixi Festival

In another story[citation needed]

, popular throughout Asia and with many differing versions, the Jade Emperor has a

daughter named Zhin(simplified Chinese:;traditional Chinese:;pinyin:zh nor Chih'n, literally:

weaver girl). She is most often represented as responsible for weaving colorful clouds in the heaven. In some

versions she is the Goddess Weaver, daughter of the Jade Emperor and the Celestial Queen Mother, who

weaves the Silver River (known in the West as theMilky Way), which gives light to heaven and earth. In other

versions, she is a seamstress who works for the Jade Emperor.

Every day Zhin descended to earth with the aid of a magical robe to bathe. One day, a lowly cowherd

named Niu Lang(Chinese:;pinyin:ni lng) spotted Zhin as she bathed in a stream. Niu Lang fell

instantly in love with her and stole her magic robe which she had left on the bank of the stream, leaving her

unable to escape back to Heaven. When Zhin emerged from the water, Niu Lang grabbed her and carried her

back to his home.

When the Jade Emperor heard of this matter, he was furious but unable to intercede, since in the meantime his

daughter had fallen in love and married the cowherd. As time passed, Zhin grew homesick and began to miss

her father. One day, she came across a box containing her magic robe which her husband had hidden. She

decided to visit her father back in Heaven, but once she returned, the Jade Emperor summoned a river to flow

across the sky (theMilky Way), which Zhin was unable to cross to return to her husband. The Emperor took

pity on the young lovers, and so once a year on the seventh day of the seventh month of the lunar calendar, he

allows them to meet on a bridge over the river.

The story refers toconstellationsin the night sky. Zhin is thestarVegain the constellation ofLyraeast of the

Milky Way, and Niu Lang is the starAltairin the constellation ofAquilawest of the Milky Way. Under the first

quarter moon (7th day) of the seventh lunar month (around August), the lighting condition in the sky causes the

Milky Way to appear dimmer, hence the story that the two lovers are no longer separated in that one particular

day each year.

The seventh day of the seventh month of the lunar calendar is a holiday in China calledQixi Festival, which is a

day for young lovers much likeValentine's Dayin theWest. InJapan, it is calledTanabata(star day), and

inKorea, it is calledChilseok. If it rains on that day, it is said to be Zhin crying tears of happiness in being

reunited with her husband.

[edit]The zodiac
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There are several stories as to how the twelveanimalsof theChinese zodiacwere chosen. In one, the Jade

Emperor, although having ruled Heaven and Earth justly and wisely for many years, had never had the time to

actually visit the Earth personally. He grew curious as to what the creatures looked like. Thus, he asked all the

animals to visit him in heaven. The cat, being the most handsome of all animals, asked his friend the rat to

wake him on the day they were to go to Heaven so he wouldn't oversleep. The rat, however, was worried that

he would seem ugly compared to the cat, so he didn't wake the cat. Consequently, the cat missed the meeting

with the Jade Emperor and was replaced by thepig. The Jade Emperor was delighted with the animals and so

decided to divide the years up amongst them. When the cat learned of what had happened, he was furious with

the rat and that, according to the story, is why cats and rats are enemies to this day.

Thecathowever, doeshave a place in theVietnamese zodiac, replacing the rabbit.

[edit]His predecessor and successor

The Jade Emperor was originally the assistant of the Divine Master of the Heavenly Origin,Yuanshi Tianzun.

Yuanshi Tianzun is said to be the supreme beginning, the limitless and eternal creator of Heaven and Earth,

who picked Yu-huang, or the Jade Emperor, as his personal successor. The Jade Emperor will eventually be

succeeded by the Heavenly Master of the Dawn of Jade of the Golden Door ().[1]The characters

for both are stamped on the front of the arms of his throne. In two folk automatic writingtexts in 1925 and

1972Guan Yubecame the 18th Jade Emperor in about 1840 AD,[2][3][4]

however some have disagreed that

Guan Yu has succeeded, and thus the Jade Emperor and Guan Yu are often worshiped

separately.[5]

InTientiteachings, the current jade emperor has 55 predecessors.[6]

[edit]Worship and festivals

The Jade Emperor Ritual atYuzun TempleinSanxing,YilanofTaiwanon the Emperor's Birthday.

The Jade Emperor's Birthday () is said to be the ninth day of the first lunar month.[7]On this day

Taoisttempleshold a Jade Emperor ritual (, bi Tin Gng, literally "heaven worship") at which priests

and laymen prostrate themselves, burnincenseand make food offerings.

In the morning of this birthday, Taiwanese households set up an altar table with 3 layers: one top (containing

offertories of six vegetables (), noodles, fruits, cakes,tangyuan, vegetable bowls, and unripenbetel, all

decorated with paper lanterns) and two lower levels (containing the five sacrifices and wines) to honor the

deities below the Jade Emperor.[7]

The household then kneels three times andkowtowsnine times to pay

Genuflection and wish him a long life.[7]
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pedia.org/wiki/Jade_Emperor#cite_note-2http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jade_Emperor#cite_note-2http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guan_Yuhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fuji_(planchette_writing)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jade_Emperor#cite_note-1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yuanshi_Tianzunhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Jade_Emperor&action=edit&section=8http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vietnamese_zodiachttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cat_(zodiac)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pig_(zodiac)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_zodiachttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Animal


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Yuk Wong Po Tin in A Kung Ngam, Hong Kong.

A temple inHong Kongis located atA Kung Ngamand is also called "Yuk Wong Po Tin" (Yu Huang

Bao Dian). In the mid 19th century, people fromHuizhouandChaozhoumined stones in the hill for the

development of the central urban area. They set up a shrine to worship Yuk Wong. At the beginning of the 20th

century, the shrine was developed into a smalltempleand was renovated many times. The latest renovation

was in 1992.
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jade emperor

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