What deities are in Taoism?

Answer 1

There are a fairly large number of Gods in religious Taoism and none at all in philosophical Taoism. The major ones in religious Taoism are as follows:

• Yu-Huang -- The Jade Emperor. ruler of heaven and earth and all things in between.
• Yuan-shih T'ien-tsun -- The First Principal. More an essence than an actual God, Yuan-shih T'ien-tsun is really a personification of tao itself.
• San-ch'ing -- Three Pure Ones. often considered to be manifestations of Laozi
• ** Yu-ch'ing (Jade Pure)
  • Shang-ch'ing (Upper Pure)
  • T'ai-ch'ing (Great Pure).
• San-kuan -- Three Officials. they keep track of good and bad deeds and award good and bad fortune, and they are considered to be deeply compassionate towards all living things.
• ** T'ien-kuan (the Ruler of Heaven) grants happiness.
  • Ti-kuan (Ruler of Earth) grants remissions of sins
  • Shui-kuan (Ruler of Water) averts all evil.
• San-yuan -- Three Epochs (or Principals)
• ** Shang- yuan rules the first six moons (winter and spring)
  • Hsia-yuan ruled the 7th and 8th moons (summer)
  • Chung-yuan ruled the 9th to 11th moons (fall).
• Chang Tao-ling (T'ien-shih), a historical person who is believed to have drunk the elixir of immortality and ascended to heaven. the title T'ien-shih has passed down through his descendants, who still head the Five Bushels of Rice Taoist sect.
• Pa-hsien -- Eight Immortals. immortal beings modeled on historical figures. an odd mixture of gold and clay.
• ** LÇš DòngbÄ«n (Lu Tung-pin): the King of Medicine. He represents the wealthy and literacy. sometimes considered to be the de facto leader of the immortals.
  • Royal Uncle Cao (Cao Guojiu, Ts'ao Kuo-chiu): represents nobility of spirit.
  • Elder Zhang Guo (Zhang Guo Lao, Chang Kuo-lao): known for his great fondness for wine, and for his magic mule, which could travel a thousand miles a day, and be folder like paper to store in a pocket.
  • Iron-crutch Li (Lǐ TiÄ›guÇŽi, Li T'ieh-kuai): a crippled and deformed immortal with an iron crutch and a black face. He tries to alleviate human suffering.
  • Immortal Woman He (Ho Hsien-ku, He Xiangu): patron deity of women.
  • Han Xiang Zi (Han Hsiang-tsu): Han Hsiang-tsu represents youth; he plays the Flute, which can give life.
  • Zhongli Quan (Chung-li chuan, Han Zhongli): representative of military men.
  • Lan Caihe (Lán CÇŽihé, Lan Ts'ai-ho): an eccentric and ambiguous immortal with a passion for music and flowers. is sometimes depicted as male and sometimes as female, and may be of any age.

Answer 2

There is no god in Taoism. According to Taoism, all are equal. Bill Gates is no more important than a rock. The idea that one god is higher than all living creatures, would not fit with Taoist beliefs.

Answer 3

The Taoist deities represent different qualities, attributes and ceremonies. The deities are Yu-huang, the Jade Emperor, Yuan-shih T'ien-tsun, the First Principal, San-chi'ing, Three Pure Ones, San-Kuan, Three Officials, San-Yuan, Three Epochs, and Pa-hsien, Eight Immortals.

Answer 4

There are no gods in pure Taoism. The so-called Shenxian ( gods) are but famous people in history or important natural elements. People call them Shenxian only to symbolize the tao and its different appearances.

There are three main Shenxian in Daoism.

Yuqing Yuanshi Tianzun: a symbol of tao and the origin of universe

Shangqing Lingbao Tianzun: a symbol of taoism teachings

Taiqing Daode Tianjun: Lao Tzu, a symbol of taoist masters and teachers, advocators of taosim.

It is kind of like the trinity of Christianity.

The main Deities of Taoism are the Jade Emperor, the Four Heavenly Emperors and also the Five Emperors of the Five Directions, aa well as the immortals who humans can become through self-cultivation. ~See the related link for more information~

Answer 5

"Tao". Hence the term "Taoism". But the interesting question then becomes, "What is the Tao?"