You are the Son of Heaven, under the whole world, mo fei wang tu, leading the land of the coast, mo is the king's subject. Since Qin Shi Huang pioneered the great cause of the "First Emperor", China has produced nearly five hundred emperors in more than two thousand years, and the status of the emperor is supreme, and it is an incomparably glorious thing for the people to receive the "imperial seal". In order to show his respect for someone, the emperor was also happy to make a wish for the official. Many immortals have even been "fortunate" to be "crowned" by the "emperor", although some of them have "exceeded their authority", but in fact they have improved the social status of "immortals" in the human world. Is it the immortals or the emperors who are big, and confuse people.??
Most of China's immortal lineage comes from the Taoist system?
First of all, god and immortal are two different things. God predates the concept of immortals much earlier. Gods belong to nature, not manpower, "the gods lead out all things", "Pangu opened the heavens and the earth" and other things, is what "gods" can do; immortals are people can cultivate, "old and immortal", Guan Yu, Mazu, Lü Dongbin, etc., there are really people in history, Taoism believes that people can reach the realm of "immortals" after cultivation.
From the time of The Yan Emperor and the Yellow Emperor, to the Xia, Shang, and Zhou, There was a phenomenon of believing in "God" in China, and the Lord of Heaven was actually God, and at that time there was no concept of the Jade Emperor, called God, Heavenly Emperor, and Hao Heavenly God. "The heavens are hanging, showing auspiciousness", why is China called "Shenzhou"? Because China is a kingdom that believes in gods, especially in the Shang Dynasty, gods have a supreme position, and "shang ghosts" and "honoring gods" are the cornerstones of the Shang Dynasty's national policy. The supreme political principle is to govern the country according to the will of God, ghosts and gods, the laws of the Shang Dynasty were formulated in the name of "heaven" and "god", and there were clergy who specialized in communicating with "god", Wu and Shi. And the emergence of "immortals" is a matter of the Warring States period, accompanied by the view that people pursue immortality, not only Qin Shi Huang pursued immortality, many princes and kings of the Spring and Autumn Warring States period were looking forward to longevity and immortality, and later the views of gods and immortals slowly blurred and unified, collectively known as immortals.??
The formation of the lineage of immortals is inseparable from the two famous Taoist masters LaoZi and Zhuangzi, especially Zhuangzi, who put forward many concepts of immortals, "the mountain of defiance, the dwelling of gods and people, the muscles like ice and snow, the virgins, not eating grains, sucking wind and drinking dew, riding on clouds, flying dragons, and swimming away from the four seas." "Zhiren", "Divine Man", "True Person", and "Adult" are all Zhuangzi's "immortals" and have "the way of immortality". Both Lao Tzu and Zhuangzi were revered by later Taoism as ancestor-level figures, and even the Yellow Emperor was elevated from the humanistic ancestor to the status of a god. "Huang Lao rises from Qi, and the immortals say and Huang Laotong." During the Han Dynasty, it inherited the tradition of sacrificing ghosts and gods, "the first succession of the Son of Heaven, especially the worship of ghosts and gods", the biggest sacrifice, is the emperor's sealing ceremony. In the later period of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, the theory of immortals gradually became a common practice, which directly gave birth to the emergence of Taoism, a native religion in China. Taoism and the emergence of Buddhism and the introduction of Buddhism to China gradually clarified the genealogy of the gods and immortals in China, and the three Qing, four emperors, five elders, six divisions, seven yuan, eight poles, nine yao, ten capitals, as well as the specialized gods and immortals in heaven, hell, ocean, mountains, and earth were all "on the job".
Two novels canonized the gods, so that the name of the gods and immortals was widely circulated??
After the completion of the immortal genealogy, it was inseparable from propaganda and promotion, so the ancient writers began to promote the waves. China's famous ancient mythological works include "Journey to the West", "Fengshen Yanyi", "Search for Gods", "Shan Hai Jing", "Ancient Mythology Yanyi", "Legend of the Immortals", etc., of which the most widely circulated are "Journey to the West" and "Fengshen Yanyi", it is these two books that are widely circulated in the folk, so that people who originally have the belief in gods and immortals understand that in addition to the human world, there is another "world".??
"Journey to the West" begins with the natural monkey Sun Wukong pursuing immortality in the immortal realm, and ends with Sun Wukong taking sutras and becoming a Buddha. Among them, when there was a big disturbance in the Heavenly Palace, most of the immortals appeared. Jade Emperor, Queen Mother Niangniang, Taishang Laojun, Taibai Venus, Tota Heavenly King Li Jing, Nezha Third Prince, Four Heavenly Kings, Erlang God Yang Jian, Giant Spirit God, Barefoot Immortal, Bodhi Ancestor, Rulai Buddha, Eighteen Arhats, Four Great Bodhisattvas, Chang'e Immortals, Marshal of the Canopy, Curtain Rolling Curtain General, Four Seas Dragon King, Four Great Heavenly Masters, Twenty-Eight Houses, Four Great Spiritual Officials, Four Values Gong Cao, Ten Halls of Pluto, Five Revelations, Six Dings and Six Jia, Zhenyuan Great Immortals, etc., 100,000 Heavenly Soldiers in Heaven, Buddha Bodhisattva Arhat Bhikkhu in the Western Heavens, The Dragon King of the Ocean Dragon Son Dragon Sun Shrimp Soldier Crab General, hell Yama King Judge Bull Head Horse Face, Mountain God Land City God and goblin demon cultivated from animals and plants, let people know that the original world is so colorful.??
The "Fengshen Yanyi" describes the origin and destination of the gods from another angle. The Wu King's War is not only a human war, but also a redistributive competition for the interests of the immortal forces. Among the Three Qing Dynasties, the Yuanshi Tianzun and the Daode Tianzun are one sect, and the Lingbao Tianzun is also the Tongtian Sect Lord. The Expository Teachings and the Intercepting Disciples engaged in a deadly struggle. Most of the immortals in "Journey to the West" can be found in the "Fengshen Yanyi", except for sanqing, the Kunlun Twelve Golden Immortals Guangchengzi, The Red Sperm, the Huanglong Zhenren, the Taiyi Zhenren, the Yuding Zhenren, the Lingbao Grand Master, the Daoxing Tianzun, the Qing void DaodeZhenjun, the Fearful Sun, the Wenshu Guangfa Tianzun, the Ci Hang Daoren, the Puxian Zhenren, the Duobao Daoist, the Golden Spirit Virgin, the Turtle Spirit Virgin, the Wudang Virgin, the Zhao Gongming, the Yunxiao, the Qiongxiao, the Bixiao, the Ten Heavenly Jun, the One Qi Dao Ren Yu Yuan, the Fire Spirit Virgin, the Wuyun Immortal, the Qiu Shou Immortal, and the Lingya Immortal , Jin Guangxian, Long-eared Dingguang Immortal, etc., as well as the well-known Erlang God, Nezha, Lei Zhenzi, Huang Tianhua, Li Jing and other immortals, all show their skills and stories in this book, Jiang Ziya mastered the list of gods, and used this war to complete the plan of heaven.??
The emperor "canonized the gods", increasing the status of the gods in the human world?
Originally, in the world of immortals, there was no emperor or anything. The emperor is an emperor on earth and cannot control the affairs of heaven. However, because the emperor held supreme power in the human world, and claimed to be the Son of Heaven, the son of heaven, the reincarnation of The Ziwei Emperor, some emperors were happy and also took care of the affairs of the gods. The emperor canonized the gods and the imperial power was granted, which greatly increased the social status of the gods and immortals in the human world, so that their names spread more widely in the human world.
The most favored immortal of the emperor was Guan Yu, who was originally a famous general of the Three Kingdoms and was named a god by the emperors alive. Emperor Huizong of Song made Guan Yu the Duke of Zhonghui, the True Prince of Chongning, the King of Wu'an, and the King of Wu'an, and Emperor Gaozong of Song crowned Guan Yu as the King of Zhuangmiao And Yongwu'an, and Emperor Xiaozong of Song created Guan Yu the King of Zhuangmiao and Yiyong Wu'an Yingji, and issued a decree: "The Great Festival of Birth and Death, and the Transmission of Heaven and Earth; and the Death of Guan Yu, Immortal in Ancient and Modern Times." ", to establish his position in the Immortal Realm.
After the Song Dynasty, Emperor Wenzong of Yuan created Guan Yu the King of Wu'an Yingji, Emperor Mingshenzong crowned Guan Yu as Emperor Xietian, Emperor Zhongyi of the Protectorate of the Three Realms, Emperor Voldemort of the Three Realms, Emperor Weiyuan Zhen Tianzun Guan Sheng, and at this point, Guan Yu became the "Emperor" of the Immortal Realm from a general, and the Emperor of the Qing Dynasty was not far behind, the Shunzhi Emperor crowned Guan Yu as the Zhongyi God Wuguan Sheng, the Qianlong Emperor crowned Guan Yu as the Zhongyi God Wu Ling You Guan Sheng Emperor, and the Jiaqing Emperor crowned Guan Yu as the Zhongyi God Wu Ling You Ren Yong Guan Sheng Emperor. The Daoguang Emperor crowned Guan Yu as the Emperor of Zhongyi WuLingYou Ren Yong Wei Xianguan Sheng, xianfeng, Tongzhi, and Guangxu were sealed again, and the longest Guan Yu title was as many as 26 characters. After this toss, Guan Yu went from a warrior to a saint, a garland bodhisattva, a martial god of wealth, and even a great emperor-level god of the upper realm, and his social status in the divine realm greatly exceeded that of his eldest brother Liu Bei and third brother Zhang Fei.
Another revered immortal is Mazu, she was originally a folk woman Lin Moniang, because she was able to speak of human misfortunes, help the poor, cure the disease and eliminate disasters, after her death was sacrificed by the folk temple, from the Northern Song Dynasty to the Qing Dynasty seven or eight hundred years, she was actually canonized more than forty times, Song HuiZong named her "South Sea Goddess", Song Gaozong named her "Linghui Lady", "Linghui Zhaoying Lady", Song Xiaozong named her "Linghui Zhaoying Lady", "Linghui Zhaoying Chongfu Lady", "Linghui Zhaoying Chongfu Lady", Song Guangzong named her "Linghui Concubine", Emperor Ningzong of Song named her "Linghui Help Shunfei", "Linghui Help Shunxian Wei Concubine", "Linghui Helping Shun Ying Ying Liefei", Song Lizong named her "Linghui Help Shun Jia Ying Ying Ying Protecting the country and sheltering the people Guangji Ming Tianfei", Emperor Yuanwenzong named Mazu "Protector of the Country and Sheltering the People Guangji FuHuiming Tianfei", and Emperor Yuanshun named Mazu "Auxiliary Protector Saint Protector Guangji FuhuiMing Tianfei". The Ming Dynasty continued to be crowned, with Ming Taizu Zhu Yuanzhang making Mazu "Filial Piety Pure Heavenly Fu Ji Induction Sacred Concubine", and Ming Chengzu adding her the title of "Hongren Puji Protecting the Country and Protecting the People ming Tianfei". The Kangxi of the Qing Dynasty did not want to be left behind, and crowned Mazu as "Protector of the Country and Shelter the People Miao ling Zhao Ying Hongren Puji Tianfei", "Zhao Ling Xian Ying Benevolent Queen of Heaven", the Yongzheng Emperor added the words "Shen Zhao Hai Table" and "Blessing an Lan" when he added the title, and added eight characters when the Qianlong Emperor added the title: Blessing Qunsheng, Sincere Sense Xianfu. Lin Moniang was originally a folk woman, who was crowned by the Emperor of the Dynasties and became the Heavenly Virgin, the Queen of Heaven, the Queen of Heaven, the Heavenly Concubine, the Heavenly Concubine, the Heavenly Concubine, the Meizhou Mother, etc.
The third highly revered deity is the South China Sea God Zhu Rong, "considered in biographies, and the South China Sea God is the most expensive, above the three gods of the North and West Rivers, the number is Zhu Rong", Emperor Wen of Sui built a temple for the South Sea God, and was given the title of Marquis to protect the sea trade merchant ships, Tang Xuanzong crowned the South Sea God as the "King of Guangli", the Southern Han Dynasty Lord Liu Xun honored the South Sea God as the Zhaoming Emperor, Song Renzong added the South Sea God as "Nanhai Hongsheng Guangli King", "South Sea Hongsheng Guangli Zhaoshun King", Song Gaozong added Zhu Rong as "South China Sea Hongsheng Guangli Zhaoshun Xianwang", and equipped the South China Sea God with "Six Marquises" "Auxiliary: Da Xi Sikong is "Marquis of Fuli", Du Shikong is "Marquis of Fuwei", Prince Ichiro is "Marquis of Fuling", Prince Erlang is "Marquis of Zanning", General Cao of Patrol is "Marquis of Jiying", and General Pu is "Marquis of Conformity". Kublai Khan, the ancestor of the Yuan Dynasty, also joined the ranks of the gods, and crowned the south sea god as the "King of Guangli Lingfu of the South China Sea", Zhu Yuanzhang of the Ming Dynasty believed that the emperor of the world had no right to knight the south sea god, calling the south sea god the god of the South China Sea, Ming Chengzu did not listen to Lao Tzu's words, insisted on sealing the south sea god as "Ning Haibo", the Yongzheng Emperor crowned the south sea god as "the god of the South China Sea Zhaoming Dragon King", Zhu Rong also transformed from an ancient mythological figure to a dragon king.
There is also a god who has to be mentioned, that is, the supreme Jade Emperor, who was originally sealed by the emperor of the world. He was given the title of Song Zhenzong of the Song Dynasty, with the title of "Taishang Kai Tianzhi Imperial Calendar Han Zhen Body Dao Jade Emperor Great Heavenly Emperor", referred to as the Jade Emperor for short. Before the Song Dynasty, the Jade Emperor was called God, The Heavenly Emperor, and the Haotian Emperor. After Emperor Zhenzong, Emperor Huizong of Song continued to be enfeoffed, and the name of the Jade Emperor was changed to "Taishang Kai Tianzhi Imperial Calendar Contains True Body Dao Hao Heavenly Jade Emperor God". Other immortals had also been crowned by the emperor, but they were not as grand as Guan Yu, Mazu, the Jade Emperor, and the god of the South China Sea. For example, Zhang Guolao was awarded the title of Yinqing Guanglu Doctor by Tang Xuanzong, and was given the title of Mr. Tongxuan, and Zhong Kui was given the title of "Blessed Town House Saint Jun" by Tang Xuanzong, it is worth mentioning that Zhu Yuanzhang, who believes that the emperor of the world has no right to give the Nanhai God a knighthood, in fact, he also gave the god to the gods, when he was a young monk, he often lived in the City God Temple, so he was grateful to the city god, and after becoming emperor, he was named the city god of the capital Jingshi as the emperor, the city god of each province was sealed as the Duke of Weiling, the city god of each prefecture was sealed as the Marquis of Appeasement, and the city god of each county was sealed as Xianyou Bo, "The house is the gong, the prefecture is the hou, and the county is the bo, All of them are called eminent", so that these city gods who are kind to him are all glorious. (Lu Abandoned)