The Sanxing ()) are the gods of the three celestial bodies considered essential in Chinese astrology and mythology:

Jupiter Jupiter is the fifth planet from the Sun and the List of Solar System objects by size, largest in the Solar System. It is a gas giant with a Jupiter mass, mass more than 2.5 times that of all the other planets in the Solar System combined a ...

Ursa Major Ursa Major, also known as the Great Bear, is a constellation in the Northern Sky, whose associated mythology likely dates back into prehistory. Its Latin name means "greater (or larger) bear", referring to and contrasting it with nearby Ursa M ...

, and

Canopus Canopus is the brightest star in the southern constellation of Carina (constellation), Carina and the list of brightest stars, second-brightest star in the night sky. It is also Bayer designation, designated α Carinae, which is Rom ...

. Fu, Lu, and Shou (), or Cai, Zi and Shou () are also the embodiments of Fortune ( ''Fu''), presiding over the planet Jupiter, Prosperity (''Lu''), presiding over Mizar (ζ Ursae Majoris), and Longevity ( ''Shou''), presiding over Canopus. They have emerged from

Chinese folk religion Chinese folk religion comprises a range of traditional religious practices of Han Chinese, including the Chinese diaspora. This includes the veneration of ''Shen (Chinese folk religion), shen'' ('spirits') and Chinese ancestor worship, ances ...

. Their iconic representation as three, old, bearded, wise men dates back to the

Ming dynasty The Ming dynasty, officially the Great Ming, was an Dynasties of China, imperial dynasty of China that ruled from 1368 to 1644, following the collapse of the Mongol Empire, Mongol-led Yuan dynasty. The Ming was the last imperial dynasty of ...

, when the gods of the three stars were represented in human form for the first time. They are sometimes identified with other deities of the Chinese religion or of

Taoism Taoism or Daoism (, ) is a diverse philosophical and religious tradition indigenous to China, emphasizing harmony with the Tao ( zh, p=dào, w=tao4). With a range of meaning in Chinese philosophy, translations of Tao include 'way', 'road', ' ...

. The term is commonly used in Chinese culture to denote the three attributes of a good life. Statues of these three gods are found on the facades of folk religion's temples, ancestral

shrines A shrine ( "case or chest for books or papers"; Old French: ''escrin'' "box or case") is a sacred space dedicated to a specific deity, ancestor worship, ancestor, hero, martyr, saint, Daemon (mythology), daemon, or similar figure of respect, wh ...

, in homes and many Chinese-owned shops, often on small altars with a glass of water, an orange or other auspicious offerings, especially during

Chinese New Year Chinese New Year, or the Spring Festival (see also #Names, § Names), is a festival that celebrates the beginning of a New Year, new year on the traditional lunisolar calendar, lunisolar Chinese calendar. It is one of the most important holi ...

. Traditionally, they are arranged right to left (''Shou'' on the left of the viewer, ''Lu'' in the middle, and ''Fu'' on the far right), just as Chinese characters are traditionally written from right to left. The three deities are particularly associated with

feng shui Feng shui ( or ), sometimes called Chinese geomancy, is a traditional form of geomancy that originated in ancient China and claims to use energy forces to harmonize individuals with their surrounding environment. The term ''feng shui'' mean ...

, and there are strict requirements that govern their placement in a room or building.

Corresponding stars and attributes

Fuxing

The star of ''Fu'' (福), or ''Fuxing'' ( zh, s=福星, p=fúxīng, l=Star of fortune), corresponds to the planet

. According to folkloric beliefs, the planet is believed to be auspicious and would bring prosperity to those who receive its light. Alternatively, according to a Ming dynasty Taoist myth, the star of fortune is associated with Yang Cheng ( zh, t=楊成),http://www.chinaknowledge.de/Literature/Religion/personssanxing.html, retrieved 11 Des 2017 a governor of Daozhou in the

Tang dynasty The Tang dynasty (, ; zh, c=唐朝), or the Tang Empire, was an Dynasties of China, imperial dynasty of China that ruled from 618 to 907, with an Wu Zhou, interregnum between 690 and 705. It was preceded by the Sui dynasty and followed ...

. Yang Cheng risked his life attempting to convince the emperor to free court dwarfs kept as slaves. After his death, the people built a temple to commemorate him, and over time he came to be considered the personification of good fortune. ''Fuxing'' is generally depicted in scholar's dress with golden trim, holding a scroll, on which is sometimes written the character "Fu" (福). He may also be seen holding a child, or surrounded by children. He is sometimes conflated with Caishen, the chinese god of wealth.

Luxing

The star of ''Lu'' (祿), or ''Luxing'' ( zh, t=祿星, p=lùxīng), corresponds to Mizar (ζ Ursae Majoris), or in traditional

Chinese astronomy Astronomy in China has a long history stretching from the Shang dynasty, being refined over a period of more than 3,000 years. The Ancient China, ancient Chinese people have identified stars from 1300 BCE, as Chinese star names later categori ...

, the sixth star in the Wenchang constellation (文昌六). Like the star of Fortune, it also came to be personified, and is believed to be Zhang Xian who lived during the

Later Shu Shu, referred to as Later Shu ( zh, t=後蜀, s=后蜀, first=t, p=Hòu Shǔ) and Meng Shu ( zh, c=孟蜀) in historiography, was a dynastic state of China and one of the Ten Kingdoms during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period. It was ...

dynasty. The character "Lu" specifically refers to the salary of a government official. As such, the star of ''Lu'' is considered the deity of prosperity, rank, and influence. He is often depicted holding a ''Ruyi'' scepter. The star of ''Lu'' is also worshipped separately from the other two as the deity dictating one's success in the

imperial examination The imperial examination was a civil service examination system in History of China#Imperial China, Imperial China administered for the purpose of selecting candidates for the Civil service#China, state bureaucracy. The concept of choosing bureau ...

s, and therefore success in the imperial bureaucracy. The star of ''Lu'' is usually depicted in the dress of a

mandarin Mandarin or The Mandarin may refer to: Language * Mandarin Chinese, branch of Chinese originally spoken in northern parts of the country ** Standard Chinese or Modern Standard Mandarin, the official language of China ** Taiwanese Mandarin, Stand ...

Shouxing

The star of ''Shou'', or ''Shouxing'' ( zh, t=壽星, p=Shòuxing, l=Star of longevity), corresponds to the star α Carinae (

). Other names include Sau and Old Man of the South Pole. It is also called the "star of the south pole" in Chinese astronomy, and is believed to control the lifespans of mortals. According to legend, he was carried in his mother's womb for ten years before being born, and was already an old man when delivered. He is recognized by his high, domed forehead and the

peach The peach (''Prunus persica'') is a deciduous tree first domesticated and Agriculture, cultivated in China. It bears edible juicy fruits with various characteristics, most called peaches and the glossy-skinned, non-fuzzy varieties called necta ...

which he carries as a symbol of

immortality Immortality is the concept of eternal life. Some species possess "biological immortality" due to an apparent lack of the Hayflick limit. From at least the time of the Ancient Mesopotamian religion, ancient Mesopotamians, there has been a con ...

. The longevity god is usually shown smiling and friendly, and he may sometimes be carrying a calabash gourd filled with the

elixir of life The elixir of life (Medieval Latin: ' ), also known as elixir of immortality, is a potion that supposedly grants the drinker Immortality, eternal life and/or eternal youth. This elixir was also said to Panacea (medicine), cure all diseases. Alch ...

. He is sometimes conflated with Master Lao and immortals in Taoist theology.

Gallery

References

* Seow, Jeffrey. ''Fu Lu Shou: Gods of Blessings, Prosperity and Longevity'', Singapore, 1999.

External links

* {{Commons category inline, Fu Lu Shou Chinese gods Fortune gods Holiday characters Stellar gods