Taiyi Zhenren () is a Daoist deity in Chinese religion and

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', ' ...

. ''Taiyi'' () means "primordial unity of

yin and yang Originating in Chinese philosophy, yin and yang (, ), also yinyang or yin-yang, is the concept of opposite cosmic principles or forces that interact, interconnect, and perpetuate each other. Yin and yang can be thought of as complementary an ...

" and ''

Zhenren ''Zhenren'' ( zh, c=真人, p=zhēnrén, w=chen-jen, l=true/ upright/ genuine person or 'person of truth') is a Chinese term that first appeared in the '' Zhuangzi'' meaning "a Taoist spiritual master" in those writings, as in one who has mastered ...

'' () is a

Daoist 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', ' ...

term for "Perfected Person". According to the opening of the classical novel '' Fengshen Bang'', he is the reincarnation of the first

emperor The word ''emperor'' (from , via ) can mean the male ruler of an empire. ''Empress'', the female equivalent, may indicate an emperor's wife (empress consort), mother/grandmother (empress dowager/grand empress dowager), or a woman who rules ...

of the

Shang dynasty The Shang dynasty (), also known as the Yin dynasty (), was a Chinese royal dynasty that ruled in the Yellow River valley during the second millennium BC, traditionally succeeding the Xia dynasty and followed by the Western Zhou d ...

Tang of Shang Cheng Tang (born Zi Lü), recorded on oracle bones as Tai Yi or Da Yi, was the first king of the Shang dynasty. Tang is traditionally considered a virtuous ruler, as signified by his common nickname Tang the Perfect. According to legend, as th ...

. Taiyi Zhenren also appears in Qing dynasty novels such as ''The Story of the Fox'' (狐狸缘全传), ''The Story of Ji Gong'' (济公全传), and the storytelling ''The Immortals Break Through the Heavenly Gate'' (群仙破天门). He is one of the Twelve Golden Immortals under Yuanshi Tianzun. Ranked fifth among the Twelve Golden Immortals, the character is based on Taiyi Jiuku Tianzun, the Lord of Suffering, who practices in the Golden Light Cave of Qianyuan Mountain. Taiyi Zhenren is the leader of the Qingwei Sect, and master of

Nezha Nezha (, Nézhā) or sometimes Nezha the Crown Prince (, ), is a protection deity in Taoism, Buddhism, and Chinese folk religion. His official Taoism, Taoist name is "Marshal of the Central Altar" (). He was then given the title "Third Lotus Prin ...

and Jinxia Tong'er.

Taiyi Jiuku Tianzun

Taiyi Zhenren is what the

Investiture of the Gods ''The Investiture of the Gods'', also known by its Chinese titles () and is a 16th-century Chinese novel and one of the major Written vernacular Chinese, vernacular Chinese works in the gods and demons (''shenmo'') genre written during the Min ...

calls him, and he is based on the deity Taiyi Jiuku Tianzun (). In orthodox Taoism, he is the deity of salvation for all sentient beings and has myriad manifestations he can take form in the 10 directions, with a different incarnation for each direction, and can transform into other incarnations for any purpose. He was invoked at funerals and other rituals to send the dead to the Eastern Heavenly

Pure land Pure Land is a Mahayana, Mahayana Buddhist concept referring to a transcendent realm emanated by a buddhahood, buddha or bodhisattva which has been purified by their activity and Other power, sustaining power. Pure lands are said to be places ...

Chang Le, where he lives, and also during the

Ghost Festival The Ghost Festival or Hungry Ghost Festival, also known as the Zhongyuan Festival in Taoism and the Yulanpen Festival in Buddhism, is a traditional festival held in certain East Asia, East and Southeast Asian countries. According to the Lunar c ...

to save suffering souls from

Diyu ''Diyu'' () is the realm of the dead or "hell" in Chinese mythology. It is loosely based on a combination of the Buddhist concept of Naraka (Buddhism), Naraka, traditional Chinese beliefs about the afterlife, and a variety of popular expansion ...

(hell). It is generally believed that the Taiyi Jiuku Tianzun is an incarnation of Yuanshi Tianzun. Yuanshi Tianzun used his own Nine-Yang essence to transform into Taiyi Tianzun to save all living beings. Another interpretation suggests that this deity is the same as the King Father of the East (東王公), born from the essence of the sun.

As a historical figure

Taiyi Zhenren, believed to be a historical figure named Yang Su, was born in Shuitou, Nan'an County. He was a renowned physician and Taoist during the late

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 ...

, well-versed in the techniques of Qihuang (岐黄), a form of traditional Chinese medicine. He famously used "silk pulse diagnosis" to cure Ren Neiming, the wife of the contemporary ruler

Wang Shenzhi Wang Shenzhi (; 862 – December 30, 925), courtesy name Xintong () or Xiangqing (), posthumous name Prince Zhongyi of Min () and also known by his temple name as the Emperor Taizu of Min (), was the founding Chinese sovereign, monarch of Min (T ...

. In recognition of this, Wang Shenzhi honored him with the title "Taiyi Zhenren". The benevolent actions of Taiyi Zhenren, providing medical help in

Fujian Fujian is a provinces of China, province in East China, southeastern China. Fujian is bordered by Zhejiang to the north, Jiangxi to the west, Guangdong to the south, and the Taiwan Strait to the east. Its capital is Fuzhou and its largest prefe ...

, continue to benefit the people of Nan'an. Therefore, he is also known as the "True Physician Immortal". During the Song dynasty, the Neo-Confucian scholar Zhu Xi is said to have composed a couplet in his honor while lecturing in Nan'an. The couplet, inscribed on the Yang Clan Ancestral Hall in Guanqiao and the Zhenren Temple in Putou, praised Yang Su's virtue, talent, and outstanding medical skills, as well as his contributions to flood control and dam construction for the welfare of the people.

In ''Fengshen Yanyi''

According to ''Fengshen Yanyi'', Taiyi Zhenren is the renowned teacher of

, the celestial being destined to bring peace back to the

Zhou dynasty The Zhou dynasty ( ) was a royal dynasty of China that existed for 789 years from until 256 BC, the longest span of any dynasty in Chinese history. During the Western Zhou period (771 BC), the royal house, surnamed Ji, had military ...

. Taiyi Zhenren is stationed atop Mount Champion and instructed Nezha to stay at Old Pond Pass – the place he had been born. After Nezha experienced great trouble with Ao Guang and went fleeing back to him, Taiyi Zhenren would at first be seen in deep thought; Zhenren would soon draw an "invisible juju" along his back however—as to give him a safe passage to heaven through invisibility. After Nezha created further issues with stone spirit Shiji Niangniang, Taiyi Zhenren would soon be seen face to face with her in front of Taiyi Zhenren's cave which Nezha retreated into for protection. After having no choice but to be rid of Shiji Niangniang, he would start off by disabling the silk scarf which she stole from Nezha, and then trap her within his Nine-dragon-fire-net. While trapped in this net, Taiyi Zhenren summoned several dragons which unleashed a large volley of fire into the net; instantly killing Shiji and turning her back into her original form as a molten rock.

In ''Journey to the West''

In the Ming dynasty novel ''

Journey to the West ''Journey to the West'' () is a Chinese novel published in the 16th century during the Ming dynasty and attributed to Wu Cheng'en. It is regarded as one of the Classic Chinese Novels, great Chinese novels, and has been described as arguably the ...

'', the powerful demon known as the Grand Saint of Nine Spirits (九靈元聖) is actually the Nine-Headed Lion that Taiyi Jiuku Tianzun rides on. The boy in charge of looking after the lion once secretly drank a special potion and fell asleep for three days in Heaven (equivalent to three years in the human world). The lion seizes the opportunity to escape. He builds his base at the Jiuqu Panhuan Cave (九曲盤桓洞) at Bamboo Links Mountain (竹節山) near the Kingdom of Yuhua (玉華國). The clan of lion demons living around that area revere him as their grand spiritual ancestor. The Nine-Headed Lion differs from most other demons in the novel in that he neither harms humans nor seeks to taste

Tang Sanzang Tang Sanzang is a Buddhist monk and pilgrim who is a central character in the 16th century novel ''Journey to the West'' by Wu Cheng'en. His birth surname name was Chen (), but having been found in a river as a baby--he was abandoned after bir ...

's flesh. He becomes angered when he learns that his god-grandson, the Tawny Lion Demon, has been killed by

Sun Wukong Sun Wukong (, Mandarin pronunciation: ), also known as the Monkey King, is a literary and religious figure best known as one of the main characters in the 16th-century Chinese novel ''Journey to the West''. In the novel, Sun Wukong is a monk ...

and seeks revenge. He captures Tang Sanzang,

Zhu Bajie Zhu Bajie, also named Zhu Wuneng, is one of the three disciples of Tang Sanzang, along with Sun Wukong and Sha Wujing, and a major character of the 16th century novel ''Journey to the West''. ''Zhu'' means "swine" and ''Bajie'' means "eight pr ...

Sha Wujing Sha Wujing ( zh, t=沙悟淨) is one of the three disciples of the Buddhist pilgrim Tang Sanzang in the 16th century novel ''Journey to the West'' written by Wu Cheng'en in the Ming dynasty, although versions of his character predate the Ming n ...

, and the royal family of Yuhua, subjecting them all to whippings. Eventually, he is subdued by his master, Taiyi Jiuku Tianzun, and taken back to Heaven.

Temple

There are many temples dedicated to Taiyi Zhenren as the main deity in China. Fujian Taiyi Temple is located in Puqi Village, Shuitou Town, Nan'an City, Fujian Province. The Taiyi Cave Scenic Area is located in Jiangjiadong Village, 5 kilometers south of the hot springs at 106 Chang'an Avenue, Xian'an District, Xianning City, Hubei Province. The cave is believed to have been excavated by Taiyi Zhenren for the welfare of the people and control floods. Located in the southwestern suburb of

Chengdu Chengdu; Sichuanese dialects, Sichuanese pronunciation: , Standard Chinese pronunciation: ; Chinese postal romanization, previously Romanization of Chinese, romanized as Chengtu. is the capital city of the Chinese province of Sichuan. With a ...

, Sanqing Hall within Qingyang Palace is a temple dedicated to the supreme Taoist god Sanqing. In the center of the hall sits a statue of Sanqing, and on both sides of the hall are the disciples of Sanqing, including the Twelve Golden Immortals, including Yuding Zhenren. This historical temple traces its origins back to the

and underwent significant reconstruction during the Kangxi period of the

Qing dynasty The Qing dynasty ( ), officially the Great Qing, was a Manchu-led Dynasties of China, imperial dynasty of China and an early modern empire in East Asia. The last imperial dynasty in Chinese history, the Qing dynasty was preceded by the ...

. The foundation of Sanqing Hall takes the form of a square, covering a total area of 1,600 square meters. Leshan Zixia Palace, the ancestral temple of the Western Daoist tradition in China, is located at 717 Bishan Road, 130 kilometers southwest of Chengdu City, Sichuan Province. It is 30 kilometers away from Mount Emei. In the Sanqing Hall of Zixia Palace, there are also statues of the Twelve Golden Immortals arranged on both sides.

In popular culture

* The character increased in popularity in 2019 with the stereoscopic, computer-animated feature film, '' Ne Zha'', was more successful, setting numerous all-time records for

box-office A box office or ticket office is a place where ticket (admission), tickets are sold to the public for admission to an event. Patrons may perform the transaction at a countertop, through a hole in a wall or window, or at a Wicket gate, wicket. ...

grosses, including third-highest-grossing of all films in China and highest-grossing animated film from outside the United States.

References

Sources

* '' Fengshen Yanyi'' chapter 12 {{DEFAULTSORT:Taiyi Zhenren Chinese gods Investiture of the Gods characters Taoist deities Nezha