Yuanshi Tianzun (), the Celestial Venerable of the Primordial Beginning or the Primeval Lord of Heaven, is one of the highest deities 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', ' ...

. He is one of the

Three Pure Ones The Three Pure Ones, also translated as the Three Pure Pellucid Ones, the Three Pristine Ones, the Three Divine Teachers, the Three Clarities, or the Three Purities, are the three highest gods in the Taoist pantheon. They are regarded as pure m ...

() and is also known as the Jade Pure One (). He resides in the Great Web or the Heaven of Jade Purity. It is believed that he came into being at the beginning of the universe as a result of the merging of pure breaths. He then created Heaven and Earth.

In Taoist mythology

In the '' Lingbao Scriptures'' (), Yuanshi Tianwang (, the Primordial Heavenly King) is transformed into a deity under Yuanshi Tianzun (, Heavenly Worthy of the Primordial Beginning), who is responsible for transmitting Daoist scriptures. After the Tang dynasty, some Daoist texts merged the identities of Yuanshi Tianzun and Yuanshi Tianwang into a single entity, reflecting the evolving nature of Daoist theology and cosmology. Additionally, certain Daoist scriptures record that Yuanshi Tianzun was originally named Le Jingxin (, "Joyful, Serene, and Faithful"), a devout practitioner of Daoism who achieved the status of a Heavenly Worthy through cultivation. This narrative is believed to have been influenced by Buddhist stories, particularly the tale of Prince Siddhartha () from the Six Paramitas Sutra (), which recounts a past life of

Shakyamuni Buddha Siddhartha Gautama, most commonly referred to as the Buddha (),* * * was a śramaṇa, wandering ascetic and religious teacher who lived in South Asia during the 6th or 5th century BCE and founded Buddhism. According to Buddhist lege ...

(). He once was the supreme administrator of Heaven, but later entrusted that task to his assistant ''Yuhuang'', the

Jade Emperor In the Chinese mythology, myths and Chinese folk religion, folk religion of Chinese culture, the Jade Emperor or Yudi is one of the representations of the Primordial Divinity (Tai Di), primordial god. In Taoist theology, he is the assistant of ...

. Yuhuang took over the administrative duties of Yuanshi Tianzun and became the overseer of both Heaven and Earth. At the beginning of each age, Yuanshi Tianzun transports the ''Lingpao ching'' (or "Yuanshi Ching"), the Scriptures of the Magic Jewel, to his students (who are lesser deities), who in turn instruct mankind in the teachings of the

Tao The Tao or Dao is the natural way of the universe, primarily as conceived in East Asian philosophy and religion. This seeing of life cannot be grasped as a concept. Rather, it is seen through actual living experience of one's everyday being. T ...

. Yuanshi Tianzun is said to be without beginning and the most supreme of all beings. He is in fact, a representation of the principle of all being. From him all things arose. He is eternal, limitless, and without form. Yuanshi Tianzun was thought to be able to control the

present The present is the period of time that is occurring now. The present is contrasted with the past, the period of time that has already occurred; and the future, the period of time that has yet to occur. It is sometimes represented as a hyperplan ...

. In ''The Master Who Embraces Simplicity'' (), written by Ge Hong () of the

Eastern Jin dynasty Eastern or Easterns may refer to: Transportation Airlines *China Eastern Airlines, a current Chinese airline based in Shanghai * Eastern Air, former name of Zambia Skyways *Eastern Air Lines, a defunct American airline that operated from 192 ...

, Yuanshi Tianzun's predecessor, Yuanshi Tianwang (, the Primordial Heavenly King), is described as residing at the center of the heavens on the Jade Capital Mountain (玉京山, Yujing Shan), where his palaces are adorned with gold and jade. Daoist cosmology holds that the Three Pure Ones (, Sanqing), including Yuanshi Tianzun, represent the purest realms of existence, free from all defilement. It is said that "the palaces within are vast and intricate, formed from condensed qi and clouds, manifesting according to the workings of the Dao, infinite and unfathomable." Yuanshi Tianzun is described as having existed before the Great Beginning (, Taiyuan), embodying the natural qi of the universe, serene and boundless, beyond comprehension. Through his Daoist energy, he nurtures and transforms all things. ''The Book of Sui: Treatise on Literature'' () further elaborates on Yuanshi Tianzun's role, stating that "whenever the heavens and earth are newly formed, he appears either above the Jade Capital or in the wilderness of Qiongsang (), imparting secret teachings to initiate the kalpa and save humanity." This aligns with the idea conveyed in phrases like "the two scrolls of the Yellow Court () deliver the lost" and "the teachings are transmitted to disciples at the Jade Capital and Golden Palace".

Role in ''Fengshen Yanyi''

In the 16th-century '' gods-and-demons'' novel ''

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 ...

'', Yuanshi Tianzun is depicted as a supreme deity who plays a pivotal role in the creation of the world and the establishment of cosmic order. At the dawn of the universe, he presides over the Jade Capital and Golden Palace (, Yujing Jinqué), where he imparts teachings and transforms the world. This aligns with the Daoist belief that he "guides the celestial immortals of the highest rank" (). Yuanshi Tianzun is the master of the

Kunlun Mountains The Kunlun Mountains constitute one of the longest mountain chains in Asia, extending for more than . In the broadest sense, the chain forms the northern edge of the Tibetan Plateau south of the Tarim Basin. Located in Western China, the Kun ...

, where he trains numerous disciples, including

Jiang Ziya Jiang Ziya ( century BC – 11th century BC), also known by several other names, also known by his posthumous name as the Duke Tai of Qi, was the founding monarch of the Qi state. He was a military general and strategist who as ...

. He instructs Jiang to descend into the mortal world to fulfill his destiny of aiding in the establishment of 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 ...

, remaining steadfast in upholding the will of heaven. Before Jiang departs, Yuanshi Tianzun delivers his final teachings in poetic form, bidding farewell to his disciple. His Twelve Disciples () of the Jade Void Palace (, Yuxu Gong) serve as divine warriors who assist

King Wu of Zhou King Wu of Zhou (; died ), personal name Ji Fa, was the founding king of the Chinese Zhou dynasty. The chronology of his reign is disputed but is generally thought to have begun around 1046 BCE and ended with his death three years later. Ki ...

() in overthrowing the tyrannical

King Zhou of Shang King Zhou (; ) was the pejorative posthumous name given to Di Xin of Shang () or Shou, King of Shang (), the last king of the Shang dynasty of ancient China. He is also called Zhou Xin (). In Chinese, his name Zhòu ( 紂) also refers to a horse ...

(), laying the foundation for the Zhou dynasty's eight-hundred-year reign. Through these portrayals, Yuanshi Tianzun is elevated to the status of an unrivaled patriarch, embodying the supreme authority over both celestial and mortal realms.

Worship

Taoists claim that sacrifices offered to Yuanshi Tianzun by the king predate the

Xia dynasty The Xia dynasty (; ) is the first dynasty in traditional Chinese historiography. According to tradition, it was established by the legendary figure Yu the Great, after Emperor Shun, Shun, the last of the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors, Fiv ...

. The surviving archaeological record shows that by 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 ...

, the shoulder blades of sacrificed oxen were used to send questions or communication through fire and smoke to the divine realm, a practice known as

scapulimancy Scapulimancy (also spelled scapulomancy and scapulamancy, also termed omoplatoscopy or speal bone reading) is the practice of divination by use of scapulae or speal bones (shoulder blades). It is most widely practiced in China and the Sinosphere ...

. The heat would cause the bones to crack and royal diviners would interpret the marks as Yuanshi Tianzun's response to the king. Inscriptions used for divination were buried into special orderly pits while those that were for practice or records were buried in common

midden A midden is an old dump for domestic waste. It may consist of animal bones, human excrement, botanical material, mollusc shells, potsherds, lithics (especially debitage), and other artifacts and ecofacts associated with past human oc ...

s after use. Under Yuanshi Tianzun or his later names, the deity received sacrifices from the ruler of China in every Chinese dynasty annually at a great

Temple of Heaven The Temple of Heaven () is a complex of imperial Religious Confucianism, religious Confucian buildings situated in the southeastern part of central Beijing. The complex was visited by the Emperor of China, Emperors of the Ming dynasty, Ming and ...

in the imperial capital. Following the principles of Chinese geomancy, this would always be located in the southern quarter of the city. During the ritual, a completely healthy bull would be slaughtered and presented as an animal sacrifice to Yuanshi Tianzun. The

Book of Rites The ''Book of Rites'', also known as the ''Liji'', is a collection of texts describing the social forms, administration, and ceremonial rites of the Zhou dynasty as they were understood in the Warring States and the early Han periods. The '' ...

states the sacrifice should occur on the " longest day" on a round-mound altar. The altar would have three tiers: the highest for Yuanshi Tianzun and the

Son of Heaven Son of Heaven, or ''Tianzi'' (), was the sacred monarchial and imperial title of the Chinese sovereign. It originated with the Zhou dynasty and was founded on the political and spiritual doctrine of the Mandate of Heaven. Since the Qin dynasty ...

; the second-highest for the sun and moon; and the lowest for the natural gods such as the stars, clouds, rain, wind, and thunder. The ten stages of the ritual were: # Welcoming deities # Offering of jade and silk # Offering of sacrificial food # First offering of wine # Second offering of wine # Last offering of wine # Retreat of civil dancers and entry of military dancers # Performance of the military dance # Farewell to deities # Burning of sacrificial articles Yuanshi Tianzun is never represented with either images or idols. Instead, in the center building of the Temple of Heaven, in a structure called the "Imperial Vault of Heaven", a "spirit tablet" (, or shénwèi) inscribed with the name of Yuanshi Tianzun is stored on the throne, ''Huangtian Shangdi'' (). During an annual sacrifice, the emperor would carry these tablets to the north part of the Temple of Heaven, a place called the "Prayer Hall For Good Harvests", and place them on that throne. The highest heaven in some historic Chinese religious organizations was the "Great Web" which was sometimes said to be where Yuanshi Tianzun lived.

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* {{DEFAULTSORT:Yuanshi Tianzun Chinese gods Creator gods Investiture of the Gods characters Taoist deities