Gods And Goddesses: Kui Xing and Zhu Yi

Of the gods, there’s the attendants of Wen Chang who are known as Kui Xing and Zhu Yi. One attendant is deaf while the other mute, although which attendant is what is unclear. Zhu Yi the god of school tests and examinations with Kui Xing of official documents and paperwork.

Zhu Yi is described as a kindly god who rewards effort in school. He is often depicted as an old man in red robes, his name Zhu Yi is said to even mean “Red Robe”.

The other attendant of Wen Chang is Kui Xing whose name means “Chief Star” and of an ugly appearance. Often depicted with his right foot on a giant turtle and with left foot supporting a ladle. Depictions of Kui Xing also are often holding a writing brush in hand and with his body filled with vigour. His birthday is on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month.

The story of Kui Xing is that originally he was a mortal who was highly talented yet had the misfortune of an ugly appearance. The emperor of the time wouldn’t allow his success due to his ugliness, so Kui Xing threw himself down a cliff and was saved by a dragon. It was being saved by the very dragon that caused him to become an attendant of the literary god Wen Chang. Now Kui Xing is the god of imperial examinations.

Gods And Goddesses: Wen Chang

Wen Chang is he god of literature, books, writing, wisdom, education and learning. Having two attendants known as Kui Xing and Zhu Yi that are often besides him, with one being mute and the other deaf. Kui Xing and Zhu Yi are even said to be have formally part of Wen Chang. Although not associated with each other, Guan Yu is also the god of literature (along with god of war).

Originally starting out as a mortal man known as Zhang Ya Zi during the Zhou dynasty, he was a sage with the ability to predict the future and perform transformations. It was Wen Chang’s knowledge of Dao that caused him to be elevated to Heaven and to be enthroned in the Big Dipper. Wen Chang himself was assigned by the Jade Emperor to keep a log so that he can rightly reward and punish each person according to merit.

Praying to Wen Chang happens all year round (just on an auspicious date), but most often on the eve of Chinese New Year for the hopes of the blessing of their children with stronger willpower and diligence to study. Praying to Wen Chang on the eve of Chinese New Year tends to happen in the morning or a minute before midnight. Spring onions with roots, cloves of garlic with roots, celery with roots and dried yellow beans tend to be offered to Wen Chang.