The Jade Emperor is known by many names and titles that include Heavenly Grandfather, Most Venerable Jade Emperor of the Heavenly Golden Palace, Supremely High Emperor of the Heavens, Holder of Talismans, Container of Perfection and Embodiment of Tao, Most Venerable and Highest Jade Emperor of All Embracing Sublime Spontaneous Existence of the Heavenly Golden Palace, the Pure August Jade Emperor, August Personage of Jade, Huanling High Sovereign and Peace Absolving, Central August Spirit Exalted, Ancient Buddha, Most Pious and Honourable, His Highness the Jade Emperor, Xuanling High Sovereign.
While he is the ruler of Heaven and the realms below, the Jade Emperor is below to three known as the Three Pure One’s.
Interestingly a crater discovered by the spacecraft Voyager 2 on Saturn’s moon Rhea is named after the Jade Emperor. The birthday of the Jade Emperor is said to be the ninth day of the first lunar month and on this day incense and food offerings are given to the Jade Emperor. The Jade Emperor is also worshipped by many on the day before the first day of Chinese New Year as it is said to be the day the Jade Emperor makes his annual inspection of the deeds of mortals, rewarding and punishing accordingly.
Originally the Jade Emperor was the assistant of Yuanshi Tianzu (whom is said to be the limitless and eternal creator of Heaven and earth) who picked the Jade Emperor as a successor as a ruler of Heaven. It is said that the successor of the Jade Emperor will be the god of war, Guan Yu.
The Jade Emperor has many sons and daughters that include Tzu-sun Niang-niang (fertility goddess who grants children to couples), Yen-kuang Niang-niang (goddess whom provides good eyesight) and Zhi Nu (who is responsible for weaving colourful clouds in Heaven). The wife is the Jade Emperor is known as Wang Ma and is said to have had ten sons, nine who were killed by the divine archer known as Houyi.
The Jade Emperor’s daughter Zhi Nu would go down to earth everyday with the help of a magical robe so she could bathe, with one day being different as a lowly cowherd named Niu Lang spotted Zhi Nu bathing in a stream. Niu Lang fell in love with Zhi Nu and stole her rove, when Zhi Nu left the stream she was left unable to go back to Heaven and Niu Lang grabbed her, carrying her to home. When the Jade Emperor heard of this he was furious but he couldn’t do much seeing as by the time he learnt of what happened, his daughter already fallen in love and married the cowherd.
Over time, Zhi Nu grew homesick and did miss her father. Zhi Nu did one day find her magic robe that allowed her to go back to Heaven, letting her to see the Jade Emperor once again. The Jade Emperor summoned a river across the sky (notably, this is the Milky Way) making Zhi Nu to get back home and see Niu Lang again. The Jade Emperor took pity on the two and once a year on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month he allows Zhi Nu and Niu Lang to meet. The seventh day of the seventh lunar month is a holiday known as Qi Xi, which is also called Chinese Valentine’s Day by some.
The Jade Emperor is said to be originally the crown prince of a kingdom of Pure Felicity and Majestic Heavenly Lights and Ornaments. Upon birth a light filled the entire kingdom and when young the Jade Emperor is described to have been kind, intelligent and wise, helping those in need. When the Jade Emperor’s father died the Jade Emperor himself took his father’s place on the throne, where he made sure that everyone within his kingdom found both peace and contentment.
It was the Jade Emperor who said to his ministers that he wished to cultivate Tao on what is known as the Bright and Fragrant Cliff. Story goes that after 1550 kalpas (one kalpa being 129,600 years) the Jade Emperor attained ‘Golden Immortality” and after another one hundred million years of cultivation of Tao finally became the Jade Emperor.
How the Jade Emperor came to be ruler of Heaven starts at the beginning of time where the earth was vastly different to today. This was a time of not many gods but plenty of demons. The Jade Emperor was at the time an immortal at this time who helped as many people as possible.
Eventually the Jade Emperor retreated into a mountain cave to cultivate Tao, where it is said he went through 3,200 trials, each lasting three million years. A demon wanted to become the ruler of the entire universe and did the same as the Jade Emperor to try to expand its own power although at a later time.
This demon went through the trials and was confident, recruiting an army of demons to attack Heaven.
The gods fought this demon and were unable to defeat this demon and the immortals were preparing themselves to fight this demon. The Jade Emperor fortunately came along and defeated the demon, allowing for the army prepared by this powerful demon to be defeated. Due to this the Jade Emperor became the ruler of Heaven.
Showing posts with label Yi. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Yi. Show all posts
Sunday, March 6, 2011
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Gods And Goddesses: Chang E
Chang E, also known as Chang O and originally as Heng E and/or Heng O but changed to what it is now due to a naming taboo against speaking or writing the names of exalted people in China. Chang E is the moon goddess who is said to live on the moon and whom the spacecraft Chang’e 1 was named after.
While Chang E represents the moon, her husband Houyi, or simply Yi, represents the sun. Chan Chu, also known as the Three-Legged Frog/Toad, represents Chang E and is said to live on the moon alongside with a rabbit that is a companion of Chang E. This rabbit, also known as the ‘Jade Rabbit’, is said to be constantly pounding a Elixir of Immortality for Chang E.
Worship of Chang E is most frequent around the Mid-Autumn Festival, with the day of the Mid-Autumn Festival considered the day of Chang E’s birthday. During the Mid-Autumn Festival alters are set up to Chang E with incense being burnt as an offering. It is also common to offer fruits, flowers and mooncake.
These alters that are set up tend to be facing the moon with items such as lotions, bath salts and make up are placed on the alter to Chang E. These beauty items are for Chang E herself to bless as it is said worshippers of Chang E will be endowed with great beauty.
Chang E also is mentioned in Journey to the West where it is explained that the greedy Zhu Bajie, while as commander of 80,000 heavenly warriors, got drunk at a party. Chang E was seen by Zhu Bajie who was captivated by the beauty of this goddess and tried to make advances on Chang E. These advances failed and Chang E reported Zhu Bajie’s behaviour to the Jade Emperor and it is said that since then Chang E has been reluctant to go to Heaven.
There are a couple legends involving Chang E that involve her husband Houyi. One legend starts with Chang E and Houyi living as immortals in Heaven. The ruler of Heaven, the Jade Emperor, had ten sons who decided to transform into suns that caused a scorching of the earth. The Jade Emperor ordered his sons to stop ruining the earth and failed, so Houyi was asked to help.
Houyi used his archery skills to shoot down nine of the Jade Emperor’s sons, leaving one son to be sun. The Jade Emperor wasn’t pleased by this as nine of his sons were now dead so as punishment both Houyi and his wife, Chang E, was banished to earth to live as mortals.
Chang E was miserable over her lose of immortality so Houyi decided to quest for immortality both Chang E and himself. Houyi eventually got given a pill that would make people immortal by a goddess known as Queen Mother of the West, this pill also could be broken in half and make two people immortal.
Houyi took the pill home where it was stored in a case, warning Chang E not to open the case before leaving home. Chang E out of severe curiosity checked the case and found the pill as Houyi got back home, fear that Houyi would catch her with the case caused Chang E to accidentally swallow the pill. Chang E started to float to the sky and continued to float until she landed on the moon where she had company of the jade rabbit and Chan Chu.
The other legend of Chang E tells how she lived in Heaven and one day accidentally broke a precious jar. Punishment was banishment to earth and was allowed to come back to Heaven if she contributed a valuable service on earth.
Chang E on earth was transformed into a girl of a rich farming family. Chang E grew into a young beautiful woman and was spotted by a hunter from another village, Houyi, whom Chang E became friends with.
Eventually a strange event of ten suns coming into the sky rather than one, bringing the earth to an unbearable heat. Houyi with his bow and arrows shot down nine of these suns and became a hero ad eventually a king, marrying Chang E.
Houyi as a king turned both greedy and selfish, turning his sights onto immortality and ordered an elixir for the purpose of prolonging his life to be created. This elixir came in a form of a pill that Chang E came across that she either accidentally or purposely swallowed. Houyi was angered by this so Chang E fled, jumping out of a window of a chamber at the top of the palace she lived within. Upon jumping out the window Chang E floated to the moon instead of falling to her death. Later, Houyi ascended to the sun where he built a palace.
While Chang E represents the moon, her husband Houyi, or simply Yi, represents the sun. Chan Chu, also known as the Three-Legged Frog/Toad, represents Chang E and is said to live on the moon alongside with a rabbit that is a companion of Chang E. This rabbit, also known as the ‘Jade Rabbit’, is said to be constantly pounding a Elixir of Immortality for Chang E.
Worship of Chang E is most frequent around the Mid-Autumn Festival, with the day of the Mid-Autumn Festival considered the day of Chang E’s birthday. During the Mid-Autumn Festival alters are set up to Chang E with incense being burnt as an offering. It is also common to offer fruits, flowers and mooncake.
These alters that are set up tend to be facing the moon with items such as lotions, bath salts and make up are placed on the alter to Chang E. These beauty items are for Chang E herself to bless as it is said worshippers of Chang E will be endowed with great beauty.
Chang E also is mentioned in Journey to the West where it is explained that the greedy Zhu Bajie, while as commander of 80,000 heavenly warriors, got drunk at a party. Chang E was seen by Zhu Bajie who was captivated by the beauty of this goddess and tried to make advances on Chang E. These advances failed and Chang E reported Zhu Bajie’s behaviour to the Jade Emperor and it is said that since then Chang E has been reluctant to go to Heaven.
There are a couple legends involving Chang E that involve her husband Houyi. One legend starts with Chang E and Houyi living as immortals in Heaven. The ruler of Heaven, the Jade Emperor, had ten sons who decided to transform into suns that caused a scorching of the earth. The Jade Emperor ordered his sons to stop ruining the earth and failed, so Houyi was asked to help.
Houyi used his archery skills to shoot down nine of the Jade Emperor’s sons, leaving one son to be sun. The Jade Emperor wasn’t pleased by this as nine of his sons were now dead so as punishment both Houyi and his wife, Chang E, was banished to earth to live as mortals.
Chang E was miserable over her lose of immortality so Houyi decided to quest for immortality both Chang E and himself. Houyi eventually got given a pill that would make people immortal by a goddess known as Queen Mother of the West, this pill also could be broken in half and make two people immortal.
Houyi took the pill home where it was stored in a case, warning Chang E not to open the case before leaving home. Chang E out of severe curiosity checked the case and found the pill as Houyi got back home, fear that Houyi would catch her with the case caused Chang E to accidentally swallow the pill. Chang E started to float to the sky and continued to float until she landed on the moon where she had company of the jade rabbit and Chan Chu.
The other legend of Chang E tells how she lived in Heaven and one day accidentally broke a precious jar. Punishment was banishment to earth and was allowed to come back to Heaven if she contributed a valuable service on earth.
Chang E on earth was transformed into a girl of a rich farming family. Chang E grew into a young beautiful woman and was spotted by a hunter from another village, Houyi, whom Chang E became friends with.
Eventually a strange event of ten suns coming into the sky rather than one, bringing the earth to an unbearable heat. Houyi with his bow and arrows shot down nine of these suns and became a hero ad eventually a king, marrying Chang E.
Houyi as a king turned both greedy and selfish, turning his sights onto immortality and ordered an elixir for the purpose of prolonging his life to be created. This elixir came in a form of a pill that Chang E came across that she either accidentally or purposely swallowed. Houyi was angered by this so Chang E fled, jumping out of a window of a chamber at the top of the palace she lived within. Upon jumping out the window Chang E floated to the moon instead of falling to her death. Later, Houyi ascended to the sun where he built a palace.
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