Main Temple Shrine
【Arrangement of Gods】
King Guangze
Guangze Zunwang (AD.923-938): is the local god of Nan’an in Sanyi, Quanzhou, Fujian, China. He is also known as “Baoan Zunwang” and “Baoan Guangze Zunwang”. Commonly known as “Guo Xianggong”, “Guo Shenggong”, “Guo Shengwang”, “King of Tiaojiao”, “Sheng Wanggong”, etc. It is said that Guangze Zun Wang Bao’s surname was Guo and his given name was Zhongfu. He is the eleventh grandson of Guo Ziyi, a famous general in the Tang Dynasty. In the early years of Tongguang’s reign in the Later Tang Dynasty, he was born in Chongshan Lane, Penglai, at the foot of Shipai Mountain in Anxi. When he was a child, he worked as a herdsman. Later, he received the guidance of master Kanyu on the treasure land of Feng Shui and moved to Shishan to practice. At the age of sixteen, he sat cross-legged on an ancient vine and became a god. According to historical records, after Guangze Zunwang became an immortal and became a god, he had great supernatural powers, responded to requests, performed benevolence and bestowed blessings, inspired gods and helped in battles, and made outstanding achievements. From the Song Dynasty to the Qing Dynasty, it was awarded six times by the emperors of the past dynasties.
Emperor Wenchang
It is a god respected by Chinese folk and Taoists who is in charge of the fame and fortune of scholars. Sometimes it is also referred to as “Wenqu”. If his name is translated freely, he is the monarch in charge of the prosperity of culture/language. In physical astronomy, Wenchang is a constellation of six stars close to the Big Dipper. Historically, Emperor Wenchang was often worshiped by writers in need of inspiration or students about to take exams. In Taoism, he is a famous god who blesses students with success in exams or tests. Every year, during Emperor Wenchang’s Christmas, many large-scale rituals are held to bless children who are about to enter school or students whose grades are not ideal.
Marshal of the Middle Altar
Marshal of Zhongtan: referred to as “Tai Ziye”, also known as “Prince Nezha”. He was originally a god in Buddhism. After entering China, he was gradually Chineseized. The story of Nezha is widely circulated among the people. It is said that he was the divine general in front of the Jade Emperor. He was later sent to the world as the third son of Li Jing, the king of pagoda, named Li Nezha. When Nezha grew up, he worshiped Master Taiyi as his teacher and learned a lot of kung fu. Later, Nezha fought with the son of the Dragon King of the East China Sea. In anger, Nezha twitched the dragon’s tendon. Nezha knew that he had committed a serious crime, so in order not to affect his parents, he cut his flesh to return to his mother and carved his bones to return to his father, in order to repay his parents’ great kindness. His master Taiyi Zhenren immediately transformed into a lotus flower and rescued Nezha. Since then, Nezha’s magic power has become more powerful and he can subdue demons and ghosts. Nezha is also the marshal of the middle camp among the marshals of the fifth camp in the prince’s belief system, so he is called “marshal of the middle altar”.
Fu Zheng Shen
Da Bo Gong: also known as “the God of Fortune and Righteousness”. It is one of the gods most widely worshiped by the Chinese in Southeast Asia. As the saying goes: “The great uncle is at the head of the field and the tail of the field.” The statue of the great uncle, with his hair and clothes tied up, is the image of a white-haired and gentle old man. There is also a figure riding a tiger, which means the great uncle. Can eliminate harm. Some people believe that Tua Pek Gong evolved from the earth god, while others believe that this god is a native god of the Chinese people in Southeast Asia. No matter what, Tua Pekong has become one of the gods that is deeply rooted in the hearts of the people and deeply loved. He is everywhere, he is kind and kind, and wherever there is land, he is protecting all living beings.
Good Fortune Boy
Also known as Shancai Gong among the people, he is a close attendant of Guanyin Bodhisattva. “The Avatamsaka Sutra” records: There were five hundred boys in the blessed city where Manjushri Bodhisattva once lived, and Shancai was one of them. When he was born, many rare treasures naturally appeared in his home, so he was named “Shan Cai”. The belief in Shan Cai Gong is very prosperous in Southeast Asia. Nanting Temple in Muar, Malaysia is famous for enshrining Shan Cai Gong. Every year on the 23rd day of the first lunar month, a large number of believers go to the temple to offer incense and worship.
Confucius
Confucius (BC.511-479): Confucius, a famous educator and thinker in the Spring and Autumn Period of China. Confucius’s name was Qiu and his courtesy name was Zhongni. Confucius created the culture of private lectures and was the founder of Confucianism. In ancient times, Confucius was revered as the “Sage of Heaven” and the “Muduo of Heaven”. He was one of the most erudite scholars in the society at that time. He was respected by later generations of rulers as the Saint of Confucius, the Most Holy, the Most Holy Teacher, and the Eternal Master. Teacher’s example. His thoughts and doctrines had a profound impact on later generations.
Erlang Shen
Erlang Shen is also known as Erlang Xiansheng Zhenjun, Guankou Erlang, Erlang Zhenjun, Guanjiang God, Chicheng King, Zhaohui Xianshengrenyou Wang, Qingyuan Miaodao Zhenjun, etc. He is a deity in folk belief and Taoism. Folks mostly believe that he is a god related to water conservancy, farming, and preventing floods, or even a water god. Before the Qing Dynasty, he was worshiped as the god of drama, the god of hunting, the god of Cuju, the god of thunder, the god of wine, etc. The original name of Guanhe in Guannan County, Lianyungang is Guanjiang. Wulongkou of Guanhe is considered to be the residence of Erlang God. During the Ming and Qing Dynasties and the Republic of China, there was always Erlang Temple at Wulongkou of Guanhe River, which was very popular. Some people believe that Erlang God lives in Dujiangyan City, Sichuan. Dujiangyan has Erwang Temple (called Erlang Temple in ancient times), so some theories say that the mouth of Guanjiang River is Dujiangyan. Due to the influence of “The Romance of the Gods”, Erlang Shen is usually called Yang Jian. He is infinitely powerful and unpredictable, and can have seventy-two transformations (eight-nine mysterious skills).
Emperor Gantian
Xu Xun, courtesy name Jingzhi, was a famous Taoist priest in the Jin Dynasty. He was a native of Yitangpo, Changding Township, Nanchang County (now part of Jiangxi). He was the respected ancestor of Jingming Taoism and Lushan School of Taoism. Xu Xun was born in the first year of Taikang in Jin Dynasty (280 AD). He served as the order of Jingyang (now part of Sichuan), and was known as Xu Jiulang, Xu Jingyang, Jingyang Patriarch, Gantian Emperor, also known as Xu Tianshi and Xu Zhenjun, one of the four great immortal masters of Taoism. The Gantian Emperor worshiped in Chaoshan area refers to Boyi, commonly known as Uncle, Uncle, Uncle Bo, and Old Uncle. Temples of Gantian Emperor are scattered all over Chaoshan, and Boyi’s belief is very prosperous.
Bodhidharma Patriarch
Patriarch Bodhidharma, whose real name is Bodhidharma, is the third son of King Xiangzhi of South India and the 28th ancestor of Indian Zen Buddhism. Bodhidharma sailed from India to China and began to spread Zen Buddhism. Bodhidharma crossed the river with a reed, went north to Luoyang, the capital of the Northern Wei Dynasty, and then stationed at the Shaolin Temple in Xisong Mountain. He stayed in front of the wall for nine years and passed on the mantle of Zen to Huike. After the second patriarch Huike and others vigorously promoted it, it finally became the largest sect of Chinese Buddhism. Later generations respected Bodhidharma as the first ancestor of Chinese Zen and respected Shaolin Temple as the ancestral court of Chinese Zen.
Zhang Tianshi
At the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty, Zhang Daoling was the founder of Zhengyi League, the Tao of Heavenly Masters. Taishang Laojun “taught the three-day righteous dharma and appointed him as a heavenly master” and “rectified a real person for the three-day masters”. Later generations honored him as “Lao “Ancestral Heavenly Master”, “Zhengyi Zhenren”, “Three Heavenly Master”, “Gaoming God”, “Zhang Tianshi”. During the reign of Emperor Huan of the Han Dynasty, he ascended to the throne in Lingtai Mountain (also known as Tianzhu Mountain) in Cangxi County, Sichuan. Legend has it that he was 123 years old at the time. He was called the “Ancestral Master” in Taoism. He wrote “Lao Zi Xiang Er Zhu” and had more than 300 disciples. He established the Twenty-Four Rules and laid the foundation for the Tao of Heavenly Masters. Zhengdao was founded by Zhang Daoling and passed down hereditary by his descendants, with Laozi as the leader, the method of propagation using talismans and ritual rituals, and the pursuit of immortality and immortality as the highest realm. Because Zhang Daoling made alchemy and practiced Taoism in Longhu Mountain, Longhu Mountain can be called the first Taoist mountain in China.
Taishang Laojun
The highest deity of Taoism, Taiqing Daodetianzun among the Three Qing Taoist ancestors, the full name is “Yiqi Hua Sanqing Taiqingju Dachixianxian ascended the Taiqing Realm Xuanqi to become the sun god Baojun Daodetianzun Hunyuan God”, referred to as Taishang Lao Jun is the god who receives the most incense and worship among the three pure gods, and has saved countless people. Taishang Laojun is the incarnation of “Tao”, the ancestor of vitality, and the foundation of heaven and earth. He is also the teacher of the three religions; Laozi is the 18th incarnation of Taishang Laojun. Because he handed down the Taoist classic “Tao Te Ching”, he is called the Taoist God and is also regarded as the founder of Taoism. Every year on the 15th day of the second lunar month is the Christmas Day of Taoist Taishang Laojun.
Zheng Chenggong
An important military leader in China from the late Ming Dynasty to the early Qing Dynasty. After the Ming Dynasty was overthrown by the Qing Dynasty, Zheng Chenggong organized military forces and persisted in resisting the Qing army. In 1659, he led a large-scale armed uprising based in Fujian. The scope of the war reached the Yangtze River Basin, but the uprising failed immediately. In 1662, Zheng Chenggong took Taiwan back from the Dutch and continued to resist the Qing Dynasty using Taiwan as a base. He became a god and hero in Chinese culture. Even the Qing government named him a prince.
God
Xuantian God: Also known as “Dangmo Tianzun”, he is one of the great gods of Taoism. In the Song Dynasty, the emperor’s name was taboo and he was renamed “Zhenwu”, so he was also called “Emperor Zhenwu”. Regarding the origin of Xuanwu, most scholars believe that it comes from the primitive star belief. Based on their understanding of celestial phenomena, the ancients divided the stars distributed around the ecliptic into four groups: east, west, south, and north, which were called the four elephants, the four spirits, the four beasts, and the four gods. There are seven stars in each group. The stars in the north are shaped like turtles and snakes, and the stars in the north are Xuanwu. The turtles and snakes have scales called Wu, so they are called “Xuanwu”. With the rise of Taoism, Xuanwu gradually became the Taoist god and was personified. The Taoist priests gave a new explanation to the origin of Xuanwu’s wealth: Xuanwu helped King Wu defeat Zhou and subdued the six demon kings of water, fire, drought, locust, plague and demon. Four of the demon kings were defeated and fled. Only the two demon kings, water and fire, turned into tortoises and giant snakes to resist. However, Xuanwu used his power and captured the two demons under his feet. The turtle and snake surrendered, and the Jade Emperor named the turtle as the Taixuan Water Spirit and the Black Spirit God; the giant snake was named the Taixuan Fire Spirit and the Red Spirit God, and became Xuanwu’s subordinates.Since then, there has been a saying among the people that there are two generals: turtle and snake. And because turtles and snakes are originally related to the two demons of water and fire, they are also called the two generals of water and fire. From then on, the image of Xuanwu became a great northern god with black hair, a sword, turtles and snakes on his feet, and his followers held black flags. In fact, ancient people’s worship of turtles and snakes began very early. The ancients believed that turtles know people’s feelings and good or bad luck, and can act as a mediator between gods and humans. Therefore, tortoise shells are also used as tools for divination. Snakes are also widely used as totems because of their spirituality. Therefore, Emperor Xuanwu was actually a combination of early star worship and animal worship. The statue of Xuantian God in Doumu Palace has a white face, the appearance of a refined and venerable person, rather than the appearance of Kong Wu. It is the same as the Xuantian God Statue in Wudang Mountain, the holy land of Quanzhen Taoism in China.
Guan Shengdijun
Guan Sheng Emperor: Commonly known as Guan Gong, that is, Guan Yu, the famous general of Shu during the Three Kingdoms period. He was famous for his “loyalty, righteousness and bravery”. Therefore, after the Song Dynasty, Guan Gong’s influence expanded day by day. Not only was he widely worshiped among the people, but he was also constantly bestowed and praised by emperors. . Private secret religious associations, especially gang organizations such as the “Tiandihui”, particularly worship Guan Gong’s character of “loyalty”, “righteousness”, “bravery” and “martial arts”. In addition, the businessmen walking around were full of respect for Guan Gong’s righteousness, loyalty and unyielding courage, making Guan Gong the object of worship for the businessmen, and he gradually gained the responsibility of the God of Wealth.
Marshal Zhao Gong
His real name is Lang and his courtesy name is Gongming. He is also known as Zhao Xuantan and Marshal Zhao Gong. “Xuantan” refers to the Taoist fasting altar, which also means protecting the law. It is one of the four marshals of Taoism. It is also said that he is the God of Wealth, in charge of worldly wealth.
Monkey King
Monkey King: Legend has it that Monkey King, the Monkey King, is a drop of blood of Tathagata Buddha, stained on a stone. The stone absorbs the essence of the sun and moon and turns into the Monkey King. The Monkey King protected Monk Tang from the West and succeeded in obtaining Buddhist scriptures, and became a victorious Buddha. Folks worship the Monkey King because of his great martial arts, his ability to subdue demons and protect the country’s peace. In the first 20 years of the 20th century, many Peranakans in Singapore worshiped the Monkey King, whom they called the “Great Sage”. They believe that the Monkey King has boundless power and can help believers alleviate their illnesses and guide them in the right direction.
Patriarch Qingshui
Patriarch Qingshui: Originally a monk in the Song Dynasty, his common surname was Chen and his given name was Puzu. He was a native of Yongchun County, Fujian. Once, Penglai County, Anxi, encountered a severe drought and asked Patriarch Qingshui for help. The Patriarch successfully prayed for rain and was persuaded by the local people to stay, so he moved to Qingshuiyan, Anxi. Patriarch Qingshui was enthusiastic about charity and encouraged the construction of dozens of bridges throughout his life. He was famous for “praying for rain” and was revered by the local people. After his death, he was worshiped as a god and was commonly known as “The Patriarch”, “The Patriarch of Wu Mian”, etc., and his influence grew day by day. After spreading to Southeast Asia, Patriarch Qingshui was widely worshiped, especially by the people of Anxi. The ancestral temple in Qingshuiyan, Anxi County has also become a holy place for believers to return to their hometown to pay homage to their ancestors.
Marshal Tiandu
Marshal Tian Du: His original name was Lei Haiqing, and people often called him “Tian Gong”. Lei Haiqing was a famous musician in the Tang Dynasty, known as the “Pipa Master”. He was good at music, singing and dancing, and was skilled in magic. He could assist the heavenly master to expel plague ghosts. Folk legend: During the reign of Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty, Anlu Mountain rebelled and invaded Chang’an. He took Lei Haiqing and other court musicians to Luoyang and forced them to play music. Lei Haiqing, who was loyal and righteous, threw his musical instrument to the ground, refused to play music, and angrily accused An Lushan of treason. He was sentenced to death by being quartered on five horses. Later, Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty named him “the director of all pear gardens in the world”, which is also the god of drama. Legend has it that Lei Haiqing appeared in the clouds to protect Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty when he was on his way to Sichuan. The word “Thunder” on the handsome flag was covered by the clouds, and the upper half of the word “Rain” was covered by the clouds. Only the word “Tian” appeared, so the people called it “Marshal Tian Gong”. As the god of drama, Marshal Tian Gong was widely worshiped because of the performances of gods-rewarding dramas in temples.
Patriarch Pu’an
Patriarch Pu’an: Zen Master Pu’an, the thirteenth generation successor of the Linji Sect of Buddhism, was born in Jiangxi and was born in the Song Dynasty. During his lifetime, Zen Master Pu’an helped people eliminate disasters and cure diseases, and his many efficacious stories are widely known. Since the Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties, both the official and the private sector have created nunneries for worship. Pu’an Patriarch’s belief spread from Jiangxi to Fujian, and from Fujian to various parts of Southeast Asia. Patriarch Pu’an is also regarded as the patron saint of the civil engineering industry.
The left shrine in the main hall of Doumu Palace is dedicated to Guanyin, and the right shrine is dedicated to Zhusheng Empress. Both woodcut statues are historic works of art. Avalokitesvara sits on the lotus platform, with her hair in a high bun, her hands clasped in front of her, her face calm and serene, her eyes lowered, looking down at all living beings with infinite compassion; Empress Zhu Sheng wears a gold hoop in her hair, holding a young child in her arms, her face Plump, kind-faced and friendly-looking.
The niches on the left and right are dedicated to female gods. I don’t know if it is a coincidence or intentional. In the Doumu Palace where there was no Doumu yet, these two empresses used the image of mothers to appease all living beings. Doumu Palace does not worship Mazu, the goddess of the sea, but worships the god of delivering children. It can be seen that the Chinese ancestors experienced the process of wandering at sea and settling on the island. They longed for the gentle arms of their mother, a harbor to rest, and to put down roots and settle down. Live and work in peace and contentment, and have many heirs, so the Zhusheng Empress and Guanyin, which symbolize fertility, have become people’s hopes and sustenance of life.
Jiutian Xuannv
Jiutian Xuannv: Jiutian Xuannv is also called Jiutian Empress. Its original shape is an ancient black bird, the legendary ancestor of the Shang clan. Xuanniao later transformed into Xuannv. The book “The Yellow Emperor Asks Xuannv about the Art of War” records that the Yellow Emperor fought against Chi You and was defeated in nine out of nine battles. Later, he met Xuannv in the form of a human head and a bird in Taishan and taught him the art of war, and then he defeated Chi You. After Jiutian Xuannv was absorbed by Taoism, she became a female fairy under the control of the Queen Mother. At this time, Jiutian Xuannv had broken away from her half-human and half-bird shape and evolved into a human body. In the “Seven Lots of Yunji” compiled by Zhang Junfang in the Song Dynasty, Jiutian Xuannu was more completely deified and became a Taoist goddess. In folk belief, Jiutian Xuannv has become the ancestor of the incense industry, and everyone in the incense industry enshrines her in their homes.
Dragon Girl
Pair it with the good-wealth boy for worship. In China, both are attendants of Guanyin Bodhisattva. The description of the dragon girl and the good-luck boy may have been influenced by the golden boys and girls around the Jade Emperor. Dragon Girl is the eight-year-old daughter of the Dragon King of the East China Sea.
Note the birth of the empress
Empress Zhusheng: Empress Zhusheng is in charge of the birth of boys and girls. Legend has it that Empress Zhu was the sister of Zhao Gongming, the god of martial arts and wealth. According to “The Legend of Fengshen”, Yunxiao, a disciple of “Empress Zhusheng”, once made a magic weapon from a birth basin and was known as the “Hunyuan Golden Dou”. She joined forces with Bixiao and Qiongxiao to help King Zhou resist King Wu of Zhou. After he died in battle, he was She was named the “Empress of Instruction for Life”, served on a golden plate by the Jade Emperor, and was responsible for the duties of fertility in the human world. The three gods Yunxiao, Qiongxiao, and Bixiao are collectively called the “Three Aunts”, and among the people, they are collectively referred to as the Zhusheng Empress. Some people also think that the Lady Zhusheng is Lady Linshui, because both gods are in charge of women’s fertility.
Mazu/Heavenly Holy Mother
Mazu is a well-known ocean deity in China. She has many names and sacred titles, the most famous of which is the Heavenly Mother. She is the deified form of Lin Mo (Lin Mo Niang) in history. Lin Mo lived in Fujian between 960 and 987 AD. She was a goddess who healed diseases and saved people. After her death, she became the god of the sea, and fishermen, sailors and her followers continued to praise her miracles. The belief in Mazu has expanded from the coastal areas of China to Southeast Asia. Mazu patrols the sea to protect believers from shipwrecks. She is known as Mazu. She is not only the patron saint of sailors, but also protects overseas believers in their lives. No matter who or where they are, they can get her help if they pray to Mazu.
Nuwa
She is the mother god in Chinese mythology, the sister and wife of Fuxi (the God-Emperor). Her divine names are Emperor Wa and Empress Nuwa. She created humans and patched up the sky. After the battle between gods and demons, the sky collapsed, and Nuwa continued to patch it up with colorful stones (red, yellow, blue, black, and white).
Zhang Gongshengjun
Zhang Gong Shengjun: Also known as “Fa Zhugong”, he was originally the local god of Anxi, Fujian. His real name is Zhang Ziguan (Zhang Ciguan), a native of the Southern Song Dynasty. He studied Taoism since he was a child and is highly skilled in Taoism. One year he fought with the demon in Shiniu Mountain. They also summoned Taoist masters Xiao Ming and Zhang Min to assist in the battle. The three mages worked together to eradicate the demons and were worshiped by the local villagers. The villagers are commonly known as the Three Saints Zhang, Xiao and Zhang. Their statues are black-faced, red-faced and green-faced respectively. The statue of the sage Zhang Gong is with disheveled hair and a sword, with angry eyes, barefoot on a fire wheel, and a large snake wrapped around his neck and waist.
Doumu Yuanjun
There is a brand new statue of Dou Mu on the altar table in front of the main shrine of the main hall. Doumu Palace originally did not have a statue of Doumu, but this statue was invited from China in 2005. From then on, “Doumu Palace” became worthy of its name. Taoism calls Doumu “Doumu Yuanjun”, and Yuanjun is the honorific title of the female immortal. In addition to being in charge of the sun, moon and stars, and being the mother of all the stars in the Big Dipper, Dou Mu is also the yin god of the innate origin, who governs life, cures diseases and provides disaster relief, and provides safe pregnancy and childbirth. Therefore, many Taoists go to the Doumu Hall in Taoist temples to pray for heirs or longevity, praying for health and longevity and the safety of their descendants. Dou Mu is in charge of the stars in the Big Dipper, and is in charge of people’s birth and death. She has great supernatural powers and boundless magical power. People say that as long as she fasts wholeheartedly and worships Dou Mu on the spring day, even the ten sinful karma can be eliminated. Mother’s incense has always been strong. The statue of Dou Mu is unique: there are three eyes on the forehead, a head and four faces on the shoulders, and four arms on the left and right sides of the upper body. With both hands in the middle, put your palms together to perform the scooping technique. The remaining six arms hold the sun, moon, bell, golden seal, bow, and sword respectively. The image of Dou Mu has rich meanings: the two wheels she holds in her hand symbolize the yin and yang and Tai Chi; her four heads are upright in response to the four images; her eight arms hang down her head to symbolize the Bagua. The miraculous image of Dou Mu also foreshadows her boundless power and lofty status as “the Taoist Mother of Heaven”. Coincidentally, the “sun” and “moon” held by Dou Mu’s hands are interpreted as the characters for “ming”, which makes her related to the legend of the Hongmen Society who “revolted against the Qing Dynasty and restored the Ming Dynasty”.