The Taoist Pantheon
The Taoist Pantheon is a complex one, more so than any other group of deities and gods, with the possible exception of the Judeo-Christian god YAWEH and his hosts of angels and their hierarchies. To be certain, the system through which the Taoist deities govern the affairs of “all under heaven”, is more complex, as are the numerous festivals dedicated to the different deities, which will be explained later at the end of this text, with a listing of the different festival days, and their corresponding deity or immortal that they honor.

 The Wu Hai Lung Temple is not a devotional sect, however, we do observe the festival and feast days, though in not so much of an elaborate manner as the ceremonial and devotional sects of Taoism do. We do specifically honor the deities that have disseminated certain kinds of knowledge to mankind, which we teach here, including methods of achieving immortality, internal alchemy, martial arts, the ways of power and magick, and moving in harmony with nature to live a better and more harmonious life with our fellow man.

Tai-shang Lao-chung

Tai Shang Lao Chung is a deified image of Lao Tzu, representing the Wu Chi, or Primordial Chi. Though represented by Lao Tzu’s image, the real Wu Chi is formless and indescribable, the beginning of all things, and to which all things will eventually return.

 

San Ch’ing

The San Ch’ing, the Three Incorruptables, or Three Pure Ones, are known individually as follows; The Jade Pure- Yu-Ch’ing, Great Pure- T’ai Ch’ing, and High Pure- Shang-Ch’ing. Together, they are also known as the Celestial Lords of the Three Pure realms. The Jade Pure Realm is the domain of Wu-Chi Tien-tsun, the Celestial Lord of the Limitless, or Ancient Beginning. The Great Pure Realm is the domain of Ling-pao Tien-tsun, the Celestial Lord of the Sacred Spirit. The High Pure realm is the domain of Tao-te Tien-tsun, the Celestial Lord of Virtue. These three deities are immediately after Tai- shang Lao-chung, as they are direct emanations of Him. They also represent the three levels of Taoist Immortality and enlightenment. The Jade Pure Realm is the realm of Wu Chi, and the highest level of immortality. To rise to this realm is to attain complete union with the Tao. The Great Pure Realm is the next highest realm, the realm of Tai Chi, where one exists in a state where subject and object are differentiated, yet integral parts of the Tao. The third realm, High Pure, is the realm of the Pa Kua, attaining this realm of immortality is to live a long life on earth in harmony with both nature and humanity. These three Pure Ones also have a special meaning for practitioners of internal alchemy, as they represent the pristine and original pure state of the three internal energies. Every human is endowed with these energies in the womb at conception. Jade Pure is the original spiritual energy, the shen, the Great Pure is vital, or breath energy, the chi, and the High Pure represents the original generative energy, the ching. These three energies also emerge when man and woman copulate. The goal of the practice of internal alchemy is to transform the internal energies, which change with age, back into the pristine form given to us when we were conceived, and maintain them.

 

The Jade Emperor

The Jade Emperor is the ruler of the Celestial realm. In certain sects he is identified as an incarnation of the Celestial Lord of the Great Pure Realm, Ling-pao Tien-tsun, giving him the titles Great Celestial Lord Jade Emperor- Yu-hueng Ta-t’ien-tsun, and High Emperor of the Mysterious Realm of the Sacred Spirit- Hsuan-ling K’ao-shang Ti. He governs human destiny, sitting in the Celestial Abode in the star Tzu-wei, there to judge humanity. To those who do right, just, and good deeds through their lives, he grants health, longevity, and prosperity. To those who do wrong, unethical, or evil deeds and commit injustice, he takes their health, longevity, and prosperity away.

 

Mother Empress of the West

Hsi-wang Mu is the Celestial Empress of the Western Paradise. She resides in a palace among the peaks of the Kun-lun Mountains in Western China. She is the keeper of the doorway to the Celestial Realm, and is responsible for bestowing longevity and immortality. She is the keeper of the garden where the Peaches of Immortality are grown. Men and women alike must meet her standards before being granted immortality. She also has the power to open or close the Gates of Life to mortals. She is revered in this respect by practitioners of internal alchemy, and the arts of achieving immortality especially. She is also known as Kuan Yin, an adapted icon from Buddhism.

 

Mother of the Bushel of Stars

Tou-mu, is of Hindu origin. From Sanskrit to Chinese, she is known as Mo-li-chih. She is the healer and giver of the Great Medicine, the elixir of immortality, and the patron of healers, and immortality practitioners. Normally depicted with 8 arms, holding the orbs of the sun and moon, a bow, a spear, a bell, a seal, and with the remaining two hands clasped, forming the mudra of compassion. The sun and moon represent Tou-mu as the mother of all celestial bodies. The bow and spear, her power over illness. The bell symbolizes compassion, the seal shows her power over death. The mudra of compassion shows her power to heal the sick. Internal alchemists invoke Tou-mu to help them complete the Great medicine or Golden Elixir, for she is the director of the movement of the stars, and mover of the internal energy in the body.

 

Celestial Lord of the Great Beginning

T’ai-I T’ien-tsun is an immediate subordinate of the Jade Emperor. He presides over the realm of the dead. He is recognized as the deity who taught mankind the ceremonies of the festival of Chung-yuan; the Middle season, or festival of the Officer of the Terrestrial Realm. He is the symbol of compassion, and his compassion extends to all souls, living and dead, hence his festival is also called the festival of All Souls.

 

The Seven Star Lords of the Northern Bushel

These are the deities that live in the 7 stars that make up the Northern Bushel, known to us as the Big Dipper. They are the subordinates of the Jade Emperor, and carry messages of his verdicts regarding an individual’s destiny. In Taoism, each person is born under the guardianship of one of the seven stars. The guardian or birth star is responsible for the individual’s health and longevity. Good health is indicated by the guardian star being bright. If it is dim, poor health is indicated. On the first and 15th days of the lunar month, and the first 7 days of the 9th lunar month in particular, the deities of the Northern Bushel descend to the mortal realm to proclaim the judgment of the Jade Emperor to mankind. They also report back to the Jade Emperor, the good and bad deeds of those in their charge. Based on the reports, the Jade Emperor will reward or punish according to the merit of the individual. Since human health and longevity depend on them, the Seven Star Lords of the Northern Bushel are considered the masters of health and longevity. The 7 Star Lords are attended by the Left and Right Guardians. These stars, which are themselves celestial deities, reside in the constellations to the left and right of the Northern bushel. The 7 Star Lords and the two Guardians are sometimes called the 9 Kings of the Northern Bushel. For internal alchemists, the stars of the Northern Bushel have special meaning. In a cosmology where the North Pole Star represents the unmoving and permanent underlying reality of the Tao, the 7 stars of the Northern Bushel represent the moving and changing aspect of the Tao. The Northern Bushel constellation is associated with the element of water, and it symbolizes the energetic energy in the body. The direction North, and the water element are yin in nature, therefore the Northern Bushel is also considered to be the very essence of yin.

 

The Southern Bushel Stars

Associated with prosperity, these 6 stars, the brightest in the constellation Sagittarius, are each accompanied by a young attendant. It is said that the Lords of the Southern Bushel are firey and quick tempered, and their actions are swift and uncompromising. In internal alchemy, the Southern Bushel is associated with the fire element, or the essence of yang energy. The Southern Bushel represents the fire of the vital breath energy at the middle dan tien, located at the solar plexus.

 

Officers of the Celestial, Terrestrial, and Water realms

The San-kuan are the agents who carry out or enforce the verdicts of the Jade Emperor. When rewards are bestowed, the Celestial Realm Officer grants prosperity. The Terrestrial Realm Officer forgives transgressions, and the Water Officer delivers humanity from disaster. When punishment is enforced, the San-kuan withdraws their gifts, and create disasters in the three realms of sky, earth, and water. Therefore, the Celestial Realm Officer causes droughts, cyclones, wind storms, etc. The Terrestrial Officer causes earthquakes, landslides, volcanoes, sinkholes, etc., while the Water Officer causes floods, tsunami, “rogue waves”, and so on. Additionally they are the lords of the three feasts marking the beginning, middle, and end of the year. The Celestial Realm Officer presides over the Beginning Season; Shang-yuan. The Terrestrial Officer presides over the Middle Season; Chung-yuan, and the Water Officer presides over the Last Season; Hsia-yuan. The feasts are held on the 15th day of the 1st, 7th, and 10th lunar months, respectively.

 

Patron of the Arts and Literature

Immediately subordinate to the Jade Emperor, in the Celestial Domain, he resides in a group of stars adjacent to the Northern Bushel. He is responsible for rewarding honorable scholars, and punishing unscrupulous ones.  Wen-chang Ti-chun is also the announcer of the Jade Emperor’s judgments.

 

Lords of the 5 Mountains

The Wu-yueh Ti-chun are the guardians of the 5 sacred mountains in China. Hua-shan in the west, T’ai-shan in the east, Heng-shan south, in Hunan, Heng-shan north in Shansi, and Sung-shan, in the center. Each Lord is also the guardian of that direction, and the keeper of the element associated with that direction. Therefore, the Western Lord wears a white robe, and is the keeper of metal. The Eastern Lord wears a green robe and is the guardian of wood. The Southern Lord wears red and is the keeper of fire. The Northern Lord wears black and is the custodian of water. And the Central Lord wears yellow, and reigns over earth.  These five Lords are also the keepers of the gates to the underworld, found deep in the bowels of the mountains they are lord over. Hence, these deities are most often invoked in ceremonies involving journeys to the underworld.

 

Later Heaven Deities

 

These deities are comprised of sages and heroes who have been granted immortality by the Celestial Emperor or Empress because of their deeds in both the mortal and immortal realms.

 

Lu Tung-pin

A historical figure from the T’ang dynasty, he is regarded as the patriarch of many Taoist sects, symbolizing the wisdom that cuts through the material world. Legend says that while on the way to the capital to take qualifying exams for government service, he met with the immortal Chung-li Ch’uan, who gave him a pillow to sleep on. That night, Lu had dreams that showed him the futility of politics, fame, and power. He dreamed that after a brief success in court politics, he was drawn into intrigues that brought him exile and death far from home. The next day, Lu realized the illusions of fame, fortune, and temporal power, and followed Chung-li Ch’uan into the mountains to learn the arts of immortality. In icons of Lu, he is shown carrying a sword or a flywhisk. The sword cuts through the illusion of impermanence, and the whisk sweeps away the dust covering the reality of the Tao. There are many legends of Lu returning to the mortal realm to heal the sick, deliver people from suffering, and help others attain immortality, which earns him special honor from internal alchemical sects of Taoism.

 

Emperor Kuan-ti

Kuan-ti was a general of Shu, of the Three Kingdoms. Kuan was skilled in the military arts, and was uncompromising in his integrity and sense of honor. Killed in the war against Ts’ao-ts’ao, the unscrupulous minister, Kuan-yu stood for everything that was virtuous, honest, and honorable to the Chinese people. After becoming a folk hero, he was elevated to deity status when made the patron of military arts, and renamed Kuan-ti, or Emperor Kuan. His role now as General of the Celestial Armies, Kuan-ti has accumulated many heroic deeds fighting demons and monsters. His accomplishments earned him the recognition of the Great Deities, and in a series of promotions, he earned the titles Kuan the sacred Emperor, and Emperor of the Golden Tower, Kuan Hsing-ti and Chin-ch’ueh Ti-chun respectively. He is revered as the patron of the military arts, keeper of virtue, and embodiment of all things honorable.

 

These are but two of the most commonly recognized Taoist Immortals, of which there are 8 main ones. Many of the different sects consider their founders to be among the Immortals as well, and hold feasts in their honor, as well as specific ceremonies dedicated to them. The rest of the 8 primary Immortals are as follows;

Ts'ao Kuo-chiu
Ts'ao Kuo-chiu represents the nobility for he was connected with the Imperial Sung Dynasty. His brother committed a crime for which he was ashamed and he retired and became a hermit who studied the Tao and learned the recipe for perfection. He holds in his hands the tablet that admits one to an audience with the emperor.
One day Han Ching-li and Lu Tung-pin found him and asked him what he was doing. He replied that he was studying the Tao. "What is that and where is it?" they asked. He pointed first to the sky and then to his heart. Then they realized that he understood and they gave him the recipe for perfection.

Chang Kuo-lao
Chang Kuo-lao was once the head of the Imperial Academy but he retired to live as a hermit on Mt. Chung-t'iao in Shansi. He was summoned to court by the Empress Wu (684-705 A.D.) however, when he reached the Temple of the Jealous Woman he fell down dead. Shortly afterwards he came back to life.
He had a magic mule, which could travel thousands of miles a day. When he reached his destination the mule would turn to paper and Chang Kuo-lao could fold it up and put it in his pocket. To revive it he unfolded it and spurted water on it with his mouth. He is often pictured riding the mule, facing the tail.

Li T'ieh-kuai
Li T'ieh-kuai has an iron crutch and a black face. He represents the crippled and deformed. He tries to alleviate human suffering. He was taught to be an immortal by Hsi-wang-mu, Queen of the Immortals.
One day, when his soul went to Mt. Hua he told his disciple to guard his body and cremate it after seven days if he had not returned. On the sixth day the disciple's mother fell ill and so leaving to take care of her he burnt the body a day early. Li T'ieh-kuai's soul on returning could find no body so it entered that of an old man who had just died. Only then did he discover that it was a cripple. At first he wanted to leave it but Lao Tzu persuaded him to stay and gave him a golden circlet and an iron crutch.
He carries a gourd with him in which he keeps medicine to help people. Some say that it contains the elixir of life made from the peaches of immortality that grow in Hsi-wang Mu's garden.

Ho Hsien-ku
Ho Hsien-ku is represented holding a lotus blossom (a symbol of purity) and a peach. The legend is that she lived in the time of the Empress Wu (684-705 A.D.) in the Yun-mu (Cloud Mother) Mountains.
One night she had a dream that she should grind up a stone called Yun-mu and eat it. She did and vowed chastity at the same time. She then floated from mountain peak-to-peak gathering fruits, which she gave to her mother (she having no need to eat). The Empress heard of her and summoned her to the court but on the way she disappeared. In this way she became an immortal. She is a patron deity of women.

Han Hsiang-tsu
Han Hsiang-tsu represents youth. He was the grand nephew of Han Yu (768- 824 A.D.) who was a minister to Emperor Hsing-tung. He is reported to have accomplished all manner of remarkable feats including the production of extraordinary plants.
He became an immortal by eating one of the peaches of immortality. He carries with him a basket of fruit or flowers.
He was a disciple of Lu Tung-pin.

Han Chung-li
Han Chung-li represents military men. He lived during the Han dynasty when he was a Marshall of the Empire. In his old age he became a hermit and lived on Yang-chiu Mt. in Shansi where he met the Five Heroes who taught him how to be an immortal. This knowledge he taught to Lu Tung-pin.
During a famine he turned base metals into silver, which he distributed to the poor people. He is recognized as a figure who holds a fan or a peach.
When he achieved immortality he was carried by a stork into the Heavens. Another legend has it that the wall of his hut burst open to reveal a casket in which were instructions on how to become an immortal.

Lesser Deities

The Kitchen Lord

Tsao-chun, the keeper of fires and watcher of the household, is responsible for “keeping the cooking fires going”, a euphemism for having plenty of food in the house to feed the family. In the Taoist pantheon, he is also charged with reporting the deeds of each household member to the jade Emperor at the end of the year, where he presents the list of good and bad deeds of each member of the household to the Jade Emperor. It is common for people to make offerings to Tsao-chun to put in a good word for them.

 

Xuan Wu Dadi

Lord Xuan Wu (variously called The Dark Lord of the North, The Lord of True Martiality, the North Lord Xuan Wu, Lord Black, The Lord of Black Martiality, etc.) is one of the most widely revered Gods of traditional China, ranking in popularity behind only Guan Yin and Guan Gong. The God is usually depicted in black robes, holding a sword and sometimes wearing a jade belt. His long black hair flows freely down his back. Lord Xuan Wu is always depicted with a tortoise and a snake, sometimes beneath one of his feet. He is revered as a powerful God, able to control the elements (worshipped by those wishing to avoid fires), and capable of great magic. He is particularly revered by martial artists, and is the 'patron saint' of Wudang Mountain in China's Hubei Province, where he allegedly attained immortality. The name "wudang" roughly translates as "only Xuan Wu deserves it."

 

Zhong Kui

 Zhong Kui is very commonly popular Deity believed to drive away ghosts and evil fortunes while bringing good luck and success. He is typically depicted as a physically large warrior with a wild beard. He carries a sword, with which he uses in performing his duties. He often has ghosts following him as servants, and he is followed by bats (a symbol of luck). There are countless stories of Zhong Kui's adventures in taming evil, and Chinese people traditionally hung pictures of Zhong Kui in their doorways on the 5th day of the 5th lunar month and on lunar New Year's Eve.

 

Cai Shen, The God of Wealth

 Although possessed of no cult, the Cai Shen is one of the most popular Taoist Gods in traditional China. All individuals in historically poor China worshipped this wealth-giving Deity. In modern China people continue to worship the God of Wealth, and businesses across East Asia routinely maintain an altar in His honor. Every lunar New Year the God of Wealth descends from Heaven to inspect his followers. Chinese people across Asia eat dumplings on this day, as they are thought to resemble ancient ingots of precious metal. The God of Wealth is welcomed on New Year's night according to the Chinese geomantic almanac. The God of Wealth is depicted in many images, but most include a long white or black beard, and a smiling countenance. He also frequently wears a broad, heavy belt and a hat, which includes protruding rectangular earpieces.

 

60-Year Cycle Gods

 Many people mistakenly believe that Chinese astrology is based upon a simple 12-year animal cycle. Taoism's calendrical system is actually quite complex, with an overlapping rotation of ten "heavenly stems" with twelve "earthly branches." The result is a 60-year cycle. A particular Deity rules each year in this cycle. The ruling Deity in your birth year is your 'guide' or 'guardian angel.' The 'children' of any of these Deities will exhibit particular and similar characteristics

 

Rain, Wind, and Thunder Spirits

Yu-shih, Feng-po, and Lei-mu are ancient deities that date back to prehistoric times. Their formal names are Master of Rain, Count of Wind, and Mother of Thunder, respectively. They are usually invoked in rainmaking ceremonies, and appear in the company of greater deities such as T’ai-I T’ien-tsun, Emperor Kuan, and Immortal Lu.

 

The Earth Father

Tu-t’i is the guardian of a locality. A spirit from ancient times, he was brought into the Taoist pantheon. He is now revered as the protector of sacred ground, especially temples and shrines, as well as being a messenger of the deities. At the close of many ceremonies Tu-t’i is asked to carry the petitions and prayers to the deities, and is thanked for keeping mischief out of the ceremonial grounds.

 

Other Deities

There are many other deities in the Taoist pantheon, many of which are particular to individual sects of Taoism. Certain deities, especially immortals, are special to individual sects. The Celestial Teachers sect considers their founder Cheng Tao-ling to be a great immortal, and has ceremonies dedicated to him. Another sect, the Lung-men sect, enshrines its founders in its temples. Additionally, many local heroes, sages, and miracle workers have a large following in certain regions of China. Many Taoist sects have incorporated incarnations of the Buddha and Bodhisattvas into the hierarchy of deities. Kuan Yin is often considered an incarnation of the Mother Empress of the West. Tathagata Buddha is considered an incarnation of T’ai-shang Lao-chun. Manjushri is, in some sects, an incarnation of Lu Tung-pin, and Amitabha Buddha is named Wu-liang-shuo Fo, the Enlightened One of Unending Longevity. These are the most utilized and recognized among the Buddhist icons that have been adopted into Taoism.

 

The Administrative Structure of the Taoist Realm

Just as important as it is to know who is who in the Taoist pantheon, is their function, within it as well. This has been touched on in part in the descriptions of each deity and immortal, but there is more to it than that. As in all things, it is the subtle teachings that carry the most weight.

Every deity, immortal, and spirit has a specific duty. In the Taoist pantheon, there are administrators, warriors, and teachers. Under the administrators category, are judges, heralds, officers, bureaucrats, clerks, and messengers. Among the warriors are generals, captains, soldiers of different ranks, and guards. The teachers encompass avatars, patrons, and instructors. Taoist deities are divided into ranks. T’ai-shang Lao-chun is the highest deity of all, but is not an administrator. He is the source of all knowledge and life. In the pantheon, the Jade Emperor and Mother Empress of the West are almost equal in rank. While T’ai-shang Lao-chun is the power behind creation and dissolution, the three Pure Ones are the agents that make it happen. The Jade Emperor passes judgments on mortals and decides their fates, while the Mother Empress, Kuan Yin, decided who attains immortality. Below these two deities, is a large group of administrators and bureaucrats. In addition to their aforementioned duties, they take care of other things, including attending to the petitions of mortals, such as blessings for protection, love, pleas of forgiveness and repentance, sent to the Jade Emperor via the Three Officers, or San-kuan. The clerks of the Celestial Realm take care of records of shrines, temples, monasteries, and other holy places. When a new place of worship is opened,  the abbot sends a message to the Celestial Realm, so the deities may come to inaugurate the holy space. The patron deities of the shrine or temple are the primary ones notified. The clerks also record names of ordained priests, monks, and abbots. In this way, the deities know who is authorized to perform ceremonies and who is worthy of receiving the transmission of sacred scriptures.

Unlike Buddhism, where the beings who dwell in the underworld also administrate it, Taoism has celestial deities that attend to the affairs of the underworld. T’ai-i T’ien-tsun is the chief administrator of affairs in the underworld. This includes the Ledger of the Dead, the Ledger of Rebirth, and the Ledger of Rehabilitation. The first of course, records all the spirits entering the underworld. The underworld isn’t considered a form of Hell, or place of torment, but a place where spirits dwell until it is time for them to be reincarnated. When it is time, their name is put into the Ledger of Rebirth. Depending on the deeds of the soul in life, this dictates how long, if needed, that they must be taught or educated by T’ai-I T’ien-tsun to no longer begrudge their fate of dying, and to stop clinging to the mortal realm to haunt the living, and receive a speedy reincarnation. For those souls considered nearly unredeemable, there is an actual 10 level Hell, where the worst cases are rehabilitated, but it is not considered directly a part of the underworld, much like the difference between Hades and Tartarus in Greek Mythology. The Lords of the 5 Mountains are also responsible for underworld affairs. When a priest needs to enter the underworld, it is the duty of the 5 Lords to open the gates of the underworld when petitioned by the priest to do so. The most important administrators have messengers, usually depicted as children. The 5 Lords of the Mountains each have an attendant, each dressed in the same color as the Lord in question. The Star Lords of the Northern and Southern Bushels have their attendants, and Kuan Yin has a group of young women as attendants. T’ai-I T’ien-tsun is accompanied by a boy who carries his banner.

 

Warrior Class

Captains, who in turn are commanded by generals, lead the warriors of the Celestial Realm. Emperor Kuan, Celestial King Li-Ching who holds the Celestial Tower, and Yueh Fei are the three highest commanders. The spirits of Thunder, Rain, and Wind are captains of the Celestial Warriors, as are many Star Lords. Additionally, there are the rank and file fighters and guards who defend the gateways to the Celestial Realm.

 

Taoist Celestial Teachers 

At the top rank of the Taoist pantheon of teachers are the avatars, beings who choose to mingle with humanity and take on mortal appearances to inspire, instruct, and advise. More often than not they are Immortals. They are the embodiment of wisdom. Lu Tung-pin is just one example. Next come the patrons, each from different branches or areas of spiritual knowledge and practice. Tou-mu, patron of   healers and internal alchemy, and Fu His, patron of divination arts, are examples of this level of teacher. Instructors of specific techniques come next. Chung-li Chuan and Chang Tzu-yang, also known as Po-tuan, are instructors of immortality and internal alchemical techniques. Immortal Huang-shih is an instructor of geomancy, or feng shui.

 

Festivals and Ceremonies

Devotion is expressed in many ways, among them, the observance of festivals in the performance of ceremonies. There are many kinds of festivals in ceremonial Taoism, the most important ones are known as chai-chiao, the Great Services. These can last for days normally. They can be occasions of celebration, mourning, petitioning the deities, or repentance. The Festival of the Officer of the Terrestrial Realm is focused on repentance, while the Festival of the Northern Bushel of Stars is a cross of celebration and repentance. Major rainmaking ceremonies fall under services of petition.

Ritual Gatherings, fa-hui, are not as elaborate as the Great Services, but are major festivals as well, and can also last for several days. Festivals in honor of the Officers of the Celestial and Water Realms are usually celebrated as Ritual Gatherings. Depending on the ceremony, it can be either a Great Service, or Ritual Gathering.

Feast days of the deities, or a “tan”, occur on each lunar month. The major Taoist deities have their designated feast day, where ceremonies to honor them are devoted to the activities of the day, other than the feast itself. Almost all Taoist religious communities celebrate feast days that honor T’ai-shang Lao-chun, with the Three Pure Ones, the Jade Emperor, Kuan Yin, and Immortal Lu Tung-pin. Tou-mu and the Northern Bushel of Stars feasts are combined, as many others are.

Service days are another Taoist festival, where a liturgy is chanted. The liturgy is usually dedicated to one, or more deities. The Northern and Southern Bushel of Stars Liturgies are the most popular, other than those of the temples patron deity.

Other services are performed for private individuals. These include funerals, birthday blessings, and others. In the case of burials, the funeral rites are usually done on the day of burial, except for more elaborate ones where the burial requires rituals and chanting performed on the 7th, 21st, and 49th days after interment. These rituals are designed to guide the deceased through the underworld. Birthday blessings are most often made as a petition to the Northern or Southern Bushel Star Lords, for health, longevity, and prosperity. The following is a table of the different festival days and their associated deities.

 

23rd day. Ling-pao Tien-tsun (Tai-ch’ing or Great Pure One). The second of the embodiments of Lao-tzu and ruler of the domain of T’ai-chi

 

7 th Lunar month

7th day.  Hsi Wang-mu (Mother Empress of the West). Keeper of the gateway to immortality. Recommends and confers immortality.

15th day. Ti-kuan (Officer of Earth).

:\Also known as the Ruler of the Middle Season (chung-yuan). Subordinate of the Jade Emperor. He is responsible for pardoning wrongdoings.

 

8th Lunar month

3rd day. Tsao-chun (the Kitchen Lord).

The Kitchen Lord is responsible for watching and recording the deeds of people in their homes. He is the keeper and guardian of the stove and the flame. The Kitchen Lord ascends to the celestial realm to report to the Jade Emperor twice a year. Length of life of individuals is e\’valuated each time a report is made.

10th day.  Pei-yueh Ti-chun (the Emperor of the Northern Mountain). Same duties as the Emperor of the East, except that he is guardian of the gate to the underworld in the Heng-shan (Shansi), the Northern Mountain. His color is black and his element is water.

 

9th Lunar month

1st through 9th day Descent of the Northern Bushel Star Lords to Earth. On each of these days, a star from the Northern Bushel Constellation visits the mortal realm to grant happiness, longevity, and prosperity to persons born under their guardianship. Each person is said to be born under one of the Star Lords. If a person has accumulated good deeds, the guardian star will grant life and prosperity.

1st day. Descent of the North Star Lord.

The North Star rules over the Seven Stars and grants reward and retribution An incarnation of the Jade Emperor.

9th day. Tou-mu (the Mother of the Bushel of Stars).

She is the origin of the stars. Her two eldest children are the North and South Pole Stars. The patron of medicine, internal alchemy, and all healing arts.

 

10th Lunar month

14th day. Fu Hsi. Patron of all the divinational arts.

15th day. Shui-kuan (the Officer of Water). Also known as the Lord of the Last Season (hsia-tian). He is responsible for protecting people from misfortune.

 

11 th Lunar month

6th day. Hsi-yueh Ti-chun (the Emperor of the Western Mountain). Same duties as the other Emperors of the Mountains as keeper of the gate to the underworld in Hua-shan, the Western Mountain. His color is white and his element is metal.

11th day. Tai-i Tien-tsun (Celestial Lord Tai-i). He is responsible for delivering both living and dead from suffering and has the power to summon the dead souls and spirits of the underworld. He is said to have transmitted the liturgical Festival of Chung-yuan (All Souls Festival) to humanity.

 

12th Lunar month

16th day. Nan-yueh Ti-chun (the Emperor of the Southern Mountain). Same duties as the other Emperors of the Mountains as guardian of the gate to the underworld located in Heng-shan (in Hunan) in the south. His color is red and his element is fire.

24th day. Kitchen Lord ascends to the celestial realm. At the end of the year, the Kitchen Lord reports our deeds to the Jade Emperor.

While the Wu Hai Lung Temple does observe most of these festivals, we do not focus on them in the same way that the devotional or ceremonial brances of Taoism do. We pay special homage to the deities that teach immortality, internal alchemy, and other esoteric practices, including talisman magick and the martial arts, other than the most important deities in the pantheon.