Chinese mythology

Important mythologies and deities

• 盘古开天辟地 Pangu cleaves open heaven and earth -- the traditional story of the Earth's creation in Chinese mythology.
• Three Pure Ones -- highest deities of Daoism.
• Jade Emperor -- ruler of Heaven and Earth.
• 女娲补天: Nüwa seals the broken sky using stones of seven different colours -- the patch becomes the rainbow.
• 女娲造人: Nüwa creates humanity -- the story has been retold through many Chinese cartoons.
• 仓颉造字: Cangjie creates the characters
• 大禹治水: Great Yu regulates the courses of rivers (to control floods)
• The Eight Immortals.
• The Cowherd and Weaver Girl.
• Xi Wangmu (西王母) The Queen Mother of the west.
• Shen Yi The saviour of China. A great archer. (See note in solar deity)
• Chang E Yi's wife, moon Goddess.
• Shen Nong Inventor of agriculture.
• Zao Jun popular god of the Kitchen.
• Matsu (Tin Hau)
• Guan Yin
• Wong Tai Sin
• Sun Wukong The Monkey King from the story Journey to the West
• Guan Yu
• Gong Gong Evil water demon who crushed Mount Buzhou.
• Chi You (蚩尤 chi1you2) A war god who fought Huang Di. Inventor of metal weapons.
• Nü Ba Ancient goddess of drought.
• Zhu Rong God of fire. Defeated Gong Gong.
• Fei Lian or Feng Bo Wind God. Enemy of Shen Yi.
• Tam Kung, sea god
• Sam Po, sister of Matsu
• God of North (Bei Di, Pak Tai)
• Bi Fang (必方 bi4fang1) mythical god of fire (also write as 畢方).
• Huang Di (黃帝) fathers of medicine
• Hai Re (海若 hai3re4) god of the sea.
• Zhong Kui (鍾馗 [zhong1kui2) mythical person reputed for subjugating demons.]
• Lei Gong (雷公 lei2gong0) god of thunder
• A Xiang (阿香 a4xiang1) the girl driver of the chariot of God of Thunder
• Xuan Nu (玄女 (xUan2nU3) who assisted Huang Di (黃帝) to subdue Chi Yau (蚩尤).
• Yan Luo (閻羅 yan2luo2) ruler of Hell (short from 閻魔羅社 Sanskrit Yama Raja).
• Che Kung
• Hau Wong
• Hung Shing
• Jung Kwae, or Zhong Kui
• Kam Fa
• Lung Mo
• Man Cheong
• Tam Kung
• Tou Tei, or Tou Dei
• Bi Gan, Cai Shen God of Wealth; Rides on a Tiger

Mythical creatures

• Ba She (巴蛇 ba1she2) a snake reputed to swallow elephants
• Birds:
  • Fenghuang (Chinese Phoenix)
  • Ji Guang (吉光 ji2guang1)
  • Jian (鶼 jian1) A mythical bird supposed to have only one eye and one wing: 鶼鶼 a pair of such birds dependent on each other, inseparable, hence, represent husband and wife.
  • Jing Wei (精衛) a mythical bird which tries to fill up the ocean with twigs and pebbles.
  • Shang-Yang (a rainbird)
  • Su Shuang (鷫鵊 su4shuang3) a mythical bird, also variously described as a water bird, like the crane.
  • Peng (鵬, a mythical bird of giant size and terrific flying power)
  • Qing Niao (青鳥 qing1niao3) a mythical bird, the messenger of Xi Wang Mu.
  • Zhu (a bad omen)
• Chinese dragon
  • Yinglong, a powerful servant of Huang Di.
  • Dragon King
  • Fucanglong, the treasure dragon
  • Shenlong, the rain dragon
  • Dilong, the earth dragon
  • Tianlong, the celestial dragon
• Kirin (Better: Qilin)
• Kui (夔 kui2) a mythical one legged monster.
• Kun (鯤 kun1) a mythical giant monsterous fish.
• Hopping corpse
• Fox Spirit
• Nian, the beast
• Ox heads & horse faces 牛頭馬面 messenger boy in Hell.
• Rui Shi (瑞獅)
• Tao Tie (饕餮 tao1tie4) a mythical gargoyle like figure, often found on ancient bronze vessels, representing greed.
• Xiao (魈 xiao1) A mythical mountain spirit or demon.

Mythical places

• Xuan Pu (玄圃 xUan2pu3), a mythical fairyland on Kunlun Mountain (崑崙).
• Yao Chi (瑤池 yao2chi2), abode of immortals where Xi Wang Mu lives.
• Fu Sang (扶桑 fu2sang1), a mythical island, often interpreted as Japan.
• Que Qiao (鵲橋 qUe4qiao2) the bridge formed by birds across the milky way.
• Peng lai (蓬萊 peng2lai2) the paradise, a fabled Fairy Isle on the China Sea.
• Long Men (龍門 long2men2) the dragon gate where a carp can transformed into a dragon.

See also:

• Chinese astrology
• Religion in China
• List of deities
• I Ching

Referenced By