Among the five immortals most admired, which one ranks first?

China's unique myth system has always been a prominent branch of China culture. Myth is different from superstition and is the epitome of history and culture. The most intuitive expression of this statement is that the ancient myth system of China has been influenced by celebrity factors. For example, the composition of the myth system includes ancient sages and great powers, Taoist sages, ancient celebrities and folk sacrificial sages.

Taoist immortals

With so many ingredients, the number of immortals in China's myth system has soared. According to incomplete statistics, there are more than 430 gods actually existing all over the country today. Through the analysis of the comprehensive factors such as the largest number, the widest distribution and the greatest popularity of gods, it is concluded that the five most popular gods (Buddhist saints are not in the traditional myth system) are as follows:

Fifth place-Yue Lao

The old man under the moon-the god who lets people get married.

Moon is always the god in charge of marriage, and shrines and shrines are widely distributed in the eastern and central regions, mostly in the words of matchmakers.

Yue Lao, whose real name is Chai, was born in Songzhou in Tang Dynasty and now lives in Shangqiu City, Henan Province. Yue Lao was originally dedicated to the people. According to legend, in the Tang Dynasty, a scholar once saw an old Yue Bai on the bridge, looking for things everywhere. The scholar asked the old man and had to answer that the old man prayed to the moon for the book of human marriage. After a while, the old man took something and took out books and red ropes from his clothes. Talking about the list of marriage and love in the left-handed world, the red love affair in the right hand haunts the feet of men and women. Even though Qian Shan is full of water, it should be in pairs.

So the name of "Yue Lao" came from this and was enshrined by men and women who prayed for marriage in future generations. If the old moon appears, it is estimated that the red silk rope will be turned into a steel rope to bind the messy emotions of young people now. )

Fourth place-Guan Gong

Guan Gong is a god of loyalty, sometimes called Wu Caishen in the south. He is in charge of the unfairness of human loyalty and protects the wealth of businessmen. The shrine of God and Peace is most common in Wu Temple and the south, as well as some small companies in the north.

Guan Yu, formerly known as Guan Yu, was a famous soldier in the Three Kingdoms period. He was famous for holding on to the savior despite his gratitude to Cao Cao. His lifelong loyalty was admired by the world at that time. In recognition of Guan Yu's loyalty, later generations honored him as Guan Yu and entered the Wu Temple for a hundred years. First, it was used as a sacrificial ceremony for Jiang Taigong in Wu Temple, and then it replaced Taigong as the main ceremony in Wu Temple in Ming and Qing Dynasties.

Guan Gong's most famous words were "Look at you!" People who are not tough and dishonest suggest not to put Guan Gong's statue at home.

Third place-landlord

Earth God is the most commonly worshipped god in China (unlike Kitchen God, Earth God has gods and shrines, while Kitchen God has gods and no shrines, so if Kitchen God has shrines, he will not become a Kitchen God). Ancestral temples are mainly distributed in rural areas with obvious culture in China. According to the division of administrative units, the land Lord is the most basic god at the township level.

The mythical records of the land Lord in Han Dynasty mainly came from the people. Jiang, an official of the Han Dynasty, caught a thief and died at the foot of the Purple Mountain. People think it is loyal and brave, and regard it as the original protector of Zijinshan, the land Lord in the embryonic period. Later, Jiang's deeds were praised and sealed by later generations, so people named him the first Qin of the ten halls.

During the Sui and Tang Dynasties, the custom of offering sacrifices to regional protectors gradually spread and gradually became a land of miles and a city god of miles. In the Ming and Qing Dynasties, there were land women who paired up for it, all of whom were righteous gods. The land of ten miles was peaceful, and the grain was abundant, exorcising evil spirits and protecting them.

Second place-God of Wealth

The god of wealth is in charge of human wealth, and after changes, he is sometimes regarded as the manager of Fu Lushou. Shrines and shrines are all over the country, including neighboring Southeast Asian countries. Its shrines are all over many families.

At present, there are nine gods of wealth in China traditional mythology, which are called the Nine Gods of Wealth. These nine gods are:

Wang Hai in the Middle Road (the originator of merchants)

East road must be dry (Wenquxing, Luxing)

Wu Caishen Guangong West Road

Chai Rong South Road (Zhou Shizong, Chai)

Zhao Gongming, North Road (the most orthodox God of Wealth, the real God of Wealth)

Duanmu Ci, Southwest Road (originator of Confucian merchants, ten sons of Confucius)

Fanli Southeast Road (Shangsheng)

Liu Haichan, Northwest Road (founder of Quanzhen School, quasi-god of wealth)

Li Xunzu, Northeast Road (the prototype of the portrait of the God of Wealth, the ancient and modern God of Wealth)

Nearly half of the nine gods of wealth are folk celestial officials and immortals, which are the largest in the breadth and quantity of worship, but the intensity and importance of worship are still slightly different from those of the first place.

First place-Taishang Laojun

As the highest god of Taoism and the creator of the Middle Ages in China's traditional mythology, the old gentleman in Taishang ranks first in the myth system. The operation of the Lord is the master of all energy and all order.

There is some confusion and overlap in the description of the old gentleman in China mythology. Generally speaking, the old gentleman in Taishang is the third generation creation god (the first generation Pangu and the second generation Fuxi Nuwa) in China traditional mythology, and also the highest Taoist god since the Middle Ages. Pangu, the first generation creator, disappeared between heaven and earth, and his soul rose slightly. Once gasified, he returned to Sanqing, that is, Taiqing, Shangqing and Jade Qing. Sanqing is an organic whole, belonging to different forms, and Taishang Laojun is the most common entity transformation.

The old gentleman descended from the sky to teach Taoism, and Laozi was one of them.

As the ancestor of Taoism, the deity and shrine of the old gentleman in Tai Shang must be in the center of Taoist temple, and as long as there is Taoist temple, there must be the deity or Sanqing of the old gentleman in Tai Shang, and the influence of the old gentleman in Tai Shang is not only in China, but also in Japan, South Korea, Southeast Asia and even Europe and America. Every year, the scale of many sacrifices is also the biggest among Taoist activities.

Therefore, it is inferior to the God of Wealth in terms of the number of gods, but its intensity, importance, breadth and number of shrines certainly far exceed that of any other gods.

Another: Queen Mazu.

Empress Mazu's temples are mainly distributed in the southeast coastal areas and southeast Asian countries where Chinese gather. It is the most sacred god in the southeast coastal areas. He is in charge of all the good and bad fortune related to the ocean, such as the safety of navigation and the prosperity of maritime commerce.

Empress Mazu is also a Taoist orthodox fairy, and the number of sacrifices is also very wide. She is one of the most important gods in modern times. However, because it advocates good or bad luck at sea and its protected area is limited, its shrines and shrines are not widely distributed in China, only in the southeast coast of China, so they are not listed.

If we only count the number of believers and shrines but not the breadth of distribution, empress Mazu can rank in the top three.