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{{Taoism}}
{{Taoism}}
The ''' Four Heavenly Ministers ''' ({{zh|c=四御|p= Sì yù }}), also translated as the '''Four Sovereigns''', are four of the highest [[sky deities]] of [[Taoism]] and subordinate only to the [[Three Pure Ones]] ({{zh|c=三清|p=Sān qīng}}). They assist the [[Three Pure Ones]] in administering all phenomenon of the universe.<ref>《道法會元卷之三》</ref><ref name="Wolff2007">{{cite book|author=Richard Wolff|title=The Popular Encyclopedia of World Religions|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=o9Ls4I5t5gIC&pg=PA121|year=2007|publisher=Harvest House Publishers|isbn=978-0-7369-2007-0|page=121}}</ref>


The ''' Four Heavenly Ministers ''' ({{zh|c=四御|p= Sì yù }}), also translated as the '''Four Sovereigns''', are four of the highest [[sky deities]] of [[Daoism]] and subordinate only to the [[Three Pure Ones]] ({{zh|c=三清|p=Sān qīng}}). They assist the [[Three Pure Ones]] in administering all phenomenon of the universe.<ref name="Wolff2007">{{cite book|author=Richard Wolff|title=The Popular Encyclopedia of World Religions|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=o9Ls4I5t5gIC&pg=PA121|year=2007|publisher=Harvest House Publishers|isbn=978-0-7369-2007-0|page=121}}</ref><ref>{{Citation |script-title=zh:《道法會元卷之三》}}</ref>{{Full citation needed|date=August 2022}}
The Four Heavenly Ministers are:<ref>《三教源流搜神大全》</ref>
# the [[Jade Emperor|Great Jade Emperor]] ({{zh|c=玉皇大帝|p= yù huáng dàdì }})
# the [[Ziwei Emperor|Great Emperor of the North Star (Polaris) in the Purple Forbidden enclosure at the center of Heaven (''Tian'')]] ({{zh|c=中天紫微北極大帝|p= Zhōngtiān Zǐwēi Běijí Dàdì }})
# the [[Gouchen Emperor|Great Emperor of the Curved Array/Little Dipper]] ({{zh|c=勾大帝|p= gōuchén dàdì}})
# the [[Houtu|Empress of the Earth]] ({{zh|c=后土皇地祇|p= hòutǔ huáng dìqí}}).


== Four Sovereigns ==
The ''Great Jade Emperor'' is the head of all [[sky deities]] and presides over the heaven. The ''Great Emperor of the North Star'' assists the [[Jade Emperor]] in managing the sun, the moon, stars, and the climate of the four seasons. The ''Great Emperor of the [[Purple Forbidden enclosure|Curved Array]]/[[Little Dipper]]'' oversees all matters in heaven, earth, and the human world. The ''Empress of the Earth'' is in charge of fertility, land, rivers, and mountains.<ref>{{cite wikisource |title=《文獻通考_(四庫全書本)》 |wslanguage=zh |wslink=文獻通考_(四庫全書本)/卷278}}</ref> The four heavenly ministers are often worshiped in Taoist temples.
The Four Heavenly Ministers are:<ref>{{Citation |script-title=zh:《三教源流搜神大全》}}</ref>{{Full citation needed|date=August 2022}}
# the [[Jade Emperor|Great Jade Emperor]]{{efn|{{zh|c=玉皇大帝|p=yù huáng dàdì}}.}}
# the [[Ziwei Emperor|Great Emperor of the North Star (Polaris) in the Purple Forbidden enclosure at the center of Heaven (''Tian'')]]{{efn|{{zh|c=中天紫微北極太皇大帝|p=zhōngtiān zǐwēi běijí tàihuáng dàdì}}.}}
# the [[Gouchen Emperor|Great Heavenly Emperor of the Highest Palace of the Curved Array (Little Dipper)]]{{efn|{{zh|c=勾陈上宫天皇大帝|p=gōuchén shànggōng tiānhuáng dàdì}}.}}
# the [[Houtu|Empress of the Earth]]{{efn|{{zh|c=后土皇地祇|p=hòutǔ huáng dìqí}}.}} ([[Houtu]])


The ''Great Jade Emperor'' is the head of all [[sky deities]] and presides over the heaven. The ''Great Emperor of the North Star'' assists the [[Jade Emperor]] in managing the sun, the moon, stars, and the climate of the four seasons. The ''Great Emperor of the {{Ill|Curved Array|lt=Curved Array|zh|勾陳}}/[[Little Dipper]]'' oversees all matters in heaven, earth, and the human world. The ''Empress of the Earth'' is in charge of fertility, land, rivers, and mountains.<ref>{{cite wikisource |title=《文獻通考_(四庫全書本)》 |wslanguage=zh |wslink=文獻通考_(四庫全書本)/卷278}}</ref> The four heavenly ministers are often worshiped in [[Daoist temple]]s.
==See also==

== Six Sovereigns ==
In some later Daoist accounts, this group is extended to six. The '''Six Heavenly Ministers''' ({{lang|zh|六御|p=liù yù}}) include, in addition to the prior four:<ref>{{Cite thesis |last=Gesterkamp |first=L. |title=The Heavenly Court: a study on the Iconopraxis of Daoist Temple Painting |date=5 March 2008 |url=https://hdl.handle.net/1887/12632 |publisher=Leiden University |page=54|hdl=1887/12632 }}</ref><ref>{{Citation |last=Geng |first=Jipeng |script-title=zh:金元全真道神仙體系中“六御”身份考 |year=2008 |url=https://www.cnki.com.cn/Article/CJFDTotal-QZDY201800005.htm |via=[[CNKI|China National Knowledge Infrastructure]] |language=zh}}</ref>

* the [[King Father of the East]],{{efn|{{zh|c=東王公|p=dōngwánggōng}}.}} also called the Sovereign of the Eastern Florescence{{efn|{{zh|c=東華帝君|p=dōnghuá dìjūn}}.}}
* the [[Queen Mother of the West]],{{efn|{{zh|c=西王母|p=xīwángmǔ}}.}} also called the Primordial Lady Golden Mother{{efn|{{zh|c=金母元君|p=jīnmǔ yuánjūn}}.}}

Other accounts instead add:<!--These are listed on the Chinese Wikipedia [[:zh:四御]] and Japanese Wikipedia [[:ja:四御]]-->
* the [[Old Man of the South Pole]]{{efn|{{zh|c=南極長生大帝|p=nánjí chángshēng dàdì}}.}}
* the [[Taiyi Tianzun|Heavenly Lord of Supreme Oneness and Salvation from Misery]],{{efn|{{zh|c=太乙救苦天尊|p=tàiyǐ jiùkǔ tiānzūn}}.}} also called the East Pole Emperor of Blue Essence{{efn|{{zh|c=東極青華大帝|p=dōngjí qīnghuá dàdì}}.}}

== See also ==
* [[Chinese mythology]]
* [[Chinese mythology]]


==References==
== Notes ==
{{reflist}}
{{Notelist}}


==External links==
== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
* [http://zh.daoinfo.org 道教文化资料库]
* [http://zh.daoinfo.org 道教文化资料库]
* [http://www.zdic.net/c/9/14f/331172.htm 玉皇大帝]
* [http://www.zdic.net/c/9/14f/331172.htm 玉皇大帝]
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{{Chinese mythology}}
{{Chinese mythology}}


[[Category:Four heavenly ministers| ]]
[[Category:Chinese gods]]
[[Category:Chinese gods]]
[[Category:Sky and weather gods]]
[[Category:Sky and weather gods]]
[[Category:Deities in Taoism]]
[[Category:Taoist deities]]



{{China-myth-stub}}
{{China-myth-stub}}
{{Tao-stub}}
{{Tao-stub}}
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{{Deity-stub}}
[[Category:Four heavenly ministers]]

Latest revision as of 22:49, 15 December 2023

The Four Heavenly Ministers (Chinese: 四御; pinyin: Sì yù), also translated as the Four Sovereigns, are four of the highest sky deities of Daoism and subordinate only to the Three Pure Ones (Chinese: 三清; pinyin: Sān qīng). They assist the Three Pure Ones in administering all phenomenon of the universe.[1][2][full citation needed]

Four Sovereigns

[edit]

The Four Heavenly Ministers are:[3][full citation needed]

  1. the Great Jade Emperor[a]
  2. the Great Emperor of the North Star (Polaris) in the Purple Forbidden enclosure at the center of Heaven (Tian)[b]
  3. the Great Heavenly Emperor of the Highest Palace of the Curved Array (Little Dipper)[c]
  4. the Empress of the Earth[d] (Houtu)

The Great Jade Emperor is the head of all sky deities and presides over the heaven. The Great Emperor of the North Star assists the Jade Emperor in managing the sun, the moon, stars, and the climate of the four seasons. The Great Emperor of the Curved Array [zh]/Little Dipper oversees all matters in heaven, earth, and the human world. The Empress of the Earth is in charge of fertility, land, rivers, and mountains.[4] The four heavenly ministers are often worshiped in Daoist temples.

Six Sovereigns

[edit]

In some later Daoist accounts, this group is extended to six. The Six Heavenly Ministers ([六御] Error: {{Lang}}: invalid parameter: |p= (help)) include, in addition to the prior four:[5][6]

Other accounts instead add:

See also

[edit]

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ Chinese: 玉皇大帝; pinyin: yù huáng dàdì.
  2. ^ Chinese: 中天紫微北極太皇大帝; pinyin: zhōngtiān zǐwēi běijí tàihuáng dàdì.
  3. ^ Chinese: 勾陈上宫天皇大帝; pinyin: gōuchén shànggōng tiānhuáng dàdì.
  4. ^ Chinese: 后土皇地祇; pinyin: hòutǔ huáng dìqí.
  5. ^ Chinese: 東王公; pinyin: dōngwánggōng.
  6. ^ Chinese: 東華帝君; pinyin: dōnghuá dìjūn.
  7. ^ Chinese: 西王母; pinyin: xīwángmǔ.
  8. ^ Chinese: 金母元君; pinyin: jīnmǔ yuánjūn.
  9. ^ Chinese: 南極長生大帝; pinyin: nánjí chángshēng dàdì.
  10. ^ Chinese: 太乙救苦天尊; pinyin: tàiyǐ jiùkǔ tiānzūn.
  11. ^ Chinese: 東極青華大帝; pinyin: dōngjí qīnghuá dàdì.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Richard Wolff (2007). The Popular Encyclopedia of World Religions. Harvest House Publishers. p. 121. ISBN 978-0-7369-2007-0.
  2. ^ 《道法會元卷之三》
  3. ^ 《三教源流搜神大全》
  4. ^ 《文獻通考_(四庫全書本)》  (in Chinese) – via Wikisource.
  5. ^ Gesterkamp, L. (5 March 2008). The Heavenly Court: a study on the Iconopraxis of Daoist Temple Painting (Thesis). Leiden University. p. 54. hdl:1887/12632.
  6. ^ Geng, Jipeng (2008), 金元全真道神仙體系中“六御”身份考 (in Chinese) – via China National Knowledge Infrastructure
[edit]