Yuanshi Tianzun (), translated as Original and Primordial Heavenly Lord, The Universally Honored One of Origin, Celestial Venerable of the Primordial Beginning, or Primeval Lord of Heaven, is one of the highest deities of Taoism. He is the Jade Purity () among the Three Pure Ones (), and resides in the Jade Purity Heaven. It is believed that he came into being at the beginning of the universe as a result of the merging of pure energies, and then created Heaven and Earth.
Additionally, certain Daoist scriptures record that Yuanshi Tianzun was originally named Le Jingxin (樂靜信, "Joyful, Serene, and Faithful"), a devout practitioner of Daoism who achieved the status of a Heavenly Worthy through cultivation. This narrative is believed to have been influenced by Buddhist stories, particularly the tale of Prince Siddhartha (須大拿太子) from the Six Paramitas Sutra (六度集經), which recounts a past life of Shakyamuni Buddha (釋迦文佛).
He once was the supreme administrator of Heaven, but later entrusted that task to his assistant Yuhuang, the Jade Emperor. Yuhuang took over the administrative duties of Yuanshi Tianzun and became the overseer of both Heaven and Earth. At the beginning of each age, Yuanshi Tianzun transports the Lingpao ching (or "Yuanshi Ching"), the Scriptures of the Magic Jewel, to his students (who are lesser deities), who in turn instruct mankind in the teachings of the Tao.
Yuanshi Tianzun is said to be without beginning and the most supreme of all beings. He is in fact, a representation of the principle of all being. From him all things arose. He is eternal, limitless, and without form. Yuanshi Tianzun was thought to be able to control the present.
In The Master Who Embraces Simplicity (枕中书), written by Ge Hong (葛洪) of the Eastern Jin dynasty, Yuanshi Tianzun's predecessor, Yuanshi Tianwang (元始天王, the Primordial Heavenly King), is described as residing at the center of the heavens on the Jade Capital Mountain (玉京山, Yujing Shan), where his palaces are adorned with gold and jade. Daoist cosmology holds that the Three Pure Ones (三清, Sanqing), including Yuanshi Tianzun, represent the purest realms of existence, free from all defilement. It is said that "the palaces within are vast and intricate, formed from condensed qi and clouds, manifesting according to the workings of the Dao, infinite and unfathomable." Yuanshi Tianzun is described as having existed before the Great Beginning (太元, Taiyuan), embodying the natural qi of the universe, serene and boundless, beyond comprehension. Through his Daoist energy, he nurtures and transforms all things.
The Book of Sui: Treatise on Literature (隋书・经籍志) further elaborates on Yuanshi Tianzun's role, stating that "whenever the heavens and earth are newly formed, he appears either above the Jade Capital or in the wilderness of Qiongsang (穷桑), imparting secret teachings to initiate the kalpa and save humanity." This aligns with the idea conveyed in phrases like "the two scrolls of the Yellow Court (黄庭) deliver the lost" and "the teachings are transmitted to disciples at the Jade Capital and Golden Palace".
Yuanshi Tianzun is the master of the Kunlun Mountains, where he trains numerous disciples, including Jiang Ziya. He instructs Jiang to descend into the mortal world to fulfill his destiny of aiding in the establishment of the Zhou dynasty, remaining steadfast in upholding the will of heaven. Before Jiang departs, Yuanshi Tianzun delivers his final teachings in poetic form, bidding farewell to his disciple.
His Twelve Disciples (十二弟子) of the Jade Void Palace (玉虚宫, Yuxu Gong) serve as divine warriors who assist King Wu of Zhou (周武王) in overthrowing the tyrannical King Zhou of Shang (纣王), laying the foundation for the Zhou dynasty's eight-hundred-year reign. Through these portrayals, Yuanshi Tianzun is elevated to the status of an unrivaled patriarch, embodying the supreme authority over both celestial and mortal realms.
The ten stages of the ritual were:Lam, Joseph S.C. 1998. State Sacrifices and Music in Ming China: Orthodoxy, Creativity, and Expressiveness. Albany, NY: State University of New York Press.
Yuanshi Tianzun is never represented with either images or idols. Instead, in the center building of the Temple of Heaven, in a structure called the "Imperial Vault of Heaven", a "spirit tablet" (神位, or shénwèi) inscribed with the name of Yuanshi Tianzun is stored on the throne, Huangtian Shangdi (皇天上帝). During an annual sacrifice, the emperor would carry these tablets to the north part of the Temple of Heaven, a place called the "Prayer Hall For Good Harvests", and place them on that throne.
The highest heaven in some historic Chinese religious organizations was the "Great Web" which was sometimes said to be where Yuanshi Tianzun lived.
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