Deities in Taoism
Unlike other religions, Taoism does not focus on deities. Of course, there are many that are worshipped in temples and such. However, Taoism does not have an omnipotent, almighty God in charge like Christianity. Rather, the Tao is more like the "main god" in many aspects, except for the fact that it is not a tangible force and cannot be directly worshipped.
Lao Tsu (left), the credited founder of Taoism and the author of the Tao De Jing, is revered as Taoism's first god and a direct personification of the Tao. Most of the other gods are borrowed from other belief systems or Chinese culture. These deities are not ones with supreme power, though. The Tao is above them and these deities also follow the two.
Although important deities differ among different "branches" of Taoism, deities include:
- Three Pure Ones
- Guan Shengdi
- Eight Immortals
- Yellow Emperor
- Li Hong
-Xiwangmu
- Chang'e
- Jade Emperor
The Jade Emperor is usually hailed as the head god. In other branches, Lao Tsu is venerated as the head deity. Most of these deities derive from Chinese folklore and are rather trivial to the essence of Taoism.
Lao Tsu (left), the credited founder of Taoism and the author of the Tao De Jing, is revered as Taoism's first god and a direct personification of the Tao. Most of the other gods are borrowed from other belief systems or Chinese culture. These deities are not ones with supreme power, though. The Tao is above them and these deities also follow the two.
Although important deities differ among different "branches" of Taoism, deities include:
- Three Pure Ones
- Guan Shengdi
- Eight Immortals
- Yellow Emperor
- Li Hong
-Xiwangmu
- Chang'e
- Jade Emperor
The Jade Emperor is usually hailed as the head god. In other branches, Lao Tsu is venerated as the head deity. Most of these deities derive from Chinese folklore and are rather trivial to the essence of Taoism.
