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Xuan Wu (god)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Xuan Wu
Amulets that were blessed under Xuan Wu
Since the usurping Yongle Emperor of the Ming dynasty claimed the help of Xuan Wu during his successful Jingnan Campaign against his nephew, he had monasteries constructed in the Wudang Mountains of Hubei, China. where Xuan Wu allegedly attained his immortality.
Contents
Other Names
Xuan Wu is also commonly known as the Northern Emperor (北帝, Modern Pinyin Beidi, Cantonese Pak Tai) and Imperial Lord (帝公, Modern Pinyin Digong, Hokkien Teh Kong).He is sometimes referenced as the Dark or Mysterious Heavenly Upper Emperor or God (玄天上帝, Xuantian Shangdi) and as the Truly Martial Grand Emperor (真武大帝, Zhenwu Dadi).
Stories
The original story
One story says that Xuan Wu was originally a prince of Jing Le State in northern Hebei during the time of the Yellow Emperor. As he grew up, he felt the sorrow and pain of the life of ordinary people and wanted to retire to a remote mountain for cultivation of the Tao.Qing Dynasty's version
Another says that Xuan Wu was originally a butcher who had killed many animals unremorsefully. As days passed, he felt remorse for his sins and repented immediately by giving up butchery and retired to a remote mountain for cultivation of the Tao.One day while he was assisting a woman in labor, while cleaning the woman’s blood stained clothes along a river, the words "Xuan Tian Shang Di" appeared before him. The woman in labor turned out to be a manifestation of the goddess Guan Yin. To redeem his sins, he dug out his own stomach and intestines and washed it in the river. The river turned into a dark, murky water. After a while, it turned into pure water.
Unfortunately, Xuan Wu did indeed lose his own stomach and intestines while he washing them in the river. The Jade Emperor was moved by his sincerity and determination to clear his sins; hence he became an Immortal known with the title of Xuan Tian Shang Ti.
After he became an immortal, his stomach and intestines after absorbing the essences of the earth, it was transformed into a demonic turtle and snake which harmed people and no one could subdue them. Eventually Xuan Wu returned to earth to subdue them and later uses them as his means for transportation.
Generals Wan Gong and Wan Ma
Zhenwu (Xuan Wu) with the two generals, and the Snake and Tortoise figures at his feet. Wudang Palace, Yangzhou
Cult
Depiction
Xuan Wu is portrayed as a warrior in imperial robes, his left hand is in the "three mountain hand seal", somewhat similar to Guan Yu's hand seal, while the right hand holds a sword, which is said to have belonged to Lü Dongbin, one of the Eight Immortals.Another legend says that he borrowed the sword from Lü Dongbin to subdue a powerful demon, and after being successful, he refused to bring it back after witnessing the sword's power. The sword itself would magically return to its owner if Xuan Wu released it, so it is said that he always holds his sword tightly, and is unable to release it.
He is usually seated on a throne with the right foot stepping on the snake and left leg extended stepping on the turtle. His face is usually red with bulging eyes. His birthday is celebrated on the third day of the third lunar month.
Xuan Tian Shang Di in Indonesia
In Indonesia, almost every Taoist temples provides an altar for Xuan Tian Shang Di. The story states that the first temple that worshiped him was a temple at Welahan Town, Jepara, Central Java. And the temples that was built in honor of him are the temple at Gerajen and Bugangan, Semarang City, Central Java. His festival is celebrated annually every the 25th day, 2nd month, of Chinese calendar.[1] The worshipers of Chen Fu Zhen Ren, especially at De Long Dian Temple, Rogojampi, Banyuwangi Regency, East Java, believes that Xuan Tian Shang Di is their patron’s spiritual teacher. That’s why they put his altar at the right side of Chen Fu Zhen Ren’s altar, in the middle room of the temple which is always reserved for the main deity of klenteng (a specific term for Chinese temple in Indonesia.Popular culture
- In the classic novel Journey to the West, Xuan Wu was a king of the north who had two generals serving under him, a "Tortoise General" and a "Snake General". This king had a temple at Wudang Mountains in Hubei, thus there is a Tortoise Mountain and a Snake Mountain on the opposite sides of a river in Wuhan, the capital of Hubei.
- In recent times, Xuan Wu is a central character in the popular urban fantasy series' by Kylie Chan: The Dark Heavens Trilogy and the Journey to Wudang Trilogy.
See also
- Black Tortoise or Turtle, the Chinese mythological figure and astronomical symbol known by the same name
References
- Buddhist Temple Jin De Yuan Jakarta. 2012. Taken= March 14th, 2013. Hian Thian Siang Te – Dewa Langit Utara
External links
- 元代以來真武信仰的另類傳播
- 玄天上帝の変容 −数種の経典間の相互関係をめぐって−
- tour de klenteng – Middle Java – Klenteng Xuan Tian Shang Di Grajen, Semarang
- Hian Thian Siang Te – God Of Northern Heaven
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BACKGROUND
Edit
Xuan Wu is the creator of all martial arts. When he was Raised, the
two parts of him, the Snake and the Turtle, were left behind. They
caused havoc, killing travellers, and stealing women to keep as sex
slaves. When Xuan Wu came back, he fought the Snake and the Turtle,
absorbing them back into himself. He is the only Shen who has two
creatures. After this, he travelled the Celestial Plane, finding the
other Winds, throwing them down from their positions of power, and then
making them swear fealty to himself.
He continued his life as a Shen, until he met Michelle, a mortal woman. He married Michelle, and stayed on the Mortal Plane with her, thus draining himself of power. He had a daughter with her, named Simone. When Michelle's parents came to visit, Xuan Wu decided to travel to his Mountain on the Celestial plane, for a short while. While he was gone, a Demon Prince, named Simon Wong broke in, incapacitated Leo, Michelle's bodyguard, killed Michelle's father and brothers, and kidnapped Michelle and her mother. He seemed unaware of Simone, and so left her alone. Simon Wong was unaware of how fragile humans are, and so raped Michelle and her mother until they 'broke.' When Xuan Wu came home, he was devestated, but held it together for Simone's sake. http://kyliechan.wikia.com/wiki/Xuan_Wu
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