职能神祇 · 护法诸天
Guardian Deities
The functional gods of Taoism — each presiding over a domain of human need, from battle to hearth, from exams to oceans.
What Do You Seek?
Choose a domain to find your deity
War, Loyalty & Protection
Guardians of righteousness and martial virtue
Guan Yu
关羽 · 关圣帝君The God of War, Loyalty, and Righteousness. A historical general of the Three Kingdoms era elevated to divine status. Patron of martial arts, police, and brotherhoods. His red face embodies unwavering loyalty.
Zhenwu Dadi
真武大帝 · 玄天上帝The Great Emperor of Perfected Warriorship. Lord of the North, wielding sword and serpent-tortoise emblem. Protector against demons, plague, and floods. Wudang Mountain is his sacred domain.
Door Gods
门神 · 神荼郁垒 / 秦琼尉迟Pairs of guardian warriors painted on doors to ward off evil spirits. The earliest pair (Shentu and Yulei) date to ancient myth; later popular pairs include the Tang generals Qin Qiong and Yuchi Gong.
Wealth & Commerce
Deities of prosperity, fortune, and fair trade
Scholarship & Examinations
For students, scholars, and seekers of knowledge
Hearth & Household
Guardians of home, family, and daily life
Kitchen God
灶神 · 灶王爷The Stove God who monitors each household's moral conduct. Every腊月二十三 (23rd of the 12th lunar month), he ascends to heaven to report on the family. Families offer sweet sticky rice to sweeten his report.
Earth God (Tudi Gong)
土地公 · 福德正神The local土地神 (Land God) — a benevolent grandfather figure who protects neighborhoods, farms, and local communities. Small shrines to Tudi Gong are ubiquitous at crossroads and village entrances across the Chinese world.
Door Gods
门神Guardian figures painted on doors — from ancient spirit-tamers Shentu and Yulei to the beloved Tang dynasty generals Qin Qiong and Yuchi Gong. Every Chinese New Year, new门神 images are posted to renew household protection.
Sea, Rivers & Travel
For sailors, travelers, and those who live by water
Thunder & Weather
Lords of celestial forces and natural phenomena
Leisheng Puhua Tianzun
雷声普化天尊The Heavenly Worthy of Universal Transformation Through Thunder. Supreme commander of the Thunder Bureau (雷部), he deploys thunder gods to punish evildoers and purify the world. Thunder in Taoism represents cosmic justice.
Huaguang Dadi
华光大帝 · 马元帅The Great Emperor of Flowery Radiance — a fire deity with three eyes who commands celestial fire. Originally a Buddhist figure (Marici), he was absorbed into Taoism as a fierce protector deity and exorcist.
City & Community
Divine administrators of towns and regions
City Gods (Cheng Huang)
城隍爷The City God system — every Chinese city had its own Cheng Huang, typically a deified historical official renowned for justice. They serve as divine mayors, overseeing the moral welfare of their cities and interceding in the celestial bureaucracy on behalf of citizens.
Earth God (Tudi Gong)
土地公The beloved local deity — a kindly old man who protects neighborhoods and farmland. Under the City God's jurisdiction, he manages the smallest administrative units, from village shrines to crossroads altars.