Page 282 - The Encyclopedia of Taoism v1_A-L

c
caishen

gods of wealth

Wealth ranks high among the blessings sought from the gods of Chinese popu-
lar religion, so it is not surprising that some deities have come to specialize
in the bestowal of wealth upon deserving humans. Caishen or gods of wealth
belong to a large and diverse group of gods whose best-known representative
is a deity named Zhao Gongming m!10 SJj . He is portrayed as a fierce martial
figure astride a black tiger, brandishing an iron rod in one hand and holding
a gold ingot in the other. At each lunar New Year a new color print of Zhao
Gongming, shown either alone or as the leader of four other minor spirits
of wealth (collectively referred to as the Gods of Wealth of the Five Roads,
Wulu Caishen ii~ M.:f$), is pasted on the household's wall and worshipped
in a ceremony called "welcoming the God of Wealth" (ying caishen illI~t.:f$),
which aims to ensure the family's prosperity during the coming year.
While the cult of the gods of wealth is strictly speaking a part of popular
religion, the figure of Zhao Gongming has a long-standing connection with
Taoism. In Taoist ritual, Zhao Gongming is referred to as Marshal Zhao of
the Dark Altar of Orthodox Unity (Zhengyi xuantan Zhao Yuanshuai lE -
irltm!1j[Jr!J), one of the four celestial marshals guarding the Taoist ritual
arena. Early sources refer to him as a netherwordly general or a plague spirit
(*wenshen), which fits well with his fierce iconographical features. Marshal
Zhao's Taoist career is a typical example of a conversion from an afflictive
to a protective spirit. This shift may have facilitated the formation of Zhao's
popular persona as a god of wealth, which is first attested in Yuan dynasty
sources.
Philip CLART

ID Alexeiev I928; Day I928; Goodrich I99I, 73-I02; Ma Shutian I997, I99-232;
Maspero I98I, I20-2I; Zong Li and Liu Qun I987, 625-57
* TAOISM AND POPULAR RELIGION

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