Xuantian Shangdi, the Dark Heaven Supreme Emperor, is one of the great martial protector deities of the Daoist pantheon, worshipped under the title Zhenwu, the Perfected Warrior. He rules the north and the element of water, and is shown barefoot, black robed, sword in hand, standing beside a coiled snake and a tortoise, the animals long associated with the northern quarter of the sky. Daoist temple ritual and popular legend credit him with the power to subdue demons and put down rebellion, and by the Ming dynasty he had become one of the most heavily patronized deities in the empire, his cult centered on the mountain temple complex of Wudang in Hubei province that the Yongle Emperor rebuilt at enormous expense after crediting Zhenwu with securing his throne.
Facts
Cult
Principal Cult CentreWudang Mountain, Hubei province, rebuilt as a vast imperial temple complex under the Yongle Emperor in the early fifteenth century after Zhenwu was credited with having secured the emperor's rise to the throne. 1 Attributes and IconographyShown barefoot and bareheaded in black robes, sword in hand, standing with one foot on a coiled black snake and one on a black tortoise, the paired creatures long associated with the northern quarter of the traditional Chinese sky. 3 Function
Domain / Function Domain / FunctionProtection and guardianship 1 Origins
Origin of the NameWorshipped earlier as Xuanwu, the Dark Warrior; a Song dynasty naming taboo on the character xuan, which appeared in an imperial ancestor's personal name, led devotees to rename him Zhenwu, the Perfected Warrior, the title that has stayed in general use since. 1 Attributions
Mythic AssociationDaoist legend credits Xuantian Shangdi with securing the throne of the Yongle Emperor, who rebuilt the Wudang mountain temple complex at enormous expense in gratitude. 1 Belief
TheologyPolytheistic: many gods 1 Attestation
Veneration TodayActively venerated in a living tradition 1 HistoricityNot a historical person: a divine or other-than-human being 2 Correspondences & Relations
Connections
Belongs to Tradition
Source The Encyclopedia of TaoismFabrizio Pregadio (ed.)
Sources
1. The Encyclopedia of Taoism
Fabrizio Pregadio (ed.), Routledge, 2008Entry on Zhenwu / XuanwuView the Source 2. The Facts on File Encyclopedia of World Mythology and Legend
Anthony S. Mercatante, revised and expanded by James R. Dow, Facts on File
3. Taoism and the Arts of China
Stephen Little with Shawn Eichman, The Art Institute of Chicago, 2000
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