Chinese Mythology: Hao Tian Shang Di (Lao Tian Ye)

Preface: Hao Tian Shang Di (昊天上帝) is the highest god in ancient China, his honorary name first appeared in the Shang Dynasty, the Zhou Dynasty formally appeared in the “Hao Tian Shang Di” honorary title, the Tang Dynasty to Hao Tian Shang Di as the emperor of the sole sacrifice. Legend has it that Hao Tian Shang Di resides in the Star of the North Star, surrounded by the sun, moon, stars, wind, rain, thunder and lightning as messengers, and assisted by the five gods (i.e. Wu Fang Tian Di).

昊Hào天tiān上shàng帝dì是shì中zhōng国guó古gǔ代dài神shén话huà里lǐ的de最zuì高gāo神shén 。
Hao Tian Shang Di is the supreme deity in ancient Chinese mythology.

他Tā是shì中zhōng国guó人rén常cháng说shuō的de “ 老lǎo天tiān爷yé ”， 代dài表biǎo天tiān或huò者zhě等děng同tóng于yú天tiān 。
He is often referred to as “Lao Tian Ye” by Chinese people, representing or equating to the sky.

他Tā的de形xíng象xiàng和hé地dì位wèi不bù断duàn变biàn化huà ， 但dàn一yī直zhí是shì华huá夏xià民mín族zú精jīng神shén文wén化huà的de核hé心xīn 。
His image and status have evolved over time, but he has always occupied a central position in Chinese spiritual culture.

在Zài古gǔ代dài ， 他tā是shì儒rú教jiào信xìn仰yǎng中zhōng的de最zuì高gāo神shén ， 也yě是shì国guó家jiā祭jì祀sì的de最zuì高gāo神shén 。
In ancient times, he was the highest deity in Confucianism and the official cult of state sacrifice.

他Tā的de影yǐng响xiǎng力lì贯guàn穿chuān了le整zhěng个gè华huá夏xià文wén明míng 。
His influence spans the entire history of Chinese civilization.

古Gǔ代dài帝dì王wáng经jīng常cháng祭jì祀sì昊hào天tiān上shàng帝dì ， 仪yí式shì庄zhuāng重zhòng神shén圣shèng 。
Ancient emperors frequently sacrificed to Hao Tian Shang Di in solemn and sacred ceremonies.

周Zhōu代dài在zài冬dōng至zhì日rì祭jì天tiān ， 地dì点diǎn在zài国guó都dū南nán郊jiāo的de圜yuán丘qiū 。
During the Zhou Dynasty, the main sacrifice to Heaven was held on the Winter Solstice at the Circular Mound in the southern suburbs of the capital.

天Tiān子zǐ和hé百bǎi官guān都dōu要yào斋zhāi戒jiè ， 参cān加jiā祭jì祀sì活huó动dòng 。
The emperor and officials would fast and participate in the rituals.

明Míng清qīng时shí期qī ， 天tiān坛tán成chéng为wéi祭jì祀sì昊hào天tiān上shàng帝dì的de重zhòng要yào场chǎng所suǒ 。
During the Ming and Qing dynasties, the Temple of Heaven became an important venue for sacrificing to Hao Tian Shang Di.

天Tiān坛tán的de建jiàn筑zhù和hé礼lǐ制zhì更gèng加jiā完wán善shàn和hé规guī范fàn 。
Its architecture and rituals were more refined and standardized.

在Zài 《 封fēng神shén演yǎn义yì 》 中zhōng ， 昊hào天tiān上shàng帝dì是shì天tiān庭tíng之zhī主zhǔ ， 妻qī子zi是shì瑶yáo池chí金jīn母mǔ 。
In the Ming Dynasty novel “Investiture of the Gods,” Hao Tian Shang Di is the ruler of Heaven, with his wife being the Queen Mother of the West.

他Tā的de女nǚ儿ér是shì龙lóng吉jí公gōng主zhǔ ， 女nǚ婿xù是shì洪hóng锦jǐn 。
His daughter is Princess Long Ji, and his son-in-law is Hong Jin.

传Chuán说shuō做zuò善shàn事shì的de人rén会huì得dé到dào昊hào天tiān上shàng帝dì的de保bǎo佑yòu ， 这zhè就jiù是shì “ 老lǎo天tiān爷yé保bǎo佑yòu ” 的de由yóu来lái 。
Legend has it that those who do good deeds will be blessed by Hao Tian Shang Di, which is the origin of the saying “Lao Tian Ye bless.”

昊Hào天tiān上shàng帝dì还hái能néng决jué定dìng人rén间jiān的de祸huò福fú吉jí凶xiōng 。
Hao Tian Shang Di can also determine people’s fortune and misfortune.

古Gǔ代dài战zhàn争zhēng前qián ， 通tōng常cháng会huì举jǔ行xíng大dà型xíng祭jì礼lǐ 。
Before ancient wars, large-scale sacrifices were usually held.

一Yī是shì祭jì告gào昊hào天tiān上shàng帝dì ， 二èr是shì祈qí求qiú保bǎo佑yòu 。
One purpose was to inform Hao Tian Shang Di, and the other was to seek his blessing.

昊Hào天tiān上shàng帝dì还hái会huì决jué定dìng人rén间jiān的de下xià一yī任rèn君jūn王wáng 。
Hao Tian Shang Di also decided the next ruler of humanity.

所Suǒ以yǐ古gǔ书shū中zhōng有yǒu “ 感gǎn生shēng帝dì ” 的de描miáo述shù ， 指zhǐ女nǚ性xìng接jiē收shōu昊hào天tiān上shàng帝dì的de旨zhǐ意yì生shēng下xià帝dì王wáng 。
Therefore, ancient books have descriptions of the “Inspired Emperor,” referring to a woman receiving Hao Tian Shang Di’s will and giving birth to an emperor.

除Chú了le昊hào天tiān上shàng帝dì ， 中zhōng国guó古gǔ代dài神shén话huà还hái有yǒu其qí他tā天tiān帝dì ， 如rú玉yù皇huáng大dà帝dì 、 帝dì俊jùn 、 东dōng皇huáng太tài一yī 。
Besides Hao Tian Shang Di, there were other heavenly deities in ancient Chinese mythology, such as the Jade Emperor, Di Jun, and Dong Huang Tai Yi.

但Dàn昊hào天tiān上shàng帝dì的de地dì位wèi和hé影yǐng响xiǎng力lì最zuì为wéi突tū出chū 。
However, Hao Tian Shang Di’s status and influence were the most prominent.

这Zhè些xiē神shén祇qí丰fēng富fù了le神shén话huà体tǐ系xì ， 反fǎn映yìng了le古gǔ人rén对duì宇yǔ宙zhòu和hé自zì然rán的de理lǐ解jiě 。
These deities enriched the mythology and reflected ancient people’s exploration and understanding of the universe and nature.

通过阅读中国神话、民间故事、历史典故、人物传记学汉语，简单易学，中英对照，适合初学者！
Learning Chinese through reading Chinese mythology, folk stories, historical allusions, and biographies is easy to learn and bilingual, suitable for beginners!