Hou Tu (后土), the central god in ancient Chinese mythology who aided Zhong Yang Tian Di (the central heavenly emperor, 中央天帝) Huang Di (黃帝), is one of the honored deities in Taoist mythology. She is also the King of You Ming, the lord of the Underworld.
In ancient times, there was a legend that Hou Tu was a descendant of the Yan Di’s family.
She was the child born to the water god Gong Gong.
In early times, Hou Tu did not have a fixed gender image.
But during the Han Dynasty, people began to worship her as a goddess and respectfully called her “Hou Tu Niang Niang”.
By the Song Dynasty, Taoism listed Hou Tu as one of the supreme deities.
Among the “Si Yu”(the Four Emperors, 四御) in Taoism, Hou Tu ranks fourth, governing the harmony between yin and yang （阴阳）, the beauty of all things, and the magnificent scenery of the earth.
People affectionately call her the “Di Mu Niang Niang （地母娘娘）” or “Di Mu （地母）”, the Mother of the Earth.
She corresponds with Yu Huang Da Di (the Jade Emperor, 玉皇大帝) in the heavens, jointly guarding the heavens and the earth.
The ancient Chinese often said “Huang Tian Hou Tu （皇天后土）”, which shows the noble status of the Hou Tu god.
Among the people, the Hou Tu god is a very familiar deity.
She is the “Di Mu Niang Niang” that everyone knows.
The belief in the Hou Tu god originates from the ancients’ awe of the land.
This is a basic belief in agricultural society.
The image of the Hou Tu god is always closely linked to agriculture and fertility.
She is the symbolic goddess in agricultural civilization.
Hou Tu represents the fertility of the earth and the harvest of crops.
At the same time, she also symbolizes women’s fertility power and is regarded as the protector of fertility.
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