Chinese Mythology: Xuan Wu Da Di

Xuan Wu Da Di, also known as Zhen Wu Da Di or Xuan Tian Da Di, is an important deity in Taoism.

他Tā的de道dào场chǎng在zài湖hú北běi武wǔ当dāng山shān 。

His sacred place is at Wu Dang Mountain in Hu Bei.

玄Xuán武wǔ大dà帝dì的de生shēng日rì是shì农nóng历lì三sān月yuè初chū三sān 。

Xuan Wu Da Di’s birthday is on the third day of the third lunar month.

玄Xuán武wǔ大dà帝dì在zài神shén话huà中zhōng有yǒu多duō种zhǒng身shēn份fèn 。

Xuan Wu Da Di has multiple identities in mythology.

首Shǒu先xiān ， 他tā是shì北běi方fāng之zhī神shén 。

Firstly, he is the god of the north.

《 楚Chǔ辞cí 》 中zhōng提tí到dào ， 玄xuán武wǔ是shì北běi方fāng的de神shén名míng 。

The ”Songs of Chu” mentions that Xuan Wu is the name of the god of the north.

汉Hàn代dài人rén认rèn为wéi北běi方fāng之zhī神shén是shì玄xuán武wǔ 。

People in the Han Dynasty believed that the god of the north was Xuan Wu.

其Qí次cì ， 他tā是shì水shuǐ神shén 。

Secondly, he is the god of water.

因Yīn为wèi北běi方fāng属shǔ水shuǐ ， 所suǒ以yǐ北běi方fāng之zhī神shén也yě被bèi视shì为wéi水shuǐ神shén 。

Since the north belongs to water, the god of the north is also regarded as the god of water.

再Zài者zhě ， 他tā是shì阴yīn阳yáng交jiāo感gǎn演yǎn化huà万wàn物wù的de象xiàng征zhēng ， 常cháng用yòng龟guī蛇shé纠jiū缠chán的de例lì子zi来lái说shuō明míng阴yīn阳yáng相xiāng合hé 。

Furthermore, he is a symbol of the evolution of all things through the interaction of yin and yang, often using the example of a turtle and snake entwined to illustrate the union of yin and yang.

最Zuì后hòu ， 他tā还hái是shì司sī命mìng之zhī神shén ， 象xiàng征zhēng长cháng寿shòu和hé不bù死sǐ ， 人rén们men相xiāng信xìn祭jì拜bài他tā可kě以yǐ增zēng寿shòu 。

Finally, he is also the god of fate, symbolizing longevity and immortality. People believe that worshipping him can increase their lifespan.

玄Xuán武wǔ大dà帝dì的de名míng字zì在zài宋sòng代dài有yǒu所suǒ变biàn化huà ， 为wèi避bì讳huì宋sòng真zhēn宗zōng的de名míng字zì ， 由yóu玄xuán武wǔ大dà帝dì改gǎi为wéi真zhēn武wǔ大dà帝dì 。

Xuan Wu Da Di’s name changed during the Song Dynasty to avoid taboo associated with the name of Emperor Zhenzong.

明Míng代dài ， 真zhēn武wǔ大dà帝dì的de信xìn仰yǎng达dá到dào鼎dǐng盛shèng ， 特tè别bié是shì在zài明míng成chéng祖zǔ朱zhū棣dì的de推tuī崇chóng下xià ， 武wǔ当dāng山shān成chéng为wéi道dào教jiào圣shèng地dì ， 并bìng修xiū建jiàn了le大dà量liàng真zhēn武wǔ庙miào 。

In the Ming Dynasty, the belief in Xuan Wu Da Di reached its peak, especially under the promotion of Emperor Chengzu Zhu Di. Wu Dang Mountain became a sacred place of Taoism, and a large number of temples dedicated to Zhen Wu Da Di were built.

关Guān于yú玄xuán武wǔ大dà帝dì的de身shēn世shì ， 传chuán说shuō他tā是shì净jìng乐lè国guó的de太tài子zǐ ， 不bù愿yuàn继jì承chéng王wáng位wèi ， 选xuǎn择zé修xiū行xíng 。

Regarding Xuan Wu Da Di’s background, legend has it that he was the prince of Jingle Kingdom. Unwilling to inherit the throne, he chose to practice asceticism.

他Tā遇yù到dào紫zǐ虚xū元yuán君jūn ， 得dé到dào无wú上shàng秘mì道dào ， 后hòu在zài武wǔ当dāng山shān修xiū炼liàn 42 年nián ， 白bái日rì飞fēi升shēng ， 被bèi玉yù帝dì封fēng为wéi镇zhèn北běi方fāng之zhī神shén ， 并bìng将jiāng太tài和hé山shān改gǎi名míng为wéi武wǔ当dāng山shān 。

He encountered Purple Void Yuan Jun and obtained the supreme secret way. After practicing for 42 years at Wu Dang Mountain, he ascended to heaven during the daytime and was granted the title of the god who governs the north by Yu Di (the Jade Emperor). He also renamed Taihe Mountain as Wu Dang Mountain.

玄Xuán武wǔ大dà帝dì的de形xíng象xiàng通tōng常cháng是shì披pī发fà跣xiǎn足zú ， 身shēn着zhuó玄xuán袍páo ， 仗zhàng剑jiàn怒nù目mù ， 脚jiǎo踏tà龟guī蛇shé 。

The image of  Xuan Wu Da Di is usually depicted as having disheveled hair and bare feet, wearing a black robe, holding a sword with an angry expression, and standing on a turtle and a snake.

他Tā被bèi认rèn为wéi是shì战zhàn神shén 、 降xiáng妖yāo伏fú魔mó之zhī神shén ， 能néng消xiāo灾zāi解jiě困kùn 、 治zhì水shuǐ御yù火huǒ 、 护hù持chí武wǔ运yùn及jí延yán年nián益yì寿shòu 。