Chinese Mythology: Tian Di (the Heavenly Emperor)

Preface: The Tian Di is the supreme lord in Chinese mythology, the emperor who rules the heavens and the worlds, and the supreme god sometimes changes with different dynasties. In the early period, Tian Di had a strong coloring of a personal god. In the later Confucian beliefs, the color of the personalities of the Tian Di disappeared.

天Tiān帝dì ， 是shì上shàng古gǔ天tiān庭tíng对duì天tiān界jiè统tǒng治zhì者zhě的de尊zūn称chēng 。
The Tian Di was the ancient Heavenly Court’s honorific title for the ruler of the Heavenly Realm.

伏Fú羲xī 、 昊hào天tiān上shàng帝dì 、 五wǔ方fāng天tiān帝dì 、 帝dì俊jùn 、 炎yán帝dì 、 黄huáng帝dì 、 太tài一yī 、 天tiān皇huáng大dà帝dì 、 紫zǐ微wēi大dà帝dì乃nǎi至zhì其qí他tā上shàng古gǔ人rén物wù或huò者zhě神shén明míng都dōu曾céng被bèi称chēng为wéi天tiān帝dì 。
Fuxi, Hao Tian Shang Di, Wu Fang Tian Di, Di Jun, Yan Di, Huang Di, Tai Yi, Tian Huang Da Di, Zi Wei Da Di and even other ancient figures or gods were once called the Tian Di.

由Yóu此cǐ可kě见jiàn ， 天tiān帝dì多duō由yóu上shàng古gǔ部bù落luò首shǒu领lǐng和hé自zì然rán信xìn仰yǎng演yǎn化huà而ér来lái 。
It can be seen that Tian Di mostly evolved from ancient tribal leaders and natural beliefs.

在Zài中zhōng国guó神shén话huà中zhōng ， 天tiān帝dì和hé玉yù帝dì不bù一yī样yàng 。
In Chinese mythology, the Tian Di is not the same as Yu Huang Da Di (the Jade Emperor).

天Tiān帝dì是shì天tiān生shēng的de神shén灵líng ， 拥yōng有yǒu无wú上shàng的de权quán威wēi和hé力lì量liàng 。
The Tian Di is a natural deity with supreme authority and power.

他Tā是shì三sān界jiè秩zhì序xù的de维wéi护hù者zhě 。
He is the upholder of order in the three realms.

天Tiān帝dì负fù责zé维wéi护hù天tiān界jiè的de秩zhì序xù与yǔ和hé平píng 。
The Tian Di is responsible for maintaining order and peace in the heavenly realm.

他Tā也yě关guān心xīn人rén间jiān的de福fú祉zhǐ 。
He is also concerned about the well-being of the earth.

天Tiān帝dì常cháng亲qīn自zì参cān与yù重zhòng大dà事shì件jiàn的de决jué策cè 。
The Tian Di is often personally involved in making decisions on major events.

天Tiān帝dì形xíng象xiàng威wēi严yán庄zhuāng重zhòng ， 拥yōng有yǒu无wú上shàng的de神shén力lì和hé智zhì慧huì 。
The image of the Tian Di is majestic and dignified, and he possesses supreme divine power and wisdom.

他Tā是shì天tiān界jiè和hé人rén间jiān共gòng同tóng敬jìng仰yǎng的de神shén明míng 。
He is a god who is worshipped by both the heavenly realm and the earthly world.

玉Yù帝dì是shì道dào教jiào神shén话huà中zhōng的de主zhǔ神shén 。
Yu Di is the main god in Taoist mythology.

玉Yù帝dì的de形xíng象xiàng和hé地dì位wèi在zài宋sòng明míng时shí期qī逐zhú渐jiàn成chéng型xíng 。
The image and status of Yu Huang Da Di gradually took shape during the Song and Ming Dynasties.

玉Yù帝dì是shì天tiān界jiè的de主zhǔ宰zǎi ， 继jì天tiān帝dì之zhī后hòu 。
Yu Huang Da Di is the lord of the heavenly realm, following the Tian Di.

玉Yù帝dì也yě维wéi护hù三sān界jiè秩zhì序xù与yǔ和hé平píng ， 但dàn更gèng多duō是shì间jiàn接jiē管guǎn理lǐ 。
Yu Huang Da Di also maintains order and peace in the three realms, but manages them more indirectly.

玉Yù帝dì通tōng过guò制zhì定dìng规guī则zé和hé派pài遣qiǎn神shén祇qí来lái管guǎn理lǐ 。
Yu Huang Da Di governed by making rules and dispatching deities.

玉Yù帝dì的de形xíng象xiàng更gèng亲qīn民mín ， 常cháng被bèi描miáo绘huì为wéi慈cí祥xiáng的de长zhǎng者zhě 。
Yu Huang Da Di is portrayed as more hands-on and is often depicted as a kindly elder.

玉Yù帝dì关guān心xīn众zhòng生shēng的de疾jí苦kǔ和hé福fú祉zhǐ 。
Yu Huang Da Di cares about the suffering and well-being of all beings.

在Zài道dào教jiào信xìn仰yǎng中zhōng ， 玉yù帝dì是shì祈qí求qiú平píng安ān 、 幸xìng福fú的de重zhòng要yào对duì象xiàng 。
In Taoist beliefs, Yu Huang Da Di is an important object of prayer for peace and happiness.

简Jiǎn而ér言yán之zhī ， 天tiān帝dì是shì上shàng古gǔ时shí期qī三sān界jiè的de最zuì高gāo统tǒng治zhì者zhě 。
In short, the Tian Di was the supreme ruler of the three realms in ancient times.

玉Yù帝dì虽suī也yě为wèi三sān界jiè之zhī主zhǔ ， 但dàn在zài某mǒu些xiē神shén话huà中zhōng地dì位wèi或huò略lüè逊xùn于yú天tiān帝dì 。
Although Yu Huang Da Di was also the lord of the three realms, in some myths his status was slightly inferior or inferior to that of the Tian Di.

二Èr者zhě都dōu是shì天tiān界jiè的de尊zūn神shén ， 但dàn天tiān帝dì地dì位wèi更gèng尊zūn崇chóng 。
Both are honored deities in the heavenly realm, but the Tian Di has a more esteemed status.

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!