Chinese Mythology: Wu Fang Tian Di (The Five Heavenly Emperors)

Preface: Wu Fang Tian Di (The Five Heavenly Emperors) refer to the Heavenly Emperors in the five directions of East, South, West, North, and Central in ancient Chinese mythology. Wu Fang Tian Di are divided into Xian Tian Wu Di (the Five Innate Emperors) and Hou Tian Wu Di (the Five Acquired Emperors). Xian Tian Wu Di were all divine beings born before the creation of heaven and earth. Hou Tian Wu Di are the five ancient sages and masters of China, and people believe that they will also become gods after death.

五Wǔ方fāng天tiān帝dì分fēn别bié配pèi五wǔ行xíng五wǔ色sè ， 金jīn木mù水shuǐ火huǒ土tǔ ， 白bái青qīng玄xuán赤chì黄huáng 。
Wu Fang Tian Di are respectively paired with the Wu Xing (the Five Elements) and Five Colors, gold, wood, water, fire, earth, white, green, black, red, and yellow.

后Hòu天tiān五wǔ帝dì成chéng员yuán有yǒu不bù同tóng的de说shuō法fǎ ， 较jiào为wéi流liú行xíng的de说shuō法fǎ为wéi东dōng方fāng青qīng帝dì是shì太tài昊hào （ 木mù ）、 南nán方fāng赤chì帝dì是shì神shén农nóng （ 火huǒ ）、 中zhōng央yāng黄huáng帝dì是shì轩xuān辕yuán （ 土tǔ ）、 西xī方fāng白bái帝dì是shì少shào昊hào （ 金jīn ）、 北běi方fāng黑hēi帝dì是shì颛zhuān顼Xū （ 水shuǐ ）。
There are different opinions among the members of the Hou Tian Wu Di. The more popular belief is that Dong Fang Qing Di (the Eastern Qing Emperor) is Tai Hao (Wood), Nan Fang Huo Di (the Southern Red Emperor) is Shen Nong (Fire), Zhong Yang Huang Di (the Central Yellow Emperor) is Xuan Yuan (Earth), Xi Fang Bai Di (the Western White Emperor) is Shao Hao (Metal), and Bei Fang Xuan Di (the Northern Black Emperor) is Zhuan Xu (Water).

传Chuán说shuō ， 五wǔ方fāng天tiān帝dì及jí其qí附fù属shǔ神shén灵líng辅fǔ佐zuǒ昊hào天tiān上shàng帝dì治zhì理lǐ整zhěng个gè世shì界jiè 。 其Qí中zhōng ， 东dōng方fāng天tiān帝dì的de属shǔ神shén是shì句jù芒máng ， 南nán方fāng天tiān帝dì的de属shǔ神shén是shì祝zhù融róng ， 西xī方fāng天tiān帝dì的de属shǔ神shén是shì蓐rù收shōu ， 北běi方fāng天tiān帝dì的de属shǔ神shén是shì禺yú强qiáng ， 中zhōng央yāng天tiān帝dì的de属shǔ神shén是shì后hòu土tǔ 。
Legend has it that Wu Fang Tian Di and their affiliated deities assist the Hao Tian Shang Di in governing the entire world. Among them, the deity of Dong Fang Tian Di is Gou Mang, the deity of Nan Fang Tian Di is Zhu Rong, the deity of Xi Fang Tian Di is Ru Shou, the deity of Bei Fang Tian Di is Yu Qiang, and the deity of Zhong Yang Tian Di is Hou Tu.

东Dōng方fāng青qīng帝dì太tài昊hào伏fú羲xī氏shì ， 作zuò为wéi华huá夏xià民mín族zú和hé人rén类lèi文wén明míng的de重zhòng要yào起qǐ源yuán ， 他tā不bù仅jǐn创chuàng造zào了le八bā卦guà ， 制zhì定dìng了le婚hūn姻yīn制zhì度dù ， 还hái教jiāo会huì了le人rén们men捕bǔ鱼yú狩shòu猎liè 。
Dong Fang Qing Di Tai Hao Fu Xi, as an important origin of the Chinese nation and human civilization, not only created the Eight Trigrams and established the marriage system, but also taught people how to fish and hunt.

西Xī方fāng白bái帝dì少shào昊hào金jīn天tiān氏shì ， 他tā以yǐ公gōng正zhèng和hé勇yǒng气qì著zhù称chēng ， 是shì一yī位wèi勇yǒng猛měng善shàn战zhàn的de领lǐng袖xiù ， 被bèi誉yù为wéi “ 西xī方fāng战zhàn神shén ”， 还hái建jiàn立lì了le新xīn的de社shè会huì秩zhì序xù 。
Xi Fang Bai Di Shao Hao Jin Tian was known for his fairness and courage. He was a brave and skilled leader known as the “Western War God” and established a new social order.

南Nán方fāng赤chì帝dì炎yán帝dì神shén农nóng氏shì ， 他tā致zhì力lì于yú发fā掘jué和hé试shì验yàn各gè种zhǒng草cǎo药yào ， 治zhì愈yù了le无wú数shù的de疾jí病bìng 。
Nan Fang Huo Di YanDi Shen Nong was dedicated to discovering and experimenting with various herbs, which cured countless diseases.

北Běi方fāng天tiān帝dì黑hēi帝dì颛zhuān顼Xū氏shì ， 他tā的de智zhì谋móu和hé力lì量liàng使shǐ他tā在zài乱luàn世shì中zhōng脱tuō颖yǐng而ér出chū ， 用yòng智zhì慧huì平píng定dìng了le各gè方fāng的de动dòng乱luàn 。
Bei Fang Tian Di, Xuan Di Zhuan Xu, stood out in turbulent times with his intelligence and strength, and used his wisdom to quell various disturbances.

中Zhōng央yāng天tiān帝dì黄huáng帝dì轩xuān辕yuán氏shì ， 他tā集jí合hé了le四sì大dà天tiān帝dì的de智zhì慧huì与yǔ力lì量liàng ， 带dài领lǐng人rén类lèi文wén明míng走zǒu向xiàng繁fán荣róng 。
Zhong Yang Tian Di Huang Di Xuanyuan, the Central Heavenly Emperor, gathered the wisdom and strength of the four Heavenly Emperors to lead human civilization towards prosperity.

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!