Chinese Traditional Culture: Cai Shen (the God of Wealth)

Preface: In traditional Chinese culture, Cai Shen (the God of Wealth) is the deity in charge of wealth and commerce, symbolising people’s desire for an affluent life and their prayers for commercial prosperity. The images and names of Cai Shen vary in different regions and belief systems, but the most widely known are the Wen Cai Shen (the Scholarly God of Wealth), Bigan, and the Wu Cai Shen (the Martial God of Wealth), Zhao Gong Ming, as well as the Five Ways God of Wealth. These deities not only represent the accumulation of wealth, but also embody good qualities such as integrity, wisdom and courage, which profoundly influence people’s daily lives and business activities.

中Zhōng国guó民mín间jiān习xí俗sú中zhōng ， 除chú夕xī是shì春chūn节jié中zhōng最zuì热rè闹nào的de一yī天tiān 。
China’s folk customs make New Year’s Eve the most lively day of the Spring Festival.

除Chú夕xī之zhī夜yè人rén们men吃chī罢bà饺jiǎo子zi ， 彻chè夜yè不bù眠mián ， 等děng待dài着zhe接jiē财cái神shén 。
On New Year’s Eve, people eat dumplings and stay up all night waiting to welcome Cai Shen (the God of Wealth).

有Yǒu人rén还hái送sòng财cái神shén上shàng门mén ， 到dào了le初chū二èr还hái要yào祭jì财cái神shén 。 现Xiàn在zài ， 以yǐ正zhēng月yuè初chū五wǔ日rì迎yíng财cái神shén最zuì为wéi盛shèng行xíng 。
Some people even send Cai Shen to others’ homes, and sacrifices are made to him on the second day of the lunar new year. Nowadays, welcoming Cai Shen on the fifth day of the lunar new year is the most popular.

文Wén财cái神shén比bǐ干gān是shì商shāng朝cháo的de一yī位wèi忠zhōng臣chén ， 因yīn直zhí言yán进jìn谏jiàn被bèi纣zhòu王wáng挖wā心xīn致zhì死sǐ 。 后Hòu世shì尊zūn其qí为wéi文wén财cái神shén 。
Bi Gan, the Wen Cai Shen (the Scholarly God of Wealth), was a loyal minister of the Shang Dynasty who was killed by King Zhou for giving honest advice. Later generations respected him as the Wen Cai Shen (the Scholarly God of Wealth).

在Zài民mín间jiān信xìn仰yǎng中zhōng ， 比bǐ干gān不bù仅jǐn代dài表biǎo公gōng正zhèng无wú私sī ， 还hái象xiàng征zhēng着zhe智zhì慧huì理lǐ财cái ， 成chéng为wéi商shāng家jiā供gòng奉fèng的de重zhòng要yào神shén祇qí 。
In folk belief, Bi Gan represents not only fairness and selflessness but also wise financial management, making him an important deity worshipped by businessmen.

武Wǔ财cái神shén赵zhào公gōng明míng最zuì初chū是shì瘟wēn疫yì之zhī神shén ， 后hòu来lái演yǎn变biàn为wéi掌zhǎng管guǎn财cái富fù的de财cái神shén 。
Zhao Gong Ming, the Wu Cai Shen (the Martial God of Wealth), was originally the god of plague but later evolved into Cai Shen.

赵Zhào公gōng明míng通tōng常cháng被bèi描miáo绘huì为wéi黑hēi脸liǎn ， 骑qí虎hǔ或huò狮shī ， 手shǒu持chí元yuán宝bǎo或huò如rú意yì 。
Zhao Gong Ming is often depicted as having a dark face, riding a tiger or lion, and holding a gold ingot or ruyi scepter.

赵Zhào公gōng明míng不bù仅jǐn掌zhǎng管guǎn财cái富fù ， 还hái负fù责zé驱qū邪xié避bì凶xiōng ， 被bèi视shì为wéi保bǎo护hù家jiā宅zhái平píng安ān的de神shén灵líng 。
Zhao Gong Ming not only controls wealth but also drives away evil and brings good luck, being regarded as a deity that protects the safety of homes.

五Wǔ路lù财cái神shén包bāo括kuò赵zhào公gōng明míng 、 范fàn蠡lǐ 、 刘liú海hǎi蟾chán 、 李lǐ诡guǐ祖zǔ和hé柴chái荣róng ， 他tā们men分fēn别bié代dài表biǎo不bù同tóng的de行háng业yè和hé领lǐng域yù 。
The Five Ways God of Wealth includes Zhao Gong Ming, Fan Li, Liu Hai Chan, Li Gui Zu, and Chai Rong, who respectively represent different industries and fields.

每Měi年nián春chūn节jié期qī间jiān ， 许xǔ多duō地dì方fāng都dōu会huì举jǔ行xíng盛shèng大dà的de五wǔ路lù财cái神shén祭jì祀sì活huó动dòng ， 祈qí求qiú新xīn的de一yī年nián里lǐ财cái源yuán广guǎng进jìn ， 事shì业yè顺shùn利lì 。
During the Spring Festival every year, many places hold grand sacrifices to the Five Ways God of Wealth, praying for prosperity and smooth careers in the new year.

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!