There were over 200 gods and goddesses worshipped throughout ancient China , but if one were to count every deity or spirit, the number would be over 1,000. Each town, village, city, field, farm, and sometimes even separate plot in a graveyard, had its own Tudi Gong, an elemental earth spirit, who was recognized and honored. There were also spirits known as Kuei-Shen , nature spirits, who might inhabit a tree or live by a stream or preside over a garden.

These were eternal spirits who had never been mortal but others, known as guei (or kuei, gui, kui ), had once been human beings who had died and passed on to the afterlife. The guei could return to haunt the living for various reasons, and rituals, spells, and religious practices developed to appease them. There were also deities who had once been mortal and now lived with the gods, such as the Baxian (Pa Hsien ), the Eight Immortals of holy Taoists who were rewarded by the goddess Queen Mother of the West with immortality. The

Baxian were prayed to like any of the other gods, as were one's ancestors who had passed over the bridge between the land of the living and the realm of the dead to live among the gods and watch over the living.

The gods were believed to have created the world and human beings, and they kept the world and surrounding universe functioning. Each deity had his or her own special area of power and influence, and the most important were given their own shrines and temples, although shrines were also erected to local spirits and to noble men and

women who became deified after death .

All of the gods, goddesses, and spirits were important to the people of ancient China, and remain so today, and selecting a certain small group leaves out many, many others who remain just as significant. However, one can single out those deities who had national prominence, are among the oldest, or are without question the most popular as shown through ancient writings and evidence from archaeological excavations. The gods and goddesses listed below are given in the order they appear in Chinese writings. Most likely, deities like Nuwa, Fuxi, and P'an Ku were recognized much earlier than written records indicate, and the same is probably true of most of the gods and goddesses on the list. These deities are selected because they were all very important to the people of ancient China even though some were more prominent at certain times in history than atothers.

1. Dragon



The Chinese dragon (spelled Long,Loong, or Lung in transliteration), is a Chinese mythical creature that also appears in other East Asian cultures, and thus is also sometimes called the Oriental (or Eastern) dragon. Unlike the Western dragon of Europe that is representative of evil , the many eastern versions of the dragon are powerful spiritual symbols, representing seasonal cycles and supernatural forces.

The Chinese dragon is easily recognizable for its long serpentine body that is generally wingless, and its anthropomorphic face, complete with beard. In some eastern cultures, the dragon plays an integral part in creation mythology. Generally, the oriental dragon is benevolent and powerful, bringer of good fortune. Its image was often adopted by emperors as a sacred symbol of power. Thus, the oriental dragon is generally considered a supernatural or spiritual symbol of heavenly power.

He is also shown in human form as a wise man with the full sun behind his head watching over a boat full of people.

2. Shangti



Shangdi, (Chinese: “Lord-on-High”)Wade-Giles romanization Shang-ti, also called Di , ancient Chinese deity, the greatest ancestor and deity who controlled victory in battle, harvest, the fate of the capital, and the weather. He had no cultic following, however, and was probably considered too distant and inscrutable to be influenced by mortals. Shangdi was considered to be the supreme deity during the

Shang dynasty (1600–1046 century BCE), but during the Zhou dynasty (1046–256 BCE) he was gradually supplanted by heaven (tian).

3. Queen Mother of the West

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You didn't mention Panku?