Hsuan-tien Shang-ti

The Supreme Lord of the Dark heavens, Hsuan-tien Shang-ti, is known by a number of unique titles within Chinese communities. he is possibly best known to foreigners and laymen as the Northern Emperor, Pei Ti (Cantonese Pak Tai) and even better as the True God of Martiality, Chen Wu.

Over recent centuries, he has become more a general protective God to the laymmen peaple whereas originally he was one of the spirits of great antiquity who ruled one quarter of the universe as the Dark Warrior, Hsuan Wu. This was a term used for the nothern sector of the twenty-eight lunar mansions. It was associated first with the tortoise, then with the tortoise and Snake. The spirit of Hsuan-Wu became an enshrined deity during the Sung times.

Over recent centuries, he has become more a general protective God to the laymmen peaple whereas originally he was one of the spirits of great antiquity who ruled one quarter of the universe as the Dark Warrior, Hsuan Wu. This was a term used for the nothern sector of the twenty-eight lunar mansions. It was associated first with the tortoise, then with the tortoise and Snake. The spirit of Hsuan-Wu became an enshrined deity during the Sung times.

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