King Father of the East, also known as Dongwanggong (東王公), is the

tutelary deity A tutelary () (also tutelar) is a deity or a spirit who is a guardian, patron, or protector of a particular place, geographic feature, person, lineage, nation, culture, or occupation. The etymology of "tutelary" expresses the concept of safety an ...

of the

Taoist immortals ''Xian'' () refers to a person or similar entity having a long life or being immortal. The concept of ''xian'' has different implications dependent upon the specific context: philosophical, religious, mythological, or other symbolic or cultural ...

. Legends say that the King Father of the East is the consort of

Queen Mother of the West The Queen Mother of the West, known by various local names, is a mother goddess in Chinese religion and mythology, also worshipped in neighbouring Asian countries, and attested from ancient times. From her name alone some of her most importan ...

. He is the manifestation of

yang Yang may refer to: * Yang, in yin and yang, one half of the two symbolic polarities in Chinese philosophy * Korean yang, former unit of currency of Korea from 1892 to 1902 * YANG, a data modeling language for the NETCONF network configuration ...

energy.

Legends

When the

(Xiwangmu) was a mountain demon, she was in love with the King Father of the East (Dongwanggong). Xiwangmu ruled the west and Dongwanggong ruled the east. In some versions of the Chinese creation myth, the two lovers created humanity through their union. According to one text in the ''

Classic of Mountains and Seas The ''Classic of Mountains and Seas'', also known as ''Shan Hai Jing'', formerly romanized as the ''Shan-hai Ching'', is a Chinese classic text and a compilation of mythic geography and beasts. Early versions of the text may have existed sin ...

'', there was a bronze pillar on Kunlun Mountain that was so tall that it reached the sky. On top of this column, there was a huge bird named Xiyou (literally meaning "rare"). Under its left-wing, it held Dongwanggong and under its right wing, it held Xiwangmu. When Xiwangmu first met Dongwanggong, she had to climb onto the bird's wing to reach him. In another account, Dongwanggong lived in a big stone house on the East Wild Mountain. He was about ten feet high, and his hair was as white as snow. He looked like a man but had a bird's face and a tiger's tail. He rode a black bear and often played a game of throwing arrows/sticks into a pot with a Jade Maiden. ''The Book of Gods and Wonders'' (神異經) describes him as a white-maned being, again with a bird's face and tiger's tail, mounted on a black bear. One of the earliest notations of this pair appears as an inscription on a bronze mirror cast in 106 CE. The King Father of the East is paired with the Queen Mother of the West. The inscription wishes for fortune and longevity like the two of them. Many Taoist mythological works describe him as born of the Pure and the Holy Mother of Origins, ruling the animated beings and the yin and yang that breathes from the eastern sky. The god of

Mount Tai Mount Tai () is a mountain of historical and cultural significance located north of the city of Tai'an. It is the highest point in Shandong province, China. The tallest peak is the '' Jade Emperor Peak'' (), which is commonly reported as being ...

, Mountain Dongyue Dadi, is said to be his younger brother. In the tradition of the alchemists,

Quanzhen School The Quanzhen School (全真: ''Quánzhēn''), also known as Completion of Authenticity, Complete Reality, and Complete Perfection is currently one of the two dominant denominations of Taoism in mainland China. It originated in Northern China ...

, in particular, Wang Xuanfu, master of

Zhongli Quan Zhongli Quan, courtesy name Jidao, is a Chinese mythological figure and one of the Eight Immortals in the Taoist pantheon. He is also known as Han Zhongli because he was said to have been born in the Han dynasty. In legend, he wields a large f ...

and first of the Five Ancestors of the North, is his avatar, according to

Lü Dongbin Lü Dongbin (796 CE – 1016 CE) is a legendary Chinese scholar and poet said to have lived during the Tang Dynasty. Whether he actually lived the two hundred and twenty years cannot be determined. Elevated to the status of an immortal in the ...

. There is another legend that honors the King Father of the East as the Heavenly Father and the Queen Mother of the West as the Heavenly Mother. King Father of the East transforms essence, and Queen Mother of the West transforms blood.

References

{{Taoism footer Chinese gods Deities in Taoism

Legends

See also

References