![Master Thunder (Lei Gong), dated 1542](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/36/Master_Thunder_%28Lei_Gong%29%2C_dated_1542.jpg)
Leigong () or Leishen (), is the god of thunder in
Chinese folk religion
Chinese folk religion, also known as Chinese popular religion comprehends a range of traditional religious practices of Han Chinese, including the Chinese diaspora. Vivienne Wee described it as "an empty bowl, which can variously be filled ...
,
Chinese mythology
Chinese mythology () is mythology that has been passed down in oral form or recorded in literature in the geographic area now known as Greater China. Chinese mythology includes many varied myths from regional and cultural traditions.
Much of t ...
and
Taoism
Taoism (, ) or Daoism () refers to either a school of philosophical thought (道家; ''daojia'') or to a religion (道教; ''daojiao''), both of which share ideas and concepts of Chinese origin and emphasize living in harmony with the '' Ta ...
. In Taoism, when so ordered by heaven, Leigong punishes both earthly mortals guilty of secret crimes and evil spirits who have used their knowledge of
Taoism
Taoism (, ) or Daoism () refers to either a school of philosophical thought (道家; ''daojia'') or to a religion (道教; ''daojiao''), both of which share ideas and concepts of Chinese origin and emphasize living in harmony with the '' Ta ...
to harm human beings. He carries a
drum and
mallet to produce
thunder
Thunder is the sound caused by lightning. Depending upon the distance from and nature of the lightning, it can range from a long, low rumble to a sudden, loud crack. The sudden increase in temperature and hence pressure caused by the lightning pr ...
, and a
chisel to punish evildoers. Leigong rides a chariot driven by a young boy named A Xiang.
Since Leigong's power is thunder, he has assistants capable of producing other types of heavenly phenomena. Leigong's wife
Dianmu
Dianmu (), also known as Leizi, is the Chinese goddess of lightning, who is said to have used flashing mirrors to send bolts of lightning across the sky.
She is married to Leigong, the god of thunder. She is one of the gods who work together to ...
is the goddess of lightning, who is said to have used flashing mirrors to send bolts of lightning across the sky. Other companions are Yun Tong ("Cloud Youth"), who whips up clouds, and
Yu Shi
Yu Shi () is a Chinese spirit or god of rain, also known as or conflated with Red Pine (Chisong, 赤松, or Chisongzi – Master Red Pine), among other names. Translations of ''Yu Shi'' into English include "Lord of Rain" and "Leader of Rain".
As ...
("Rain Master") who causes downpours by dipping his sword into a pot. Roaring winds rush forth from a type of goatskin bag manipulated by
Fengbo ("Earl of Wind"), who was later transformed into
Feng Po Po
Feng Po Po (), also called Feng Popo or Feng Pho Pho, is the goddess of the wind in Chinese mythology who rules over storms and moisture. She is referred to as "Madame Wind", and is usually depicted as a crone, old and wrinkled. Feng Po Po can be s ...
("Lady Wind").
Iconography
![雷公 (臺南風神廟)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/59/%E9%9B%B7%E5%85%AC_%28%E8%87%BA%E5%8D%97%E9%A2%A8%E7%A5%9E%E5%BB%9F%29.JPG)
Leigong is depicted as a fearsome creature with claws, bat wings, and a blue face with a bird's beak who wears only a
loincloth
A loincloth is a one-piece garment, either wrapped around itself or kept in place by a belt. It covers the genitals and, at least partially, the buttocks. Loincloths which are held up by belts or strings are specifically known as breechcloth or ...
.
Temples
A temple (from the Latin ) is a building reserved for spiritual rituals and activities such as prayer and sacrifice. Religions which erect temples include Christianity (whose temples are typically called churches), Hinduism (whose temples ...
dedicated to him are rare, but some people honor him in the hope that he will take revenge on their personal enemies. He used to smile a lot and also wore a friendly face.
Legend
Leigong began life as a mortal. While on earth, he encountered a
peach
The peach (''Prunus persica'') is a deciduous tree first domesticated and cultivated in Zhejiang province of Eastern China. It bears edible juicy fruits with various characteristics, most called peaches and others (the glossy-skinned, non-f ...
tree that originated from Heaven during the struggle between the
Fox Demon and one of the
Celestial Warriors. When Leigong took a bite out of one of its fruit he was transformed into his godly form. He soon received a
mace and a
hammer that could create
thunder
Thunder is the sound caused by lightning. Depending upon the distance from and nature of the lightning, it can range from a long, low rumble to a sudden, loud crack. The sudden increase in temperature and hence pressure caused by the lightning pr ...
.
![Leigong and Dianmu](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c6/Leigong_and_Dianmu.jpg)
The
Jade Emperor instructed Leigong to only kill bad people. But the sky got really dark whenever he struck people. So sometimes he killed the wrong people since he couldn't find his quarry. Dianmu was one such victim of his blind fury. She lived with her mother in the countryside, where they worked as rice farmers. One day, she dumped a husk of rice into a river because it was too hard for her mother to eat. When Leigong witnessed this action, he became enraged as he thought she was wasting precious food, so when he saw her dumping the husk out he killed her with one of his lightning bolts. The
Jade Emperor found out what Leigong had done and was furious that he killed the wrong person again. So the Jade Emperor revived Dianmu and made her into a goddess. He also told Dianmu to marry Leigong as punishment for her murder. He killed her, so it was his fault and his responsibility to take care of her. Dianmu's job is to work with Leigong. She uses mirrors to shine light onto earth so Leigong can see who he hits and makes sure they aren't innocent. This is why lightning comes first.
See also
*
God of thunder
Polytheistic peoples from many cultures have postulated a thunder god, the personification or source of the forces of thunder and lightning; a lightning god does not have a typical depiction, and will vary based on the culture. In Indo-European c ...
*
Leizhenzi
Leizhenzi ( zh, c=雷震子, p=Léizhènzǐ) a character in the classic Chinese novel ''Investiture of the Gods'' (''Fengshen Yanyi'').
Leizhenzi is a celestial being that had been created by a great thunderstorm at Mount Swallow. Ji Chang had ...
*
Lei Ting curse charm
Lei Ting curse charms (), or ''Lôi Đình curse charms'', are a type of Chinese and Vietnamese numismatic charms, these charms can be described as a talismanic coin as they are often based on Chinese cash coins but can also have round holes inst ...
References
Notes
* Storm, Rachel: The Encyclopedia of Eastern Mythology: Legends of the East: Myths and Tales of the Heroes, Gods and Warriors of Ancient Egypt, Arabia, Persia, India, Tibet, China and Japan.
Chinese gods
Thunder gods
Twenty-Four Protective Deities
Avian humanoids
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