Thor

In the east yard of the White Cloud Temple in Beijing, there is a Lei Zu Temple built in the Qing Dynasty, dedicated to the Taoist god of thunder. In fact, in the past, there were many temples and temples dedicated to the God of Thunder in both urban and rural areas of China, generally known as Lei Gong Temple, in which the feared God of Thunder was sculpted. And not only in the folk, the court also worshiped the god of thunder, such as the Ming Emperor Jiajing in the Taiyiquan (now the North Plum Park) built in the northeast corner of the God of Thunder, “Thunder Supply Hall”, the temple has an altar: Booming Thunder Xuan, Xiao Feng room, hush snow room, Lingyu room, Yew electric room, acting wonderful hall and other buildings. In the east of the Tai Liquid Pond, near the Basho Garden, there is also a Five Thunders Hall. In the Qing Dynasty, the Yongzheng Emperor also in the Imperial City West (now within the North Changjie) Royal Edict to build the God of Thunder Temple, named Zhaoxian Temple. It seems that the God of Thunder faith is very prosperous.

Thunder God belief originated in the ancient Chinese ancestors for the natural worship of thunder and lightning, because the ancient times, the climate changes abnormally, clear skies will suddenly dark clouds, thunder rumbles, lightning flashes, thunder and lightning will sometimes destroy trees, killed animals and people. This made people think that there was a god in the sky who was angry, and then they felt fear and worshipped him. The image of the god gradually changed from a simple nature god to a god with complex social functions.

The image of the god of thunder is recorded in the Shanmei Jing – Mei Nei Dong Jing, which states, “There is a god of thunder in the Lei Ze, with the body of a dragon and the head of a man, bulging his belly. In the west of Wu.” This image is half-human, half-animal, people believe that the sound of thunder in the sky, and the dragon is also flying in the sky, the two together, there will be thunderstorms; and its waist asked to imagine that there is a drum, the drum sends out the sound of thunder.

Later, the image of the god of thunder changed further. Youyang pro-chopping board – before the collection“ said ”pig head, hands and feet of two fingers, holding a red snake rodent“; ”Ancient and Modern Book Integration – Shenyi Dian“ Volume 2, said ”boar head and scale body“; ”casting tripods Yu wen“ Volume 1, said ”the big head of the ghost, white embracing the neck, Zhu calf nose, yellow belt, the big head of the ghost, white embracing the neck, Zhu calf nose, yellow belt, the big head of the ghost. 朱犊鼻，黄带，右手持斧，左手恃凿，运连鼓于火中”；《集说诠真》引《搜神记》说“色如丹，目如镜，毛角长三尺余，状如六畜，头如猕猴”；《唐国史补》说“其状如彘，秋冬伏于 In the Supplement to the National History of Tang, it is said that “its shape is like a swine, lying on the ground in autumn and winter”; in Volume 7 of Yijian C Zhi, it is said that its shape is like a strange ghost, “its length is three feet, and the color of its face and flesh is all green. The conical cap on the head, like the turban in the world, is made of flesh and connected to the forehead”.

In short, the image of the god of thunder is variable, with the body shape of a dragon, a man, or a beast, and the face of a man, a monkey, a pig, or a ghost. After Zhou Bing, the God of Thunder is called the Thunder Master, or Lei Gong, “Chu Shi – Li Sao”: “Luan Huang for Yu first precepts, Lei Shi told Yu to not have.” And the Kaiyuan Chamjing said, “The name of the star in the southeast of the five cars is Sikong, and the name of its god is Lei Gong.” Regardless of whether it is called Lei Shi or Lei Gong, when people worship the God of Thunder only one, and to the lunar calendar June 24 for Lei Gong’s birthday, known as the “Lei Gong birthday”, is the day people have to worship Lei Gong.

In the Yuan Dynasty, the image of the God of Thunder was not yet finalized, because there was a “Lei Gong Banner” in the Yuan Dynasty, and the God of Thunder was still painted as a “big head of ghost shape” or “the face of the Rex”. Ming and Qing dynasties, the image of the God of Thunder tends to unify, the standard image for the “set of interpretations of the real” described: “like a Rex, bare chest and bare stomach, back two wings, forehead with three eyes, face as red as a monkey, under the chin is long and sharp, feet like an eagle trembling, and claws are more severe, the left hand to hold a wedge, the right hand to hold a mallet, as if you want to hit the shape. From the top to the evening, the ring hanging drums five, left and right disk tiptoe a drum, called Lei Gong Jiang Tianjun.” Can be seen at this time the most obvious features of the God of Thunder is a monkey face, sharp mouth, so the folk have the “Lei Gong face”, “Lei Gong mouth” said.

Jiu Tian Ying Yuan Lei Sheng Pu Hua Tian Zun is the supreme deity of the Thunder Department. According to the General Catalogue of Gods and Immortals Throughout the Ages, he is “the master of heaven’s disasters and blessings, the holder of the power and balance of things, the master of things and people, the master of life and the master of death”. He is under the jurisdiction of a complex ministry of thunder organization, headquartered for the God of thunder Yu Fu, under the “thirty-six internal courtyard in the Department, the East and West Huatai, Xuankan Miaoge, the four provinces and six courts and various departments, each sub-cao bureau”. According to the “Supreme JiuXiao YuQingDaFaZiWeiXuanDu Thunder Jade Scripture” said, four for: JiuXiao YuQingFu, east pole QingXuanFu, nine days should be YuanFu, hole abundance of YuFu; six hospitals for: taiyi inner courtyard, jade pivot hospital, five thunder courtyard, bucket pivot hospital, the YangYuan, XanDu fire thunder courtyard; all the division for: the day part of the department of the court department, penglai all the water department, the four departments of taiyi thunder, the north emperor of the thunder, north duo conquest department, north duo defense division, the jade house of the thunder of the nine divisions and the caobao courtyard sub-division.

Division. And said that in each organization, there are “Jade House left Xuan, right Xuan, gold valve service, servant, on the phase of the true immortal, true uncle, the Secretary Supervisor, bullying Chen, Xian Lang, Yulang, Yutong, Yujing, Yujing left and right, the Department of Thunder under the command of the Department of Thunder God, officials, generals”. And said “nine days Lei Gong generals, eight cloud Ray generals, five barbarians Ray messenger, Ray Department of the general emissary”, are in the nine days should be the thunder sound Puhua Tianzun under the command of the command. It is said that there are thirty-six Lei Gong in the Department, divided into heaven, earth, human three categories, twelve in each category. Twelve days of thunder for: God Xiao Lei Gong, five Lei Gong, line wind Lei Gong, line rain Lei Gong, line cloud Lei Gong, Buze Lei Gong, line ice Lei Gong, line Xiao Lei Gong, flying sand Lei Gong, food black Lei Gong, voodoo Lei Gong, swallowing ghosts Lei Gong.

The twelve landmines are: correcting good Leigong, punishing evil Leigong, social order Leigong, sending rice Leigong, four sequences of Leigong, but the disaster Leigong, collecting poison Leigong, supporting the danger Leigong, rescuing the sick Leigong, too ascending Leigong, patrolling the sky Leigong, checking the ground Leigong. The twelve Lei Dukes are: the Plague Collector, the Poison Collector, the Scourge Collector, the Scourge Remover, the Scourge Breaker, the Temple Breaker, the Mountain Sealer, the Tiger Breaker, the Tiger Fighter, the Corpse Remover, the Barrier Breaker, the Peper Remover, and the Monster Remover. These 36 Lei Gong in charge of 36 days Cao criminal law, in strict accordance with the nine days should be the original thunder sound Puhua Tianzun’s orders, on behalf of the implementation of punishment, the scripture said “Lei Division cloth order line to fast as the wind and fire, do not stop, drop Ze where there are spears, vibration of the thunder of the sound of the number of drought that is drought, rain that is rain, must be the emperor’s orders”.

Is the scripture also said that the nine days should be the thunder of the universal sound Puhua Tianzun in charge of five thunder, ten thunder, thirty-six thunder. Five thunder for: sky thunder, mine, water thunder, God thunder, social thunder. Ten thunder for: jade pivot thunder, God’s heavenly thunder, big hole thunder, Xanadu thunder, the North Pole thunder, Taiyi thunder, Zifu thunder, Yu Chen Lei, Taixiao Lei, Taiji Lei. Thirty-six Lei are: Yushu Lei, Yufu Lei, Yuju Lei, hangqing Big Cave Lei, Fire Wheel Lei, Guandou Lei, Wind and Fire Lei, Feijie Lei, North Pole Lei, Ziwei Xuanshu Lei, Shenxiao Lei, Xiantu Lei, Taiyi Booming Lei, Zifu Lei, Iron Armor Lei, Shao Yang Lei, Crash Fire Lei, Sheling Barbaric Thunder, Earth and Goddess Mingle Lei, Three Realms of Lei, Zhan Xieng Khouang Lei, Great Mighty Thunder, Six Waves of Lei, Qingqi Thunder, Eight Trigrams of Thunder, Mixed Hawk Dogs and Dogs of Lei, Tsao Lifes of Wind Thunder, Fiery Clouds of Lei, Yubu Great Unity Thunder, Taiji Thunder, Sword Fire Thunder, Outer Discernment Thunder, Inner Discernment Thunder, Divine Mansion Heavenly Pivot Thunder, Great Brahma Dou Pivot Thunder, and Yu Chen Thunder.

As for the origin of the Nine Heavenly Yingyuan Thunder Sound Puhua Tianzun, it is said that there are three. One of the nine sons of the first heavenly father Yu Qing Zhen Wang said. For example, “the supreme nine sky Yu Qing Da Fan Zi Wei Xuan Du Thunder Jade scripture” that is said to be floating Li Yuan Shi Tian Zun, the ninth son of Yu Qing Zhen Wang, the birth of Thunder sound Puhua Tian Zun, the exclusive control of the 36 days of the nine skies, in charge of the government of the thunder, called the “God of Thunder Zhen Wang”. This statement is also found in the Taoist Collection – Nine Days Ying Yuan Thunder Sound Puhua Tian Zun Yu Shu Bao Jing and other books.

The second is the yellow emperor said. Such as “re repair wei shu integrated” volume six “hetu start open map” said: “yellow emperor name xuan yuan, north dipper god also, to thunder essence.” The same volume four “spring and autumn stage Cheng Tu” said: “Xuanyuan star, the main god of thunder and rain.” The historical record – justice“ also cloud: ”xuan yuan seventeen stars, in the seven stars north, the body of the yellow dragon, the main god of thunder and rain.” The Gods and Immortals through the ages“ is more detailed: ”(Huang Di) title for the nine days should be the thunder sound universalization of the true king.

The residence of the divine thunder jade house, in the blue sky, in the Brahma gas, to Leicheng two thousand three hundred miles. Thunder City is 81 feet high, the left side of the Jade Center five thunder makes the hospital, the right side of the King’s House five thunder makes the hospital. Before the real king, there are thirty-six thunder drums, and thirty-six gods are in charge of them. Whenever the line of thunder, the real king personally hit the Department of thunder drums, instant Lei Gong Lei Shi Xingfa Thunder Sound. Lei Gong Lei Shi Xing Fa Lei sound also. Lei Gong is into the Lei Ze as God also. Li Mu Chih is the Lei Shi Hao Weng. Thirty-six Lei, all the then auxiliary ministers of merit.

The third one is Wenzong’s saying. This is due to the “Feudal Yanyi”, Jiang Ziya sealing of the gods, will be the master Wen Zhong sealed as the nine days should be met Thunder sound Puhua Tianzun, subordinate Deng Zhong Xinhuan, Zhang Festival, Tao Rong and other twenty-four members of the Lei Gong, the line “to promote the cloud to help the rain law”.
The above statement, one of the closest to Taoism, such as the “Ming Dynasty – Rites of four” said: “thunder universalization of Tianzun, Taoism that the General Secretary of the five thunder, but also to the June 24 for the day of the day of the present, so the year to be the day to send an official visit to the Palace of the Spirit of sacrifice.” And Taoism also invites the god of thunder thunder method, this method to talisman magic for the use of the array of demons to catch ghosts and refining the dead souls, summoning the gods to drive away, the clouds to rain.

Deng Yuanshuai
One of the gods of the Thunder Department of Taoism. It is rumored that his name is Zhong (忠). The first volume of Casting Tripods and Remnants says that he has “silver teeth and dazzling eyes”. The heavenly monarchs under the Nine Heavens Ying Yuan Thunder Sound Xie Hua Tian Zun’s department are often headed by Deng Yuan Shuai. Yijian Zhi Supplement“ Volume 2.3: ”Zongluo Zhao Shan Chuan, when I met Mr. Jiuhua with the transmission of Lingbao Dafa, practice more effective. Build an altar line method, see the gods and men flame around the body, said: ‘I Tianyuan Kaoshao call General Deng also.’” Song Dynasty called “Tianyuan Deng General”. Ming Yao Zongyi “Changshu Zhi” records that the Taoist temple has a Thunder God Hall, in front of the “law and order God Deng Marshal” as the head. In addition, the name of Deng Zhong is mentioned in the book Feuding the Gods, and the name of Deng Hua is mentioned in the book Journey to the West, which both refer to Marshal Deng.
Xin Yuan Shuai
One of the gods of the Thunder Department of Taoism. According to the “three religions source and flow of the Ten Greatest Gods,” Volume 5, said: his name is Xin Xing, the word Zhenyu, his mother’s name is Zhang; since childhood, the family is poor, rely on firewood to make a living, to support their mothers, very hard. He was originally from Yongzhou. Where he lived, there was a thunder god mountain, every hibernation day thunder, nothing does not break. In summer and fall, the god of thunder hid in the ground and changed into the shape of a chicken. One day, Xin Xing went to Thunder God Mountain to fetch firewood, and in the quiet valley, he caught five Thunder Gods in the form of chickens, and he was so happy that he brought them back to kill them for his mother to eat.

After returning home, Xin Xing gave the chickens to his mother and went to sell the materials. His mother will be four chickens in the cage, leaving one ready to kill, the chicken suddenly spoke like a human being: “I am the God of Thunder, can not be eaten, please leave me alive!” His mother did not agree and killed him with a knife. Suddenly, thunder roared and killed his mother on the ground. When Xin Xing returned home, he saw his mother dead, and hugged the corpse, crying, “I what extreme, suppress to this evil!” When drying tears, Xin Xing saw his mother’s back with golden words, said: “mixed one of the gas, the Qing emperor of the British, Wei order added, Dien Yu dare oppose, split the evil and kill the evil, only my Division.” Appropriate to know the chicken for the God of Thunder changed, so manipulate the wooden stick to hit the remaining four, the thunder chicken is covered by clothes, can not send out thunder and lightning. Suddenly dark clouds, thunder and lightning, the God of Thunder wants to want to hit Xin Xing, but also feel its filial piety is really rare, and then turned into a Taoist soil down to the ground to bow to it, “filial son alone does not fear the thunder and counter-programming thunder.

My Thunder God, mistakenly to hurt your mother, you do not complain also, the rest of the willing to only and ordered to thank the crime.” So the gift of fire Dan twelve with its food, Xin Xing immediately into Lei Gong, feet on five thunder drums, straight up to the clouds, by the Jade Emperor as the Ministry of Thunder Marshal. Legend has it that the 25th day of the 6th lunar month is the Christmas of Xin Yuan Shuai, and those who worship the God of Thunder are vegetarian on this day, called “Lei Zhai”. Such as “casting Ding Yu Si” Volume 1 cited Gu Lu “Qing Jia Lu” said: June 25 for the Xin Tianjun birthday, said Tianjun for the Ministry of Thunder in the main book of the God, who worship Lei Zhai, to the day are vegetarian to pray for God’s blessing. And the month of Xin day and the first six days, commonly known as “three Xin a board, six do not defend the halo”, called the “Xin Zhai”.

Taoist thunder one of the gods. According to the “three religions source of search for the book of God” records: Shuai surnamed Pang Qiao, the word long Qing, Hanjiang people, his father Pang Ding, mother Yao, the world to ferry for a living, born in the Han Dynasty Emperor Xian Kichou year 11 months of dibutyl sebacate at ugly time. Pang Qiao grew up with a kind heart, the road does not pick up, often save people in need. On the night of a Chongyang Festival, a merchant went home to seek a ferry from the heart, accidentally left a hundred taels of gold on the boat.

The next day, the boaters to find, anxious, Pang Qiao immediately returned the gold to the boaters, boaters grateful, take out a bloom to express gratitude, Pang Qiao politely thanked. And two days before New Year’s Eve, a young woman alone to seek ferry, when it was very late, and snow, women have no place to go, Pang Qiao even stayed at home to roast fire, give food and clothing, the next day after the snow stops, the woman did not know where to end. On the third day, Pang Qiao was busy receiving boat passengers, his father Pang Ding was wearing a straw raincoat boat ferry passengers, the woman followed behind. When the boat arrived at the shore and was returning, the wind was strong and the boat was overturned. Pang Qiao saw this, hurriedly jumped into the cold river water, with the waves, such as floating stalks, swim directly to the place where his father fell into the water, dive into the water to pick up his father’s back, swim to the edge of the cliff, at this time Pang Qiao has done its best, but then a wave hit, and immediately Pang Qiao and his father and swept into the water again. Pang Qiao again tried his best to save his father, and then he searched for the woman, and dived into the water three times before he saved her.

At this time for the New Year’s Eve, ghosts in and out of the call for injustice to take the place of Pang Qiao solid six of the essence of the Kan for the House, the boiling waves can not make it critical, and the woman is CiHang (Goddess of Mercy) incarnation, of course, all right. Pang Qiao’s father is also not in danger, Pang Qiao held his father whimpering, and dozens of ghosts also cried: “Yu this year when the replacement, but I can not help for the filial son of the hustle, I have no reincarnation of the day carry on!” Pang Qiao listened to pick up the whip and hit, the ghosts fled. The next night, ghosts and come crying, when the wind is soughing, ghosts cry miserable, not to mention his father just survived the surging water, especially poor health, still life-threatening, Pang Qiao had no choice but to stick in the palm of the incense dust to the fire fumigated on it, wishing prayers in the sky, the Jade Emperor knows, sealed its mixed gas Marshal, holding a golden moon, guarding the heavenly gates. Later, he was also appointed as the Thunder Department of Heavenly King, the array of demons and eliminate evil, the autumn is not a crime.

One of the gods of the Thunder Department of Taoism. According to Volume 4 of The Complete Book of the Three Religions, the Marshal’s surname is Tian and his name is Hua. He was originally a thunder spirit, hidden in the ground, and was born in Tianqi, a thousand years after the birth of the milk of the rock. When he was born, he was thundering in the sky from daytime, with fire and wind and rain rising suddenly, sitting on his knees, surrounded by snakes and nursed by bees. When he grew up, he was named because of the field, referring to Huawei Bi, and practiced under the Luolu Rock. At that time, Nuwa refining five-color earth patch days, a hundred plans are not, Shuai help wood and fire of the essence of the Perak broken Xuanjing of the stone marrow, boo spurt of the South of the gas casting of metallurgy, sound roar of heaven and earth, it is stuffed with the sky leakage, but also refining the five-color hail wind and thunder array, on the help of Xuanyuan killed Chiyu, Xuanyuan Emperor to worship for the Dragon Master.

Handsome said: “Yu Fang outside the person, will not be bungling since the loss?” Whisking and hidden in the realm of Huaxu, because of the name Hua Yan. Time to have Tang’s, ten suns in the sky, terracotta thousands of miles, the stars of the official metaphor to replace the celestial workers Division, the emperor sting up lag, for heaven and earth to establish the heart of the flood furnace to create life. Handsome Jade Emperor’s will, driving to make the thunder car, embracing the electric pennant. It is time to rain.

Flow and the end of the Han Dynasty, demons, adultery and prostitution. The Jade Emperor even appointed him as the Thunder Gate Bi Yuan Shuai, in charge of the twelve thunder, and thus in charge of the heaven and earth’s water, drought and dryness, in the middle of the fight against the unkind and unrighteous people, the next to put down the group of devils and monsters, so doubly respected by the people.

Taoist thunder one of the gods. According to the “Three religions source and flow of the whole book”, volume 4, cited “miscellaneous biographies,” said: Tianjun for the Eastern Jin Dynasty, the name of the latter. He was born in the fishing ferry of the Mianjiang River at the time of the 12th day of the 8th month of the year Gengzi, at the time of the 5th month of the year. One day, his mother was fetching water from the river and accidentally dropped him into the river, and he was helped by a floating raft. His father, Liu Fugong fell to meet the day: “What is different, but fortunately not die!” Young and poor, with Luo Zhenren when the bullying read. Later, he was taught by the real man, and became proficient in the Five Thunder Palm Technique, which could call the wind and rain to save the people from danger. Later, the Jade Emperor appointed him as the “Lixing Ciji True Lord”, in charge of the Five Thunders of the Divine Thunder Jade Palace.