Astronomy:Tianhuang Emperor

Statue of the Tianhuang Emperor (Okayama Jutian Shrine, Taiwan)

The Great Emperor of the Curved Array (Chinese: 勾陳大帝; pinyin: gōuchén dàdì), also called the Gouchen Emperor and Tianhuang Emperor, is one of the highest sky deities of Taoism. He is one of the Four Sovereigns (四御; sì yù) and is in charge of heaven, earth, and human and of wars in the human world.

Chinese mythology

The "Curved Array" is a constellation in the Purple Forbidden enclosure, equivalent to the European constellation called Ursa Minor or the Little Dipper. In Taoism, the Great Emperor of Curved Array is the eldest son of Doumu and the brother of the Ziwei Emperor.

History

Emperor Gaozong of Tang was called by the title Emperor Tianhuang as his Posthumous name given by Wu Zetian. Liu Yan was also given the posthumous name.

Constellation

There is a constellation named after the Tianhuang Emperor.

See also

• North Star
• Myōken
• Wufang Shangdi
• Four heavenly ministers

External links

• 道教文化资料库 (in Chinese)
• 玉皇大帝 (in Chinese)
• 后土皇地祇－地母元君 (in Chinese)