Taiyi Zhenren
Taiyi Zhenren (Chinese: 太乙真人; pinyin: Tàiyǐ Zhēnrén) is a deity in Chinese religion and Taoism. Taiyi (lit. 'great 2nd Celestial stem') means "primordial unity of yin and yang" and Zhenren (lit. 'true person') is a Daoist term for "Perfected Person". According to the opening of the classical novel Fengshen Bang, he is the reincarnation of the first emperor of the Shang dynasty, Tang of Shang.
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In Traditional Taoism, he is the savior of all beings of the ten directions and his official Taoist name is Qinghua Dadi Taiyi Jiuku Tianzun (青華大帝太乙救苦天尊).[1][2]
In fiction
In Fengshen Bang, Taiyi Zhenren is the renowned teacher of Nezha, the celestial being destined to bring peace back to the Zhou Dynasty. Taiyi Zhenren is stationed atop Mount Champion and instructed Nezha to stay at Old Pond Pass - the place he had been born. After Nezha experienced great trouble with Ao Guang and went fleeing back to him, Taiyi Zhenren would at first be seen in deep thought; Zhenren would soon draw an "invisible juju" along his back however—as to give him a safe passage to heaven through invisibility.
After Nezha created further issues with a stone spirit Shiji Niangniang, Taiyi Zhenren would soon be seen face to face with her in front of Taiyi Zhenren's cave which Nezha retreated into for protection. After having no choice but to be rid of Shiji Niangniang, he would start off by disabling the silk scarf which she stole from Nezha, and then trap her within his Nine-dragon-fire-net. While trapped in this net, Taiyi Zhenren summoned several dragons which unleashed a large volley of fire into the net; instantly killing Shiji and turning her back into her original form as a molten rock.
References
- "幽冥界的大BOSS：太乙救苦天尊". 腾讯网 (in Chinese). 13 December 2017.
- "太乙救苦天尊的由來與事蹟". 隨意窩 Xuite日誌 (in Burmese). 23 June 2008.
Sources
- Fengshen Yanyi chapter 12