Nearly every ancient culture around the world had their own sacred deities. These deities were assigned or had domain over different aspects of nature and human life. In the past, we’ve covered goddesses from Egypt, Greece, Africa and the Celtic pantheon. In this article, we present our favorite Chinese goddesses including the Chinese Goddess of love, the Chinese goddess of the moon and more.
10 Magical Chinese Goddesses to Honor
1. Guan Yin: Chinese Goddess of Love and Peace
Also called Kuan Yin or Quan Yin, this widely-known Chinese Goddess brings love, harmony and healing to any home or situation. The interesting thing about this Chinese goddess is that she crosses cultures and religions in the East and West. Guan Yin is considered an ascended master, a goddess, and a Bodhisattva. She’s venerated in Western spiritual practice as well as in Buddhism, Shintoism, and Taosim. Guan Yin may be the same deity as Mother Mary or Isis in the East. Call on her for mercy and compassion, healing of various ailments, protection over children and mothers, and as a guide to the afterlife.
2. Lady Chang’O: Chinese Goddess of the Moon
Man in the Moon? Nope! The Chinese see a woman in the moon, specifically Lady Chang’O (Chang’E). Therefore, she is considered the Chinese goddess of the moon. The story goes Lady Chang’O drank an Immortality potion, which gave her immortality but banished her to the moon forever. Her sacred day is the Chinese moon festival and she’s an embodiment of Yin (feminine/moon) energy. Call on her during the Chinese moon festival to grant your wish! The Chinese moon goddess symbols include the moon hare, moon cakes, and candles.
3. Bao Gu: Chinese Healing Goddess
Bao Gu is a master healing goddess who specifically watches over Traditional Chinese doctors and acupuncturists. But anyone who practices natural medicine involving herbs are also under her protection. Bao Gu, the Chinese Goddess of Healing, was raised in a monastery where she learned how to heal via acupuncture and how to make magic. Her shrine is located in Guangzhou City. Call on Bao Gu for healing and if your career path is in natural medicine.
4. Wangmu Niangniang
Wangmu Niangniang is the most well-known Chinese goddess next to Guan Yin. Ruling the west from her magical palace on top of a mountain range, Wang Mu Niang Niang is the Chinese goddess of fertility, health and immortality. The magical peaches growing in her garden grant eternal life. Wangmu Niangniang is especially protective and fond of women – she’s viewed as an important aspect of Yin energy in Taosim. The Queen of the West’s personality is strong – she’s an inspiration to women who didn’t fall into the submissive female norm of society. Even in ancient times!
5. Nu Kua: Chinese Creator Goddess
Nu Kua, also called Nuwa, is a Chinese creator goddess. She fashioned the first humans out of clay, but became bored with the idea of creating all humans. Then she invented intercourse for humans to create themselves. Nu Kua is primordial, from the very beginnings of time. And she taught humans how to farm, how to build dams and control floods, and much more! Call on her for fertility and to aid in family affairs.
6. The Jade Maidens
The Jade Maidens aren’t always seen as Chinese goddesses, per se, but we feel they should be deified! After all, they care for The Jade Emperor’s wife Hsi Wang Mu, Queen Mother of the West. They are her attendants: they serve her the peaches of immortality, guard oaths and texts, wield metaphysical knowledge, and are overall celestial priestesses. Invoke The Jade Maidens when learning magic, alchemy, music and dance and how to conduct yourself when finding a mate.
7. Lady White
Another interesting Chinese Goddess is Lady White, the snake spirit of China. Known well through Chinese plays, operas, and literature, Lady White sought to be venerated by humans and got her wish! A monk punished this Chinese goddess for coming to the human world and marrying a man. He trapped her and another snake spirit in a bowl and built over it with a pagoda. Lady White has been viewed as a “good demon” or spirit and also as a goddess of healing and shapeshifting. Lady Blue is her ally.
Learn how to work with the old gods in a practical guide here:
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8. Lady Xian: Protective Goddess
Beginning as a historical or mythical figure, Lady Xian once lived in Southern China. She was married to a chieftain of the Xian tribe and did wonders for her people over her lifetime. Even during a time when women weren’t as respected in China, Lady Xian earned the regard of the emperor himself. Following her death, she was deified as the “Saintly Mother of Lingnan”. Invoke Lady Xian to mediate between enemies and invite peace into any situation AND for protection. She’s also called on for bravery and speaking up as a woman.
9. Tzu Ku: Chinese Goddess of the Bathroom
Sounds like a crazy thing to be a ruler over…the bathroom? But that’s just what Tzu Ku’s domain is! She once guarded the Chinese outhouse and pigpen which today would equate to the bathroom. Her story goes that she Tzu Ku was once a woman who was captured by a governor and then killed by the governor’s jealous wife…and yes, Tzu Ku was on the toilet when she was killed. Tzu Ku is a great Chinese goddess to invoke for help with divination, specifically oracle boards and sand or ash scrying/reading. Her altar would be perfect in the bathroom!
10. Lady Blue
Trapped in a bowl with her snake spirit friend Lady White, Lady Blue is another Chinese snake goddess of legend. As opposed to Lady White, Lady Blue is blue in color and smaller when in snake form. When she manifests as a woman, she is known as Siu Ching. Call on Lady Blue when you’re feeling trapped and need liberation.
How to Honor One (or More) of these Chinese Goddesses
First, consider the individual goddess and her mythos. Read, research and take notes on her. Learn of her origins, who are her divine parents, and how she helped shape the religion and culture of ancient China. Next, set up sacred space for the goddess. This could be an elaborate or simple altar or shrine. Add elements associated with your goddess, for example, Lady Blue adores snakes so be sure to include snake images on her shrine. Provide regular offerings and prayer.
Hi,
I’m writing this with no ill intention whatsoever but the photos that you’ve used aren’t culturally accurate to the topic here as photo #1 the woman is wearing a kimono and photo #3 the woman is wearing a traditional Vietnamese dress called an Áo Dài.
Okay, thank you for bringing this to my attention. I will amend the photos to be culturally accurate.
The most magical goddess is the ones that the patriarch tried to destoy, and that is Shuimu (水母), or Shuimu Niangniang (水母娘娘), is a very powerful Water Spirit of origin, or prepatriarchal and probably older than Taoism. She is identified as the youngest sister of the transcendent White Elephant (Buddha’s gate-warder), she was probably the original gate-warder. According to Chinese folklore, she is responsible for submerging Sizhou (an ancient Chinese city located in today’s Anhui Province) under the waters of Hongze Lake in 1574 ce and is currently sealed and imprisoned at the foot of a mountain in Xuyi District.
In mythology and folk mythology, there are different tales of Shuimu that exist in different regions of China. For example, in Suzhou, Anhui may be a troublesome goddess to local male leaders, while in Taiyuan (Taiwan), Shanxi it is believed that she was a woman who was gifted with the famous magical whip. In Mandarin, the word “Shui” means ‘Water’, “Mu” is ‘mother’, and “Niang Niang” means goddess. Shuimu also referred to as The Old Mother (Grandmother) of all Waters, also the Sea Goddess and Fountain Goddess who may be older than Mazu.
I assume the answer would be yes but I’m gonna ask this anyways: I am not Chinese so would it be cultural appropriation to worship/work with a Chinese Goddess as a non Chinese individual?
Technically yes it’s appropriation.
This info sparked my mind! Thanks!
If the Chinese do not believe in religion how could they have goddesses?
They used to. This is for folks who still believe.
deities are worshipped as gods (actually they may have been humans) that show the people their example. One this is in mind, they can hope to aspire or mimic the goddess that created the myth or belief.
I know chang’e she is my favourite Chinese goddess
Thank you for the information.
i know many and little these are some stories i never heard of before
Thank you for your knowledge; a very interesting article on the Chinese Goddesses.
Lovely stories about Chinese GODDESSES.