Wu Caishen has Zhao Gongming and Guandi. Zhao Gongming, also known as Zhao Xuantan, also known as Marshal Zhao Gong, first appeared in The Search for the Gods written by Gambao of A Jin, calling him the God of Murder, and later called him the God of Sorrow in the True Patent written by Tao Hongjing. Yuan Wuming's "A Complete Book on the Origin of the Three Religions" said that he "respected the Jade Emperor as a deputy marshal" and his duties were "to drive away thunder and electricity, call for rain, eradicate malaria and prevent diseases and disasters".
Zhao Gongming became a god of wealth thanks to the novel Romance of the Gods in Ming Dynasty. Jiang Taigong was given the title of Jade and Gold God by the orders of Yuan God, and Zhao Gongming was awarded the title of "Golden Dragon, Ruyi, Yi Long, Yihu and Tan Xuanzhen", in charge of Zhao Bao, Nazhen, Cai Zhao and Shi Li. At this time, Zhao Gongming changed from an "evil god" to a "god of wealth". Since then, novels and operas have been staged constantly, adding fuel to the fire, and Zhao Gongming has finally become a well-known god of wealth. Among the people, Marshal Zhao Gong mostly appeared in the image of riding a Hei Hu, wearing a helmet, holding a gold ingot in his left hand, a silver whip in his right hand, and adorning his whole body with rare treasures.
Guan Di is Guan Gong, and there is such a person in history. According to Jin's "History of the Three Kingdoms", Guan Yu was born in Shaanxi, with a formidable appearance and superb martial arts. At the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty, he became sworn friends with Liu Bei and Zhang Fei, contending for hegemony in the world, assisting Liu Bei to establish the Shu-Han Empire, and then lost Jingzhou, where he was killed by Sun Quan. Because of his kindness to Cao Cao, Cao Cao carved Daphne into a corpse and buried it in Luoyang. The novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms vividly explains this story of Guan Yu. Its brave, loyal and faithful image is well known.
According to records, Guan Gong's belief began in the Southern and Northern Dynasties. In 567 AD, Guan Gong Temple was first built in Yuquan Mountain, Dangyang County. Later feudal monarchs promoted Guan Gong's loyalty, filial piety and benevolence in order to consolidate their rule, which made Guan Gong religion develop rapidly in a short historical period. From the Sui and Tang Dynasties to the Ming Dynasty, Guan Gong temples proliferated and the titles continued. In the Qing Dynasty, the rulers of the Qing Dynasty thought that they could enter the Central Plains and benefit from the protection of Guan Gong, calling them "Guan Shengda". Guandi belief involves all walks of life.
2. Wisdom God of Wealth
The God of Wealth refers to Emperor Wenchang. Wenchang Emperor, Wen Quxing, also known as Zitong Emperor, is the god in charge of Wenchang's government affairs and human wealth, and the people regard him as the god of wealth. From the root of belief, the belief of Wenchang Emperor originated from the worship of stars in our country. In The Songs of Chu, there is a sentence "Wenchang was the envoy of the queen", and Hong Xingzu added: "One day, Jin (the book) said:' Wenchang has six stars in front of Beidoukui, one is a general, the other is a general, the third is an expensive minister, the fourth is a division, and the fifth is a division. Since the Han Dynasty, the belief in the monarch in Wenchang has been gradually strengthened because of the Confucian advocacy of "learning to be excellent and being an official".
The name of Wenchang Emperor was Zhang Yazi, who was from Sichuan in the Eastern Jin Dynasty. Later, when he died in the war, people built a shrine to commemorate him. In the Tang Dynasty, he was posthumously named "King of Yingxian County". Taoism absorbed it into the sacred tree, arranged it as the official residence in Wenchang House, and honored the place name (Zitong) as the sacred name. At this point, the stars are all like Zhang Yazi. With the prevalence of imperial examinations in the Song Dynasty, Zhang Yazi became famous, and scholars were convinced of Zhang Yazi's spirituality. By the Ming Dynasty, Wenchang Temple had been established in all the learning centers in the world. The Qing Dynasty stipulated that Wenchang's birthday was on the third day of the second lunar month every year, and the court sent personnel to participate in sacrificial activities. What we are talking about now is actually the combination of Wenchang (star name) and Zitong (local name). The image of Wenchang in history is elegant, wearing a jade official hat, riding a white donkey, accompanied by two children. The traditional New Year pictures in China are characterized by smiling, holding wishful thinking and cornucopia, which are often accompanied by lucky money and treasure. Wenchang Emperor should be the image of God of Wealth with the earliest age and the most admirers.
3. In addition, there is a folk saying that Shang Zhouwang's uncle Bi Gan, the important minister of Yue during the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, and Liu Haichan of the Five Dynasties are the "God of Wealth".