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Archetype are everywhere. they are guiding, inspiring, possessing, ruling and living through us each day. Archetype influence 99% of human behavior. it's not a question of whether archetype are influence your behavior: it's a matter of degrees. To the extent you're aware of the archetype operating within you is an indicator of your level of consciousness. with greater self-awareness, you're able to navigate the emotional landscape of archetype skillfully To complement my guide to archetype, here we 'ii explore a comprehensive list of archetype so you can get to know your psyche.

JUNGIAN ARCHETYPE LIST

It seem appropriate to start our journey with the man who popularized the concept of archetype. perhaps more than anyone else, psychiatrist carl Jung provided us with a map of the human psyche. through his analytical psychology, Jung classified many of the driving forces that dominate the human behavior.

The Sun: (masculine) both the giver and destroyer of life creative energy; consciousness; passage of time and life. Rising sun: birth; creation; setting sun: death • The Moon: (feminine) marks the passage of time and controls the course of human events. Seedtime, harvest, tides, etc. • The Shadow: life instincts which exist as part of the unconscious mind and are composed of repressed ideas, weaknesses, desires, instincts and shortcomings. Often described as the darker side of the psyche, representing wildness, chaos and the unknown. • Water: the mystery of creation; the life cycle (birth-death-resurrection); purification and redemption • The Sea: the mother of all life; death and rebirth; the unconscious • Rivers: death and rebirth (baptism); the flowing of time into eternity; transitional phases of the life cycle; incarnations of deities. • Fountain: rebirth, renewal, life • The Whirlpool: symbolizes the destructive power of nature and fate • The Underworld: a place of death; represents an encounter with the dark side of the self • The Threshold: gateway to the new world; the hero must enter it to change and grow • The Magic Weapon: Symbolizes extraordinary quality of the hero; no one else can wield the weapon or use it to its full potential; usually given to the hero by the mentor figure • Garden: paradise; innocence; unspoiled beauty (especially feminine); fertility; new birth; hope • Tree: inexhaustible life due to its growth, proliferation, and generative and regenerative processes; wisdom • Caves and Tunnels: rebirth, passage, death of the old life • Islands: remoteness from society and the island’s isolation from all other societies; helps insulate people from other cultures so that their culture remains true to itself; blocks outside influences • Desert: spiritual aridity, death, nihilism, hopelessness • Fire: both protective and destructive; symbolizes human knowledge and industry • Circle (sphere): Wholeness, unity, perfection, eternity • Egg (oval): The mystery of life and the forces of generation • Triangle (pyramid): The Christian Trinity; stages of life; hardship • Yin-yang: the union of the opposite forces of the yin (female principle, darkness, passivity, the unconscious) and the yang (masculine principle, light, activity, the conscious mind) Situational Archetypes • The Quest: the search for someone or something that will restore peace/normalcy to a troubled land/people • The Journey: the hero’s path; represents the journey of life • The Task: a superhuman deed that must be performed to save the kingdom, win the fair lady, or identify the hero so that he may assume his rightful position • Supernatural Intervention: The gods intervene on the side of the hero (or, sometimes, against him) • Innate Wisdom vs. Educated Stupidity: Some characters exhibit wisdom and understanding of situations instinctively as opposed to those supposedly in charge (often demonstrated by Loyal Retainers) • The Fall: a descent from a higher to a lower state of being, from innocence and bliss to loss – often accompanied by an expulsion from paradise • The Battle between Good and Evil: Does this one really require a definition? – Shows man’s eternal optimism in the continual portrayal of good triumphing over evil despite great odds • The Ritual: Ceremonies that mark the rite of passage into another state. These include: sacrificial, initiation, and coming of age rites • Sleep/The Void: loss of personal awareness and sense of self. Healing and true peace or loss of self can be achieved in this state. • Death/Rebirth: Can be literal or physical; signifies an ending or a beginning 2 Color Archetypes • Red: blood, sacrifice, violent passion; disorder • Green: in a positive context – growth; sensation; hope; fertility; in a negative context – death and decay • Blue: highly positive – associated with truth, religious feeling, security, spiritual purity • Black: chaos, mystery, the unknown; death; evil; the unconscious • White: positive aspects – light, purity, innocence; negative aspects – death, terror, the supernatural • Brown: neutralizing, earth, hearth, home, outdoors, reliability, comfort, simplicity • Orange: concentration, psychic energy, balance, enthusiasm, demanding attention, vibrant, warmth, encouragement • Pink: true love, friendship, attraction, romance, spiritual awakening, togetherness • Purple: magical forces, power over obstacles, royalty, nobility, spirituality, ceremony, transformation, wisdom • Yellow: joy, happiness, optimism, imagination, hope, sunshine • Gold: greatness, value, wealth Number Archetypes • One (1): ultimate unity; identity; equality; existence; general harmony, peace, and tranquility • Two (2): contrasts; diversity; inequality; division; separation; disorder; confusion; change • Three (3): light; spiritual awareness and unity (cf. The Holy Trinity); the male principle; completeness; divinity; soul of the world • Four (4): associated with the circle, life cycle, four seasons; female principle; earth, nature; four elements (earth, air, fire, water) • Five (5): divine grace • Six (6): evil connotations, devil; ambivalence; totals of labor; luck, chance • Seven (7): the most potent of all symbolic numbers – signifying the union of three and four, the completion of a cycle, perfect order. • Twelve (12): 12 months of the solar year Character Archetypes • The Hero: Man/woman with great strength & courage; known for having honorable purposes; willing to risk life for the good of all; often leaves the familiar to enter a new, unfamiliar, challenging world, and then returns to his/her “ordinary” world • Loner or Outcast: a character who is separated from society due to an impairment or an advantage that sets him apart from others. • Underdog: Characters who are usually in the wrong place at the wrong time, but who usually win something of value in the end. • The Innocent: trusts in faith and optimism, has exceptionally high ideals and aspirations, and a belief in hard work and doing the right thing • The Villain: the male or female personification of evil. The antagonist who truly personifies evil. The villain's malice is limitless and rarely is the villain reformed. • The Terrible Mother/The Woman as Temptress: A woman to whom the protagonist is attracted and who ultimately brings about his downfall • The Stepmother: A surrogate mother who represents the evil side of motherhood. • The Damsel in Distress: A vulnerable woman who must be rescued by the hero; often used to trap the hero • The Wise One/The Mentor/The Sage: the savior, the redeemer, the guru – represents knowledge, insight, and wisdom; serves as a teacher or counselor to the hero • The Spiritual Earth Mother/The Good Mother: symbolic of abundance and fertility; offers spiritual/emotional nourishment • The Soul Mate: incarnation of inspiration and spiritual fulfillment • Loyal Retainers: Individuals somewhat like servants who are heroic themselves; duty is to protect the hero and reflect his/her nobility • Ill-fated (“Star-crossed") Lovers: A young man and woman enter an ill-fated love affair which ends tragically in the death of either or both of the lovers • Nature Helpers: Characters (animals or plants usually) that assist or guide the protagonist • Jester/Fool/Trickster: trick others to get them to do what s/he wants – they can be both virtuous and nefarious. Provides comic relief. • Scapegoat/Sacrificial Victim: An animal or more usually a human whose death in a public ceremony expiates some taint or sin that has been visited upon a community. • The Giant/Monster/Ogre: a character who is lonely (because they are shunned), with uncontrolled rage or strength or violence, and a lot of times they fall in love with and protect a beautiful woman. Sometimes monsters must be outwitted by heroes • Serpent: a helper and representative of evil

12 Archetypal Characters to Use in Your Writing
Some archetypal characters are well known—the hero, for instance—while others, such as the sage, are discussed less frequently outside of literary circles. While some archetypes lend themselves most readily to protagonists or villains, it’s worth noting that any of these archetypes can apply to good, bad, major, or minor characters.

Here are the 12 common character archetypes, as well as examples of archetype in famous works of literature and film.

1. The Lover

The romantic lead who’s guided by the heart.


 * Strengths: humanism, passion, conviction
 * Weaknesses: naivete, irrationality
 * Lover Archetype Examples: Romeo and Juliet (Romeo and Juliet), Noah Calhoun (The Notebook), Scarlett O’Hara (Gone With the Wind), Belle (Beauty and the Beast)

2. The Hero

The protagonist who rises to meet a challenge and saves the day.


 * Strengths: courage, perseverance, honor
 * Weaknesses: overconfidence, hubris
 * Hero Archetype Examples: Achilles (The Iliad), Luke Skywalker (Star Wars), Wonder Woman (Wonder Woman), Harry Potter (Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone)

3. The Magician

A powerful figure who has harnessed the ways of the universe to achieve key goals.


 * Strengths: omniscience, omnipotence, discipline
 * Weaknesses: corruptibility, arrogance
 * Magician Archetype Examples: Prospero (The Tempest), Gandalf (The Lord of the Rings), Morpheus (The Matrix), Darth Vader (Star Wars)

4. The Outlaw

The rebel who won’t abide by society’s demands.


 * Strengths: independent thinking, virtue, owes no favors
 * Weaknesses: self-involved, potentially criminal
 * Outlaw Archetype Examples: Han Solo (Star Wars), Dean Moriarty (On the Road), Humbert Humbert (Lolita), Batman (The Dark Knight)

5. The Explorer

A character naturally driven to push the boundaries of the status quo and explore the unknown.


 * Strengths: curious, driven, motivated by self-improvement
 * Weaknesses: restless, unreliable, never satisfied
 * Explorer Archetype Examples: Odysseus (The Odyssey), Sal Paradise (On the Road), Huckleberry Finn (The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn), Sherlock Holmes (Sherlock Holmes)

6. The Sage

A wise figure with knowledge for those who inquire. The mother figure or mentor is often based on this archetype.


 * Strengths: wisdom, experience, insight
 * Weaknesses: cautious, hesitant to actually join the action
 * Famous sages: Athena (The Odyssey), Obi-Wan Kenobi (Star Wars), Hannibal Lecter (The Silence of the Lambs), The Oracle (The Matrix)

7. The Innocent

A morally pure character, often a child, whose only intentions are good.


 * Strengths: morality, kindness, sincerity
 * Weaknesses: vulnerable, naive, rarely skilled
 * Innocent Archetype Examples: Tiny Tim (A Christmas Carol), Lennie Small (Of Mice and Men), Cio-Cio-san (Madame Butterfly), Buddy the Elf (Elf)

8. The Creator

A motivated visionary who creates art or structures during the narrative.


 * Strengths: creativity, willpower, conviction
 * Weaknesses: self-involvement, single-mindedness, lack of practical skills
 * Creator Archetype Examples: Zeus (The Iliad), Dr. Emmett Brown (Back to the Future), Dr. Moreau (The Island of Dr. Moreau), Dr. Victor Frankenstein (Frankenstein)

9. The Ruler

A character with legal or emotional power over others.


 * Strengths: omnipotence, status, resources
 * Weaknesses: aloofness, disliked by others, out of touch
 * Ruler Archetype Examples: Creon (Oedipus Rex), King Lear (King Lear), Aunt Sally (The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn), Tony Soprano (The Sopranos)

10. The Caregiver

A character who continually supports others and makes sacrifices on their behalf.


 * Strengths: honorable, selfless, loyal
 * Weaknesses: lacking personal ambition or leadership
 * Caregiver Archetype Examples: Dolly Oblonsky (Anna Karenina), Calpurnia (To Kill a Mockingbird), Samwell Tarly (The Game of Thrones series), Mary Poppins (Mary Poppins)

11. The Everyman

A relatable character who feels recognizable from daily life.


 * Strengths: grounded, salt-of-the-earth, relatable
 * Weaknesses: lacking special powers, often unprepared for what’s to come
 * Everyman Archetype Examples: Bilbo Baggins (The Hobbit), Leopold Bloom (Ulysses), Leslie Knope (Parks & Recreation), Winston Smith (1984)

12. The Jester

A funny character or trickster who provides comic relief, but may also speak important truths.


 * Strengths: funny, disarming, insightful
 * Weaknesses: can be obnoxious and superficial
 * Jester Archetype Examples: Sir John Falstaff (Henry V), King Lear’s Fool (King Lear), Frank and Estelle Costanza (Seinfeld), R2D2 and C-3PO (Star Wars)

These 12 archetypes, each with highly identifiable traits, populate our books, poetry, films, and theatrical productions.

Joseph Campbell and Character Archetypes
In addition to articulating the concept of “the hero’s journey,” academic Joseph Campbell helped popularize the idea of character archetypes in literature.

Author of the seminal work The Hero With a Thousand Faces (1949), Campbell applied the ideas of thinkers like Sir James George Frazer and Carl Jung, combining them with his own to distill eight character archetypes found throughout the hero’s journey:


 * 1) 1. Hero
 * 2) 2. Mentor
 * 3) 3. Ally
 * 4) 4. Herald
 * 5) 5. Trickster
 * 6) 6. Shapeshifter
 * 7) 7. Guardian
 * 8) 8. Shadow

Campbell’s ideas resonated with Hollywood filmmakers, particularly George Lucas, who was vocal about crafting the arc of Star Wars’ Luke Skywalker around the story beats of the hero’s journey. This made Luke more of a “classical” character, since Campbell’s theory came out of extensive study of classical literature and theater.

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THE ARCHETYPE OF THE GODS

The gods of old have been reborn as the archetypes of the collective unconscious. And it is through us that they seek to gain expression.

Once it was thought that a god might shine favourably upon one, or curse one. Now, when we honour an archetype, we benefit from its strengths. Conversely, if we deny the archetype, we suffer from a lack of its energies.

Take for example the hero. When honouring the hero archetype, we challenge ourselves. Our life will have meaning and purpose. Conversely, if we fail to live the hero archetype, we are left feeling that we are without a purpose and calling. Here we may grow world-weary. This ennui and boredom, however, are designed to prompt us into action. “What are you doing with your life?”, comes the question.

Here is where Jung’s premise, that the gods have become our diseases, finds its place. The dis-ease, or ill feeling we experience, is simply the god or archetype calling for our attention.

We may also be possessed by an archetype, in which case it dominates our personality to the extent that we become a caricature of the god. If one is possessed by the hero archetype, for example, one may grow to be egotistical and full of self-importance. Here the archetype has overwhelmed the individual.

The mother goddess, when honoured, offers a sense of belonging. We care for others and feel cared for, or part of a tribe. When we neglect the mother archetype, we may lack empathy and connection, and may feel alone in the world, or become needy. If possessed by the mother, we might give too much of ourselves and tend to smother people. A balanced expression must be found.

Mercury, the wily trickster, and messenger of the gods, now appears as our intelligence, quick-wittedness and as our ability to communicate and persuade others. Without Mercury’s blessings, we might find ourselves lost and confused. If Mercury dominates, we may become too smart, and too cunning.

Venus, the goddess of love, is our beauty, our charm and joy. Deprived of Venus, we lack flair, and life may grow grey and dull. Too much Venus, however, can result in an overly sociable nature. Hedonism is a sign of Venus running wild.

Mars, the war god, is our courage and strength. He allows us to strike out in the world. No Mars energy leaves us fearful and timid. Too much Mars renders us aggressive and domineering.

Jupiter, the expansive and freedom-loving god, relates to our aspirations and the broadening of our horizons. If this archetype is absent from the personality, we will lack ‘spirit’ and a sense of adventure. Gambling can be a low-grade way of drawing some of this god into our life. If Jupiter dominates, then we may become reckless and irresponsible.

Saturn, the old god of time, by contrast, is the more conservative god. Within our personality, his strengths are our stability, our self-discipline and containment. Without Saturn, we lack maturity. If possessed by Saturn, we become overly rigid, too sensible, and old before our time.

Prometheus, the rebellious god, allows us to think differently. This archetype lends us inventiveness and creativity. When his rebelliousness overrides our personality, the individual may quickly find themselves in conflict with authority figures, mainstream society, and the law.

Dionysus, the god of ecstasy, equates to that part of us that seeks an otherworldly experience. This is the dreamer and idealist in us. If denied, or not lived, we may find ourselves turning to drugs, or in search of love. When Dionysus takes over, we become the drifter type dreamer, addict or alcoholic, whose attempt to escape normality takes on a pathological dimension.

Pluto, the god of death and the underworld, describes our capacity for transformation. A positive relationship with the Plutonian archetype allows us to undergo a process of renewal. Without Pluto on our side, we stagnate and may be called to his realm through a state of depression. Pluto’s dominance of the personality can result in a dark and destructive disposition.

Clearly, the archetypes are upon us. On the one hand, we need to protect ourselves from such overwhelming forces, on the other, we need to allow them into our life and our being. Knowing which archetype is calling for our attention, and engaging that archetype, is essential for our psychological health.

THE OLYMPAIN(GREEKS) GODS

Of course, Ancient Greece was by no means the first established ancient society.

That being the case, how did its mythology come to be so influential in creating archetypes recognised thousands of years later where others did not?

Why do we remember and talk about the Greek Gods more so than those of Ancient Egypt, Rome, China, Carthage or Babylon?

This results from the reach of Ancient Greek influence and power, which directly influenced even the Romans, extending far beyond that of any other ancient empire into western culture.

Despite the dominance of the Greeks their character types can be seen across other cultures.

Ares, the protector of Greek culture for example, shares much in common with the Egyptian Sun God Ra and the Norse God Thor.

This makes it hard to argue which of the cultures actually was the primary instigator of these character archetypes, but it can certainly be said that those of Greek culture are the most recognised and have become most influential through figures such as Carl Jung.

Further reading: 11 Best Carl Jung Books, Essays & Publications to Read

12 Archetypes in Greek Mythology
The most established archetypes from Greek culture are:

Zeus: The Ruler
Greek god of the sky, lightning and thunder, ruler of all the gods on Mount Olympus and supreme deity of the Greek Pantheon. The Zeus archetype is a judge-like character answerable only to himself, responsible for the maintenance of order, the authority that inspires others to follow where he leads and sometimes a tyrannical nature, willing to indulge his own vices.

Poseidon: The Destroyer
Greek god of the sea, storms, earthquakes and horses. Widely considered the most bad-tempered and greedy of the Greek gods, the archetypal Poseidon thus possesses a depth of feeling which makes him unable to express normal emotion, instead lashing out in a destructive manner and taking pleasure in the anguish of others.

Demeter: The Innocent
Greek goddess of the harvest, earth’s fertility, sacred law and the lifecycle. The Demeter archetype is often described as having innocent and childlike qualities, with a sweet and unassuming nature and desire not to disappoint. Demeter’s heart is ruled by innocent rather than sexual love. As an embodiment of Mother Nature, Demeter is a relationship-oriented, warm and nurturing source of life.

Hera: The Caregiver
Greek goddess of women, marriage, family and childbirth. The resulting Hera archetype is a caregiver, representing the capacity to be loyal, caring and committed even through life’s most difficult challenges. Hera will not tolerate anything which distracts her from her main motivation in life, which is to act with devotion and care towards her husband and family, even sometimes to her own cost.

Aphrodite: The Lover
Greek goddess of love, passion, pleasure, female beauty and procreation. Whilst most well known in the form of femme fatale or seductress, the Aphrodite archetype can actually embody all forms of love, be it sexual, maternal, companionship or spiritual. She embodies the side of each person that is passionate and emotional, capable of forging lasting partnerships based on mutual love.

Ares, God of War: The Warrior
Greek god of war, often representing the physical and violent aspects of conflict and being seen as the personification of war’s brutal nature. The resulting Area archetype is one of a warrior who lives for combat and takes what he wants by force, the stereotypical man who acts first and thinks later unless it relates to combat strategy.

Hephaestus: The Orphan
God of fire, volcanoes, blacksmiths and other artisans, and of sculpture. Hephaestus was thrown out of Olympus by his fellow Gods including his own father Zeus, and so his archetype has come to be known as the orphan, one rejected and undervalued by others in society unable to see their true worth.

Hermes: The Fool/Jester
Hermes was conductor of the soul into the afterlife, herald of the gods, protector of human heralds, travellers, merchants, and orators. Despite these serious functions he was known for being the most mischievous of the Olympian gods and very clever, hence he also became the herald of thieves. This association has led to him becoming the archetypal fool or jester, mischievous in nature, willing to cross boundaries and good at communicating.

Dionysus: The Magician
Greek god of wine, vegetation, festivity, pleasure, ritual madness and religious ecstasy who was depicted both as an older God with a beard or as an effeminate, long-haired young man. As a of result of his association with transformation, for example of grape juice into wine, his archetype has in turn become associated with the transformational powers of magic and the manipulative power of the mind and body which magicians can hold.

Athena: The Sage
Greek goddess of wisdom, courage, civilization, law and justice, mathematics, skill, strategy, arts and crafts. She spent her time in the company of philosophers and inventors in the pursuit of knowledge. These qualities mean that the Athenian archetype has become one of the sage, pursuing strategic and wise courses of action based on logic and thought, not being afraid to assert herself in order to achieve her end goals.

Artemis: The Seeker
Greek goddess of the hunt, the moon, chastity and childbirth. Artemis’s association with hunting has led her becoming the archetypal seeker, embarking on a journey to seek and discover, often preferring their own company over that of society. Like Artemis, this archetype tends towards perfectionism and fears conformity, thus becoming known for their seeking of individuality.

Apollo: The Creator
Greek God of healing, medicine, archery, music and poetry, the Sun, justice and the leader of the Muses. As such he was associated with the creative arts and the creation/recreation of nature, thus ensuring that the Apollo archetype has also become the Creator who is associated with imagination, creativity, hard work and self-expression.

THE CHINESS GODS

Ever passed by Man Mo Temple and thought about who people are celebrating, or wondered why there are so many Tin Hau temples all over the place? A basic understanding of Chinese gods might help unravel some of the mysticism. Traditionally, Chinese religion—absorbing from various cultures and beliefs—is polytheistic, where a pantheon of gods, goddesses, and deities are worshipped.

In general, such gods reveal and manifest the way of heaven (天; tin1), the ultimate highest idea of formless divinity, as opposed to the monolithic idea of God, or the vaguely conceptual location of heaven promulgated in Western ideology. Here are 12 gods and deities worshipped in Chinese culture that you should know about.

Gods & deities
In the Chinese worldview, there are innumerable gods. Each phenomenon that happens and each flow of energy (氣; hei3) can be attributed to a god, and they are all organised in a complex celestial hierarchy confusing to even most Chinese people. Because so many gods, along with Confucian and Taoist deities, as well as folk figures, are routinely worshipped as manifestations of heavenly energy, some scholars have proposed that instead of polytheism, “polypneumatism” might be a more apt description.

Depending on their lives and choices, common people can also be deified for their extraordinary deeds. Such deities usually have a cult centre and temple set up at the place where they lived, worshipped and maintained by locals. Chinese emperors did not pay much heed to the gods of common folk, but rather honoured heaven as a supreme ruler of all things, and styling themselves as “Sons of Heaven” (天子; tin1 zi2).

Language-wise, there are also subtle distinctions between the terms “san” (神), “dai” (帝), and “sin” (仙), even though they have all been used interchangeably to represent godly beings. In the interest of minimising confusion, it may be easier to recognise “san” as a figure of god power, “dai” as a ruling deity born of those powers, and “sin” as a being who has achieved immortality and subsequently been deified.

Known as the Jade Deity (玉帝; juk6 dai3), the Jade Emperor (玉皇; juk6 wong4), or the Great Jade Emperor (玉皇大帝; juk6 wong4 daai6 dai3), this is the human-like representation of one of the first Chinese gods. He was not responsible for the creation of the universe or of humans, but is the supreme ruler of the pantheon of gods instead. He is known for the traits of benevolence, fairness, and mercy. The Yuk Wong Kung Din Temple (玉皇宮殿) in the A Kung Ngam (阿公岩) village of Shau Kei Wan is dedicated to the Jade Emperor, and his birthday is celebrated there on the eighth day of every Lunar year.

Pangu (盤古) is known as the first living being and the creator of all in Chinese cosmology. In the very beginning, the universe was a formless and primordial state with nothing in it. This coalesced into a cosmic egg, which signifies absolute and infinite potential, and the perfect oneness before duality.

Yin and yang became balanced in the egg, and eventually, Pangu emerged, often depicted as a hairy giant with horns on his head. He swung his axe and separated yin from yang, creating the earth and sky. To keep them separated, he stood between the two and started pushing the sky upwards, growing ten feet taller each day.

After 18,000 years, Pangu’s task was completed and he died. His breath became the wind, mist, and clouds; his voice became thunder; his left and right eyes became the sun and moon; his head became the mountains and valleys; his blood became the rivers; his flesh became fertile land; his beard became the stars; his fur became forests and plants; his bones became minerals and jewels; his sweat became rain; and the fleas in his hide became the animals that roamed the world.

The goddess Xiwangmu (西王母) is commonly referred to in English text as the Queen Mother of the West, and is an ancient being who holds power over longevity and eternal bliss. Some legends describe her as the wife of the Jade Emperor, and she is also in charge of giving human emperors the Mandate of Heaven, approving their rule over the Chinese world.

Xiwangmu is said to reside on the mythological Mount Kulun—which the modern Mount Kulun is named after—where she tends to the Peaches of Immortality. As their name suggests, eating these peaches (which only ripen every 3,000 years) will grant eternal life, and Xiwangmu was known to serve them to deserving guests at banquets. It is these very peaches which the Monkey King, Sun Wukong, steals and consumes in the popular tale Journey to the West, thereby receiving immortal powers.

Also known as Jim Wong (閻王) or sometimes Lord Yama, Yanluo Wang is the deity who rules over the underworld. His name is a shortened Chinese version of Yamarāja (閻魔羅社) in Sanskrit. Depicted with bright red skin, a long black beard, a menacingly stern expression, and accompanied by minions of hell, the fearsome Yanluo Wang is nevertheless a fair god. He records the names and allotted date of death for every person in the world and also acts as a judge for these souls when they die.

The guardians of hell, Ox-Head (牛頭) and Horse-Face (馬面), bring newly dead souls to Yanluo Wang for judgement, who will then be sentenced to either torture and atonement in hell, or sent on to a good next life in the cycle of reincarnation. People may be able to escape payback for their sins on earth, but no one can escape Yanluo Wang’s justice in the courts of hell. Thus, he is always evoked as a cautionary figure against wrongdoing.

One of the most well-known figures in Chinese mythology and religion, Guanyin (觀音) is the goddess of mercy and compassion, appearing as a key figure in many legends. According to the religious text Lotus Sutra, Guanyin can take any form, but in modern East Asia, Guanyin is most commonly depicted as a woman in white robes, holding a vase and a willow branch.

Her common name was shortened from “Gun Sai Jam Pou Saat” (觀世音菩薩), which means “the bodhisattva who perceives the cries of the world.” As such, she hears people’s sorrows and woes and is the embodiment of empathy, kindness, and grace, a loving matriarchal figure.

It is said that because she works tirelessly to help those who call upon her name, praying devotedly to Guanyin will generate blessings. She is, therefore, one of the most beloved of all gods and deities. There is a temple dedicated to Guanyin near Kwun Tong and Lam Tin, and the most striking feature of the Tsz Shan Monastery in Tai Po is their 76-metre white statue of the goddess.

Though mystical beings in their own right, this pair is best known for being the deities of civil and martial affairs. Wenchang Wang (文昌王; man4 coeng1 wong4), Wenchang Dijun (文昌帝君; man4 coeng1 dai3 gwan1), or simply Wendi (文帝; man4 dai3), is the deity of culture and literature. There is disparity as to who he was or where he might have lived, but legends agree that during his mortal life, Wendi was a scholar-bureaucrat who was uncorrupted, righteous, and just, blessing his jurisdictions with peace and stability. The Jade Emperor thus put him in charge of the elections of village elders.

The contrasting figure to Wendi is Wudi (武帝; mou5 dai3), also known as Guandi (關帝; gwaan1 dai3) or Guangong (關公; gwaan1 gung1), the deity of military and martial affairs. Non-scholars might better know him as Guanyu (關羽; gwaan1 jyu5), a military warlord during the Eastern Han dynasty. His war accomplishments and exploits with his sworn brothers Liu Bei and Zhang Fei have been widely popularised by the fourteenth-century historical novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms. A widely glorified fighter who was both loyal and righteous, Wudi is still worshipped by many today, particularly by those whose line of work involves fighting.

Together, these two patron deities of civil and martial affairs are known as Wen Wu (文武)—or Man Mo in Cantonese. During the Ming and Qing dynasties, those seeking success in the imperial examinations, which were divided into civil and military components, would patronise Man Mo temples to pray to the appropriate deity for blessings. To this day, civil servants or hopeful students make offerings to Wendi, while policemen venerate Wudi. In Hong Kong, there are three Man Mo temples, in Tai Po, Mui Wo, and in Sheung Wan.

Originally hailing from Hangzhou, legend has it that Wong Tai Sin (黃大仙) was a poor shepherd who learned the way of Taoism from an immortal and, after years of solitary practise himself, also achieved miraculous feats and immortality. Though a cultural import, there is probably nowhere else where this deity is more famous than in Hong Kong. Interestingly enough, this was because a traditional Chinese medicine practitioner brought the image of Wong Tai Sin along to the city when he came to set up his business in the early nineteenth century. Customers would pray to the deity icon while in the shop, and many years later, he had amassed such a large following that the Wong Tai Sin Temple in Sha Tin was established.

Known as the Chinese god of wealth and prosperity, Caishen (財神) is often invoked during Chinese New Year’s celebration, with people imploring the deity to be kind to them (and therefore their pockets) in the coming year. During spring cleaning, one is always told not to sweep their floors out toward their front doors, because Caishen might be hanging around and you might be literally sweeping him—and the wealth that he brings—straight out the door.

Being the god of material wealth also means he oversees the realms of a happy family and a secure and respectable job—this is why you can often see statues of Caishen in Chinese businesses. Despite the modern popular depiction of him as a portly man wearing red robes and a jovial smile, holding a gold ingot, according to older myth, he rides a black tiger and carries a magical rod that can turn stones and metals into gold.

Shortened from Yue Xia Laoren (月下老人; jyut6 haa6 lou5 jan4), literally meaning “Old Man under the Moon,” Yue Lao is the Chinese deity of love and marriage. He is a matchmaker, carrying around a red silk string which he uses to tie fated lovers together, appearing when the moon is in the sky. Even today, single people look to Yue Lao for cosmic guidance when seeking a romantic partner. There is a statue of this deity in Wong Tai Sin Temple, where lovers and hopeful romantics alike can go to pay respects.

These three deities collectively represent the top three traditional qualities of a good life: namely prosperity (福; fuk1; fú), status (祿; luk6; lù), and longevity (壽; sau6; shoù). The trio are often portrayed together in statues, paintings, and ornaments. Fuxing is usually depicted with children or sometimes a scroll; Luxing wears a Mandarin official’s robes and is associated with luck in passing imperial examinations; Shouxing is typically a bald old man carrying a walking stick and a peach of immortality. Instead of having dedicated temples, most Chinese people will have statues of the Three Stars in their homes or workplaces to bring good fortune.

Mazu is seen as the Chinese goddess of the sea and is widely worshipped along coastal regions of China and Southeast Asia. She is also sometimes referred to as Tin Hau (天后) in Chinese mythology, meaning “Heavenly Empress.” As legend has it, she was a mortal girl born in Fujian who learned the Taoist arts and once saved her father and brother during a typhoon. After dying at a young age, she became the patron saint of fishermen in her home area, and the worship soon spread to other sea-faring folks.

Eventually, her fame grew enough that emperors had bestowed posthumous titles on her, and she became known as Tin Hau. Because Hong Kong is a coastal city which used to be mostly populated by fisherfolk, we have a large number of Tin Hau temples dotted across the territories, all dedicated to Mazu, who fishermen pray to for smooth voyages and a safe return to shore.

Lu Ban (魯班) is a skilled inventor and engineer from the Zhou dynasty period, though other versions of the story tell of a man from Gansu who built a kite that could lift him off the ground. He was credited with inventing the cloud ladder—a mobile, counterweighted contraption for sieges—grappling hooks, and the saw, among other tools. Nowadays, he is the patron deity of builders, carpenters, and contractors.

The only urban temple in Hong Kong dedicated to Lu Ban is the Lo Pan Temple in Kennedy Town, built by the Contractors Guild in 1884 with donations from tradesmen in the industry. This temple is also an architectural place of interest for its unusual jagged roof and is the temple with the largest number of mural paintings on Hong Kong Island. On the thirteenth day of the sixth Lunar month, builders celebrate the Lo Pan Festival and journey up the 200 steps from Belcher’s Street in a pilgrimage to pray for safe work.