Taiyin Xingjun (Chinese: 太阴星君) is the Chinese goddess of the moon. While often intertwined with the legend of Chang'e, Taiyin Xingjun is the original guardian of the moon. Chinese folk religion also uses Chang'e as the incarnation of Taiyin Xingjun. Taiyin Xingjun is believed to be the Taoist counterpart of the Buddhist bodhisattva Candraprabha, also known as the Moonlight Bodhisattva.
Origin and legends
The emergence of Taiyin Xingjun can be traced back to ancient Chinese lunar worship practices. Referred to by various names such as the Moonlight Goddess, Taiyin Xingjun, Moon Maiden, and Moonlight Bodhisattva, her worship has deep historical roots in China.
According to legend, the origins of Taiyin Xingjun in Taoism are linked to the "Four Symbols" (Si Xiang) concept derived from Taiji yin-yang philosophy. In this concept, "Taiyin" (Supreme Yin) is also known as "Lao Yin" (Old Yin). Other mythological tales suggest that Taiyang Xingjun [zh] (the Sun Star Lord) and Taiyin Xingjun were formed from the two eyes of the ancient god Pangu, with the right eye transforming into Taiyin Xingjun.
During the Qing dynasty, the customs of the Mid-Autumn Festival changed. What began as Taoist worship of Chang'e evolved to include both Buddhist and Taoist traditions, featuring the Moonlight Bodhisattva and the Jade Rabbit. The depictions of the Moon God were mostly inscribed by Taoist temples, titled "Yuefu Suyao Taiyin Xingjun" (月府素曜太阴星君, lit. 'the moon palace of Taiyin Xingjun').
The earliest recorded worship of the moon in ancient times can be found in the Book of Documents: Canon of Yao, which states: "The sun, moon, and stars are celestial deities, and Mount Tai, the Yellow River, and the sea are terrestrial deities. The celestial and terrestrial deities together form the six gods". This indicates that the moon had long been worshipped as a god by the people before this period. In fact, when the ancients sacrificed to the moon, they often did so in conjunction with the sun. They would worship the sun in the east and the moon in the west, distinguishing between the internal and external and establishing their respective positions. This phenomenon sufficiently demonstrates the ancient practice of "worshipping the sun as the main deity and the moon as a supplementary deity."
In Qing dynasty Taoist Wugou's The Legend of the Eight Immortals, he annotated the origin of Taiyin Xingjun, stating,
"To know the purest essence in the world, it is none other than the moon. The realm within the moon, compared to the legendary Penglai of the seas or the immortal mountains, is particularly serene. No matter how beautiful Chang'e is or how elegant and refined she appears, the truth remains that her physical form is merely mundane, and she is already married, once the consort of a tyrannical Houyi. With such a history, her presence in the Moon Palace could hardly be considered pure. Even though you may not have achieved enlightenment, you surely know that Taiyin Xingjun is the ruler of the Moon Palace. She is the third princess of the Jade Emperor, residing by his side. Who can compare to her nobility? Yet her nature is quite different from others. She is often seen wandering alone in the heavenly palace, indifferent to the elegant company around her, as if she were dwelling among the mundane. She spends her days in quiet contemplation, away from worldly affairs. After much consideration, the Jade Emperor could find no one worthy of her presence, so he appointed her as the ruler of the Moon Palace and bestowed upon her a residence there. Only then could the princess find solace in her solitude. Her lofty and refined demeanor is truly remarkable, far surpassing even Chang'e in elegance. Without the princess, the heavens would lack refinement, and they would be unfit for habitation. The Jade Emperor had no choice but to grant her the title of Taiyin Xingjun and bestow upon her the Moon Palace as her residence. Her austere elegance and her profound nature—who can compare? Chang'e may be graceful, but she is incomparable to the purity and tranquility that surround Taiyin Xingjun. If we were to judge their characters, they are indeed different from ordinary people, possessing a sense of refinement and detachment. Furthermore, Taiyin Xingjun has always had a deep affinity for the moon, often longing to reside in the Moon Palace, her lifelong aspiration unfulfilled until now. In this regard, she shares a common bond with the moon and a kindred spirit with Taiyin Xingjun."
In Taiwanese folk beliefs, people believe that the deity who governs the moon is Taiyin Xingjun. Taiyin Xingjun originated from natural worship in animistic beliefs and originally did not have an image. For example, in the Tiantan Temple, known as the first temple in Taiwan, there is only a wooden plaque inscribed with the words "Taiyin Xingjun." However, with the spread of the myth of Chang'e flying to the moon, the connection between the pure white moon and Chang'e's beautiful and gentle image was formed, leading many to believe that Taiyin Xingjun is the incarnation of Chang'e. Most of the images of Taiyin Xingjun that we see today depict a woman dressed in palace attire, holding the moon high in her hand; she is also known as Taiyin Niangniang.
Sometimes, Taiyin Xingjun is also seen as another aspect of the Queen Mother of the West. The Yúnjí Qīqiān states:
"The Queen Mother of the West is the primordial qi of the Taiyin. Her two breasts are the essence of the myriad gods, the vital fluids of yin and yang. Under her left breast is the sun, and under her right breast is the moon. It is the dwelling place of the King Father and the Queen Mother."
According to some traditions, although Chang’e is also considered to be an accidental resident of the moon, she is not the moon's rightful owner. Instead, Taiyin Xingjun, the moon goddess herself, graces the night sky with her luminous presence. Taiyin Xingjun is also known as Jielin, which means "the immortal who races to the moon."
The Seven Sage Chronicles states: "The Yu Hua (red text) dwells with the sun; the Jie Lin (yellow text) dwells with the moon. The Yu Hua is the essence of the sun; the Jie Lin is the essence of the moon."
According to the poem Two Ghosts (二鬼) by Ming dynasty poet Liu Ji (刘基) offers a creation myth for the balance of labor and rest, impacting health and well-being. The Jade Emperor, concerned about the uneven distribution of these elements leading to illness, appoints two guardian spirits: Jielin and Yuhua.
Taiyin Xingjun holds a position akin to the Chinese goddess of the moon, similar to Selene in Greek mythology. With the Mid-Autumn Festival's focus on lunar veneration, homage naturally gravitates toward Taiyin Xingjun. On the 15th day of the eighth Chinese lunar month, throughout China, people erect incense altars, light crimson candles, offer fresh fruits in four vibrant hues, burn incense, and pay homage beneath the gleaming moonlight. This ritual intertwines reverence with leisure, as the moon's radiance bestows a mystical aura, evoking myriad enchanting narratives and profound contemplations. Among these tales, "Chang'e Flies to the Moon" remains one of the most revered.
In Journey to the West, when Tang Sanzang passes through India on his journey, a demoness wants to marry him so that she can absorb his yang essence and increase her powers and life. Sun Wukong sees through her disguise and fights with her. Just as Sun Wukong is about to defeat the demoness, accompanied by the fairy Chang'e, Taiyin Xingjun descends on a colored cloud. Sun Wukong hastily puts away his iron rod, saying,
"Old Taiyin, where are you going? I, Sun Wukong, have been avoiding you."
Taiyin replies,
"The demon you are facing is the Jade Rabbit, who guards the mystical frost elixir in my Guanghan Palace. She secretly unlocked the jade gate and escaped from the palace, and it has been a year since then. I foresee she is currently in grave danger, so I have come to save her. I hope the Great Sage will spare her for my sake."
Sun Wukong reluctantly agrees, and Taiyin Xingjun takes the Jade Rabbit to the Moon and assigns her some duties.
In Fengshen Yanyi, when Jiang Ziya was naming gods, Queen Jiang was appointed as Taiyin Xingjun.
Worship
Taiyin Xingjun is rarely worshipped in mainland China, but there are some temples in Taiwan dedicated to Taiyin Xingjun. The oldest one is the Guan Shengdijun Temple in Daxi, which has a history of over a hundred years and does enshrine her.
According to Taiwanese media reports, Taiyin Xingjun and Taiyang Xingjun, who is the embodiment of the sun, are often worshipped as the companion gods of the Jade Emperor. As the celestial embodiments of the moon and the sun, Taiyin Xingjun is considered to be the consort of Taiyang Xingjun.
According to Wu Yingtao's Taiwanese Folklore (臺灣民俗), during the Mid-Autumn Festival in Taiwan, people offer mooncakes, sacrificial offerings, and rice vermicelli and taro to their ancestors and the land god. There is also a tradition of "worshipping the moon goddess": after nightfall, an incense table is set up in the courtyard of one's home, and a pair of red candles, mooncakes, fresh fruits, and four other offerings are placed on it. The incense is burned, and the moon is worshipped under the night sky.
In folk beliefs, Taiyin Xingjun is the guardian deity of women and children. Yue Lao specializes in matchmaking and tying the knot of marriage, while Taiyin Xingjun, as the guardian deity of women, can be said to have a more comprehensive understanding of women's needs. According to the temple staff of the Kaigi Jade Emperor Palace in Tainan, which worships Taiyin Xingjun, the goddess manages both "internal fate" and "external fate". External fate refers to career and interpersonal relationships, such as those of saleswomen and salespeople who need connections and popularity and often bring cosmetics as offerings to worship the Lord of the Moon. Internal fate refers to personal emotional entanglements. The biggest difference between Taiyin Xingjun and Yue Lao is that Taiyin Xingjun is good at cutting off bad relationships.
There's a popular sutra in Taiwan called the True Scripture of Taiyin Xingjun (太陰星君真經). It is said that if a child is malnourished or sickly, praying to the Taiyin Xingjun is very effective. The method involves fasting and burning incense on the full moon nights of the 15th and 16th of each lunar month, while reciting the True Scripture of Taiyin Xingjun ten times to ensure peace for the whole family.
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