Celestial bureaucracy
Encyclopedia
The Celestial bureaucracy is the pantheon
of Chinese mythology
. As the name suggests, it is organised similarly to a government administration (patterned after political structures found in the Han dynasty), with the Jade Emperor
as the senior official to whom the other deities must report. The constituents of this bureaucracy are decided in the Underworld, where extremely good souls will rise to heaven. They govern aspects of our world, like fire or epidemics.
Many notable immortals are included in this pantheon, and one can get into it by applying for a post (only if you are a rather strong god), or committing a good deed in the name of heaven, and thus possibly get an honorable title or a reward. Note that there are spiritual forces higher than it, like Tai Shan Lao Jun and the three sacred masters of the Dao
.
Pantheon (gods)
A pantheon is a set of all the gods of a particular polytheistic religion or mythology.Max Weber's 1922 opus, Economy and Society discusses the link between a...
of Chinese mythology
Chinese mythology
Chinese mythology is a collection of cultural history, folktales, and religions that have been passed down in oral or written tradition. These include creation myths and legends and myths concerning the founding of Chinese culture and the Chinese state...
. As the name suggests, it is organised similarly to a government administration (patterned after political structures found in the Han dynasty), with the Jade Emperor
Jade Emperor
The Jade Emperor in Chinese folk culture, is the ruler of Heaven and all realms of existence below including that of Man and Hell, according to a version of Taoist mythology. He is one of the most important gods of the Chinese traditional religion pantheon...
as the senior official to whom the other deities must report. The constituents of this bureaucracy are decided in the Underworld, where extremely good souls will rise to heaven. They govern aspects of our world, like fire or epidemics.
Many notable immortals are included in this pantheon, and one can get into it by applying for a post (only if you are a rather strong god), or committing a good deed in the name of heaven, and thus possibly get an honorable title or a reward. Note that there are spiritual forces higher than it, like Tai Shan Lao Jun and the three sacred masters of the Dao
Three Pure Ones
The Three Pure Ones also translated as the Three Pure Pellucid Ones, the Three Pristine Ones, the Three Divine Teachers, the Three Clarities, or the Three Purities is the Taoist Trinity, the three highest Gods in the Taoist pantheon. They are regarded as pure manifestation of the Tao and the...
.