The Legend of the God of Wealth

Author: Zhao Hong
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2005-01-01
Features: "The God of Wealth" is revered in the hearts of Chinese people as a deity who brings prosperity and wealth. Everyone aspires to live a good life with abundant money, forever remaining a rich man. Therefore, "The God of Wealth" has become a goal and an object of pursuit for people. Especially for those in business, reverence for the God of Wealth is particularly strong. In the south, shops and storefronts of business owners often house statues of the God of Wealth, illuminated by bright lamps and candles, shining upon exquisite shrines, in hopes of receiving blessings from the deity.
"Man dies for wealth, birds die for food," "The world is bustling with people coming for profit, and the world is in turmoil with people going for profit," "Having a thousand fields, one still desires ten thousand; having a mountain of silver, one still yearns for a mountain of gold" are the ways of the common folk; "The noble love wealth, but obtain it through proper means" is the principle of the refined. However, all these sayings reflect, from different perspectives, the centuries-old and pursuit of wealth by people. It can be said that everyone wishes to be wealthy, leading to the rise of a wealth culture. The core of this culture is "The God of Wealth." Placing the God of Wealth in temples or inviting his statues into homes embodies people's desire for wealth. The various deities of wealth carry people's hopes for attracting wealth and prosperity, and embody their wishes for family richness and abundant resources.
For the God of Wealth, merchants believe in him with great conviction, and their contributions to its creation are also significant. The worship of the God of Wealth, which began with merchants, has spread to all levels of society, as reflected in a couplet from a temple dedicated to the God of Wealth: "Hiding jade and pearls, the wise merchants surely reap benefits; Cultivating the heart and weaving with the hands, even the poor scholars may offer fragrant incense."
One of the most notable characteristics of folk belief in the God of Wealth is that the God of Wealth is not just one person, but a group of people. In other words, the God of Wealth is a collective—a gathering of deities from vastly different origins. This phenomenon is highly interesting—it fully demonstrates that the God of Wealth is not the "pet" of a particular "financial conglomerate" or a single merchant family, but rather different idols promoted by people from various strata and regions, reflecting the wishes and demands of all kinds of folk. Almost every major deity of wealth in folk belief embodies a moral principle. For example, Guan Gong represents "loyalty and righteousness," Fan Li represents "wisdom," while Zhao Gongming and Bi Gan represent "justice."
In the past, folk beliefs of the God of Wealth were divided into "martial" and "scholarly" deities. Both martial and scholarly deities were considered "main" or "" deities of wealth. Beyond the main deities, there were also so-called "auxiliary" or "sideline" deities of wealth. The reason for this division between main and auxiliary deities remains unclear. Some folk beliefs suggest that auxiliary deities are specifically responsible for bringing sudden or "unlucky" wealth. Others believe that the main deities guide people on the right path, while the auxiliary deities lead them astray.
The author of this book has collected a vast amount of folk materials and images, introducing the essence of "The God of Wealth" culture comprehensively and with focus from three aspects: the deities of wealth commonly worshipped in folk belief, rituals and activities related to wealth-seeking, and related folk stories and legends. The book is rich in illustrations and content, combining knowledge and entertainment, appealing to both the refined and the masses.
"The God of Wealth" is revered in the hearts of Chinese people as a deity who brings prosperity and wealth. Everyone aspires to live a good life with abundant money, forever remaining a rich man. Therefore, "The God of Wealth" has become a goal and an object of pursuit for people. Especially for those in business, reverence for the God of Wealth is particularly strong. In the south, shops and storefronts of business owners often house statues of the God of Wealth, illuminated by bright lamps and candles, shining upon exquisite shrines, in hopes of receiving blessings from the deity.
"Man dies for wealth, birds die for food," "The world is bustling with people coming for profit, and the world is in turmoil with people going for profit," "Having a thousand fields, one still desires ten thousand; having a mountain of silver, one still yearns for a mountain of gold" are the ways of the common folk; "The noble love wealth, but obtain it through proper means" is the principle of the refined. However, all these sayings reflect, from different perspectives, the centuries-old and pursuit of wealth by people. It can be said that everyone wishes to be wealthy, leading to the rise of a wealth culture. The core of this culture is "The God of Wealth." Placing the God of Wealth in temples or inviting his statues into homes embodies people's desire for wealth. The various deities of wealth carry people's hopes for attracting wealth and prosperity, and embody their wishes for family richness and abundant resources.
For the God of Wealth, merchants believe in him with great conviction, and their contributions to its creation are also significant. The worship of the God of Wealth, which began with merchants, has spread to all levels of society, as reflected in a couplet from a temple dedicated to the God of Wealth: "Hiding jade and pearls, the wise merchants surely reap benefits; Cultivating the heart and weaving with the hands, even the poor scholars may offer fragrant incense."
One of the most notable characteristics of folk belief in the God of Wealth is that the God of Wealth is not just one person, but a group of people. In other words, the God of Wealth is a collective—a gathering of deities from vastly different origins. This phenomenon is highly interesting—it fully demonstrates that the God of Wealth is not the "pet" of a particular "financial conglomerate" or a single merchant family, but rather different idols promoted by people from various strata and regions, reflecting the wishes and demands of all kinds of folk. Almost every major deity of wealth in folk belief embodies a moral principle. For example, Guan Gong represents "loyalty and righteousness," Fan Li represents "wisdom," while Zhao Gongming and Bi Gan represent "justice."
In the past, folk beliefs of the God of Wealth were divided into "martial" and "scholarly" deities. Both martial and scholarly deities were considered "main" or "" deities of wealth. Beyond the main deities, there were also so-called "auxiliary" or "sideline" deities of wealth. The reason for this division between main and auxiliary deities remains unclear. Some folk beliefs suggest that auxiliary deities are specifically responsible for bringing sudden or "unlucky" wealth. Others believe that the main deities guide people on the right path, while the auxiliary deities lead them astray.
The author of this book has collected a vast amount of folk materials and images, introducing the essence of "The God of Wealth" culture comprehensively and with focus from three aspects: the deities of wealth commonly worshipped in folk belief, rituals and activities related to wealth-seeking, and related folk stories and legends. The book is rich in illustrations and content, combining knowledge and entertainment, appealing to both the refined and the masses.