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40-576: Folklore tells that Erlang Shen encountered a stray dog and felt a strong connection. At the time, he was still mortal and decided to take it with him, teaching it spells during his cultivation so that it could become immortal. The dog remained fiercely loyal and became like family to Erlang Shen. Together, they fought demons, and the dog became an inseparable part of Erlang Shen's legend, leading temples dedicated to Erlang Shen to also enshrined Xiaotian Quan. Xiaotian Quan first appeared in Gan Bao 's In Search of

80-629: A German shepherd , which has angered many people due to the misleading representation. The Yang Qiaotou Hall Temple in Haichang, Penang Island , is the only temple dedicated to Xiaotian Quan as a main deity. Xiaotian Quan's revered status as an animal deity attracts many pet owners to Erlang Shen temples. They pray for their pets' health, particularly before surgeries or during illnesses, seeking Xiaotian Quan's blessing and obtaining pet-specific amulets. The Yingyuan Temple in Taiwan enshrines Xiaotian Quan under

120-501: A number of journal articles on vernacular literature and the Dunhuang manuscripts , as well as an influential analysis of Song Jiang . He was promoted to the rank of researcher ( Chinese : 研究員 ; pinyin : yánjiūyuán ). Although inspired by the Marxist historian Guo Moruo , Zhang was relatively uninterested in politics, and continued friendly relations with his former colleagues at

160-558: A pig farmer as part of a mass political re-education campaign. Various historians were recalled from these rural programs in 1971, after Premier Zhou Enlai ordered the Zhonghua Book Company to continue a stalled project to publish modern versions of the official dynastic histories . Zhang was assigned to the History of Jin , but also advised many other scholars due to his textual experience. From 1974 to 1978, Zhang participated in

200-464: A pig farmer at a May Seventh Cadre School in rural Henan. Zhou Enlai 's 1971 directives to produce a modern version of the Twenty-Four Histories allowed Zhang to return to work with Zhonghua, and he was assigned to edit the History of Jin . He published an influential article connecting the previously-undeciphered numeral symbols on Zhou -era ritual bronzes to the hexagram forms used in

240-470: Is depicted as Liu Tianjun (劉天君), with a red face divided into three sections like tiles. In the opera Nao Tiangong (鬧天宮), Liu Tianjun is one of the Four Heavenly Kings, a Taoist deity who can summon wind and rain. The red, three-sectioned face represents his loyalty and bravery, with thunder and fire patterns drawn on his forehead. The Interactive Encyclopedia states that Xiaotian Quang appeared in

280-568: Is the descendant of Xiaotian Quan. According to Chinese historian Zhang Zhenglang 's research, the prototype of Xiaotian Quan is the divine rat beside Dujian, the second son of the Northern Heavenly King Vaishravana . Dujian is identified with Erlang Shen by a later Buddhist source. Xiaotian Quan is enshrined in many temples dedicated to Erlang Shen. In a temple in Malaysia, the statue of Xiaotian Quan closely resembles that of

320-560: The Cao Wei and Jin dynasties (220–420 CE). Zhang was part of a large number of academics harassed and persecuted during the Anti-Rightist Campaign in the late 1950s. In 1960, Zhang was fired by a group of junior administrations while department head Jian Bozan was on an international trip. Jian was greatly angered by this decision, but was unable to restore Zhang to his position at the university. After leaving Peking, Zhang worked as

360-627: The Duli Pinglun ( 獨立評論 ) journal. Zhang graduated from the university's history department in 1936. That same year, he was recruited to the Academia Sinica 's Institute of History and Philology by his former professor Fu Ssu-nien and became a librarian at the institute's campus in Nanjing . Fu tasked him to acquire new books for the library, with the stipulation that no duplicate books could be purchased. This requirement included differing titles for

400-585: The Mawangdui Silk Text copy of the I Ching divination following its discovery in the 1970s. Although he never published a book, a compilation of a hundred of his academic articles titled the Zhang Zhenglang Wenshi Lunji ( 張政浪文史論集 ) was compiled by former colleagues and students shortly before his death. Zhang Zhenglang was born in the Yatou village of Rongcheng, Shandong on 15 April 1912. He

440-500: The Qian She . He published two papers in the society's two-issue journal, Shixue Luncong ( 石學論叢 ). During his final year at the university, he wrote a lengthy letter to Hu Shih , arguing that the 16th-century novel Investiture of the Gods was initially written by a Daoist priest named Lu Xixing ( 陸西星 ). Impressed by Zhang's research, Hu wrote back favorably, and the letter was published in

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480-656: The Yuan dynasty zaju titled Erlang Shen Locks Up the Great Sage Equaling Heaven by an anonymous author. The play contains the following line: "With the True Lord's golden bullet, slender hound, and three-pointed double-edged sword, where can he escape to?" Therefore, some scholars believe that Xiaotian Quan belongs to the Chinese Xigou (slender dog) breed. It is said that a large Tibetan dog breed Tibetan Mastiff

520-539: The hexagrams encountered in the Mawangdui I Ching . In his hotel room at the conference, he wrote a draft of a paper titled Shi Shi Zhou Chu Qingtong Qi Mingwen Zhong De Yi Gua ( 釋周初青銅器銘文中的易卦 ; 'An Interpretation of the Divinatory Inscriptions on Early Chou Bronzes'), which was published the following year. This was later translated into English for the journal Early China . Zhang's study became among

560-748: The Academia Sinica who had evacuated to Taiwan . In 1954, he became a co-founder and board member of the Institute of History of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS). Although officially following the Communist Party line in regards to historiographical questions, Zhang privately differed in some respects. He disagreed with the idea that feudalism originated during the Warring States period (475–221 BCE), instead believing it emerged during

600-594: The Supernatural . In the Chinese folktale of Lotus Lantern , Xiaotian Quan is the one who obstructs Liu Chenxiang from splitting Mount Hua to rescue his mother Huayue Sanniang . In the novel Investiture of the Gods , Yang Jian (assumed to be Erlang) sometimes sends his dog to bite his enemies. In the novel Journey to the West , Xiaotian Quan helps Erlang fight Sun Wukong , preventing him from escaping by biting him in

640-627: The analysis of the newly discovered Yinqueshan Han Slips , Shuihudi Qin Bamboo Texts , and Mawangdui Silk Texts . Zhang published dozens of articles about these texts, including an influential series on the I Ching . In 1979, he attended the first meeting of the Chinese Paleography Society in Changchun . After encountering photographs of oracle bone script Zhouyuan site , he noted similarities between some undeciphered characters and

680-673: The book Soushen Ji , which he probably compiled. An extremely important early example of the Zhiguai genre, the book comprises several hundred short stories and witness reports about spirits and supernatural events. Gan Bao's biography in Book of Jin recorded that Gan Bao's father had an affair with a maid. Out of jealousy, after his father died, his mother entombed the maid together with his father's remains. Due to their young age, Gan Bao and his elder brother did not know of this incident. After their mother died more than 10 years later, their father's tomb

720-401: The classics during his childhood and youth, Gan Bao was appointed head of Office of History at the court. Apparently, the position was granted to him in recognition of his skills which he demonstrated in his Chin-chi (晋纪, "Jin-ji"), presumably a written account of earlier court activities. Gan Bao subsequently occupied other prominent positions at the court, but today he is best remembered for

760-427: The dog. However, instead of showing gratitude, the dog bit him, remembering its master's grudge. Gan Bao Gan Bao (or Kan Pao ) ( Chinese : 干 寶 , pronounced [kân.pàu] ) ( fl. 315, died March or April 336 ), courtesy name Lingsheng (令升), was a Chinese historian and writer at the court of Emperor Yuan of Jin . He was a native of Xincai County , in southern Henan . After diligent study of

800-626: The dog. Upon discovering its loyalty to Hou Yi, the Queen Mother was moved. She bestowed upon the dog the title "Heavenly Dog" (Tiangou) and appointed it as guardian of the Southern Heavenly Gate. Honored by this duty, the dog relented, spitting out the moon and freeing Chang'e. Later, the dog became the companion of Erlang Shen, serving as his divine beast. In the Legend of the Jade Emperor , at

840-438: The elixir to her for safekeeping. However, consumed by a longing to escape troubles, Chang'e drank the elixir. Feeling weightless, she ascended to the moon. Startled by the celestial phenomena, Hou Yi's loyal black dog barked in confusion. Frightened, Chang'e sought refuge on the moon's surface. In an attempt to catch Chang'e, the dog swallowed the moon whole. Outraged by this audacious act, the Jade Emperor and Queen Mother captured

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880-547: The end of the story, after the war, everyone was granted titles by the Jade Emperor , except for Xiaotian Quan. Feeling wronged, Xiaotian Quan swallowed the sun and moon in two bites, plunging the sky into darkness. The Jade Emperor sent someone to investigate and discovered it was Xiaotian Quan. He then ordered Erlang Shen to capture the dog and bring him back to be punished. In the Peking opera titled An Tianhui (安天會), Xiaotian Quan

920-568: The heart of a good person; to bite the hand that feeds you"). According to the story behind the proverb, one of the Eight Immortals Lü Dongbin once argued with Erlang Shen at the heavenly court, which led Xiaotian Quan to harbor deep animosity towards Lü Dongbin. One day, Xiaotian Quan fell into the mortal realm as punishment and was captured by humans and sold at a dog meat shop. Around the same time, Lü Dongbin descended to earth and happened to pass by. He saw what had happened and rescued

960-868: The leg. Later in Chapter 63, Sun Wukong, Erlang, and their companions battle against the Nine-Headed Beast (九頭蟲) or the Nine-Headed Prince Consort (九頭駙馬) when the dog defeats the enemy by biting off one of the monster's retractable heads. The monster then flees, choking on his own blood. Erlang lets him go and predicts he'll drown in his own blood. Xiaotian Quan is often identified with the primordial heavenly dog called Tiangou . In ancient times, with limited scientific understanding, solar and lunar eclipses were attributed to Tiangou's mischievous actions. During such celestial events, common folk would traditionally beat drums and gongs to drive away Tiangou. Even today,

1000-453: The most influential studies on the evolution of I Ching divination , and became the foundational text within the field of "Yiology" ( yixue ). Zhang suffered a long period of illness during the late 1990s, and gradually lost his memory. One of his last calligraphy works was published in the newsletter Zhongguo Shehui kexueyuan tongxun ( 中国社会科学院通讯 ) on New Year 1997 to celebrate the Year of

1040-580: The relocated institute to Lizhuang in Nanxi County, Sichuan . Zhang was able to successfully transport the library without any loss of books. While at Lizhuang, he published several articles in the Zhongyang-Yanjiuyuan-Lishi-Yuyan-Yanjiusuo-Jikan ( 中央研究院历史语言研究所季刊 ) and Zeshan ( 責善 ) journals, with a focus on paleography and textual history. During this time, he was promoted to an associate research fellow . After

1080-604: The same book, prompting Zhang to survey much of the library, consisting of around 120,000 Chinese books and around 10,000 western imports. The outbreak of the Second Sino-Japanese War prompted the evacuation of the institute to Changsha, Hunan , in the autumn of 1937. Although the institution later moved operations to Longquan in Kunming, Yunnan , to avoid Japanese air raids, the library remained in Hunan for some time. Zhang

1120-418: The same loving way as he did while he was alive. The family confirmed the maid's account by summoning the father's ghost in a ritual. Gan Bao eventually married the maid and had a son with her. In another incident, Gan Bao's elder brother fell gravely ill and stopped breathing. Yet, his body did not turn cold even after several days. Later, the elder brother regained consciousnesses and commented that events in

1160-536: The saying "Tiangou eats the moon or sun" persists in popular culture. According to some versions of the legend, Xiaotian Quan is said to be originally the hunting dog of the skilled archer Hou Yi . When ten suns scorched the earth, causing great suffering, Hou Yi courageously shot down nine of them, leaving only one to provide warmth. Impressed by his bravery, the Queen Mother of the West gifted him an elixir of immortality . Trusting his wife Chang'e , Hou Yi entrusted

1200-642: The supernatural world felt like dreams to him; he did not even realise that he had lost consciousness. His curiosity sparked by these two incidents, Gan Bao then began collecting short stories and witness reports about spirits and supernatural events. Zhang Zhenglang Zhang Zhenglang ( Chinese : 張政烺 , 15 April 1912 – 29 January 2005) was a Chinese historian. Born in a small village in Rongcheng, Shandong , he attended school in Qingdao and Beijing before his acceptance at Peking University . He graduated from

1240-423: The testing early. He had in fact been one of three students to give the correct answer. However, he was unable to afford the tuition at the university, and instead accepted the offer of attendance at Peking. Although seeking to attend the university's Chinese department, he settled instead for History due to low scores on an English examination. While attending the school, he formed a historical academic society dubbed

Xiaotian Quan - Misplaced Pages Continue

1280-512: The title "General Tiangu". Recognizing the loyal service of this divine beast, the temple has sculpted a special statue for worship, making it a rare guardian deity for pets. Founded in 1734, the Yingyuan Temple is primarily dedicated to Erlang Shen. The Song and Jin dynasties coins depict Xiaotian Quana, alongside his lord Erlang Shen. Xiaotian Quan is the origin of a Chinese proverb called "狗咬呂洞賓——不識好人心" ("A dog bites Lü Dongbin—to fail to see

1320-433: The university in 1936, and was appointed as a librarian at the Academia Sinica 's Institute of History and Philology . He evacuated the institute's library following the outbreak of the Second Sino-Japanese War in 1937, transporting it through Hunan and Yunnan to Sichuan . He spent the remainder of the war writing articles on paleography and textual history, and was appointed to the rank of associate research fellow. He

1360-632: The vice-general-editor for the Zhonghua Book Company , concurrently with a research fellowship. In 1966, Zhang was promoted to a senior research fellowship by Yin Da ( 尹達 ), a close colleague who served as acting director of the CASS's Institute of History. The same year, the outbreak of the Cultural Revolution led to Zhang's assignment to a May Seventh Cadre School in rural Henan , where he worked as

1400-506: The war, the institute returned to Nanjing. Various universities were understaffed following the war and attempted to fill academic positions. Tsinghua offered a full professorship to Zhang, and this was soon matched by an offer from Fu Ssu-nien, now the acting director of Peking University. Zhang accepted Fu's offer and became one of the youngest full professors at Peking. For a period of time, he also simultaneously worked in paleography at Tsinghua University. During his time at Peking, Zhang wrote

1440-461: Was admitted to Fu Jen, but did not attend. Zhang also successfully passed the Peking University entrance examinations after a recent graduate of the school paid three yuan to cover the school's entrance fee. While taking the exams of his preferred school, Tsinghua, he felt that a paper he had submitted during the Chinese literature examinations had incorrectly responded to the prompt, and left

1480-700: Was educated in a traditional manner at home, but left at 14 to attend the Lixian Middle School in Qingdao . As the middle school was a "semi-traditional" institution, he was forced to take two years of preparatory school in Beijing in order to qualify for university entrance examinations. In July 1932, he took the examinations of Fu Jen Catholic University in Beijing as a practice test, ultimately aiming to enroll in Tsinghua University 's Mathematics Department. He

1520-402: Was offered a full professorship at Peking in 1946, and for a time simultaneously worked at Tsinghua . Despite attempts at support from the department's administrator, he was fired during the late 1950s Anti-Rightist Campaign , and worked for several years as an editor at the Zhonghua Book Company . In 1966, he was appointed to a senior research fellowship, but was sent the same year to work as

1560-484: Was opened (presumably to inter their mother together with her late husband). Gan Bao's family found the maid lying on the father's coffin as though she was alive. The maid was taken back to the Gan household, and regained consciousness after a few days. She explained that she survived more than 10 years sealed inside the tomb with the help of the father's ghost, which brought her food and water. The father's ghost also treated her in

1600-573: Was tasked In 1940 to transport the books further inland in preparation for the relocation of the institute to Sichuan . The library was transported by rented boats along the Xiang and Yangtze rivers to Hankou , before another trip upriver to Yichang . Following a significant delay in acquiring new boats, the library reached Chongqing in March 1938, and were stored in Shapingba . In 1940, they were moved alongside

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