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18-476: "You" ( 幽 ) in Chinese means "dark". "Du" ( 都 ) means "capital". Thus, Youdu is the Dark Capital (Yang 2005: 236). Among other meanings, You can mean "hidden", "secluded", and is in particular used to indicate the underworld. Youdu is located under the earth, in the Region of Darkness, also known as Diyu, or the Yellow Springs. The general ruler of this realm is Houtu , but there are many other functionaries which have been believed to inhabit this region, and with

36-524: Is at Mount Jiuhua . Due to the belief that Tian (sky) represents yang and Di (earth) represents yin , most people believe Houtu is a female deity. Some scholars link Houtu to the Buddhist goddess Bhumi , which is the personification of Earth. Houtu was first worshipped by Emperor Wen of Han (in Fenyin County, modern-day Wanrong County , Shanxi ) and by Emperor Wu of Han in 113 BC. Houtu

54-658: Is featured in some versions of the myth of the Great Flood of China : Yu did not do such a great job of channeling the Yellow River into the sea, dredging the wrong way. Sacred Mother Houtu then made the Yellow River Map and sent one of her divine messenger birds to tell Yu what to do; specifically, that he should open a channel to the east, to allow the right drainage. Earth (wuxing) In Chinese philosophy , earth or soil ( Chinese : 土 ; pinyin : tǔ )

72-489: Is generally conceived of as similar to a typical historical Chinese capital city, such as Chang'an . Thus, it has a city wall, palaces, a hall of justice, and various residences for the ghosts of the dead. Especially important is the housing for the official records, which allow the various judges to determine proper punishments, or occasionally to allow someone who dies before their officially allotted time has expired to be returned to life. Especially important in this regard are

90-614: Is one of the Four Heavenly Ministers , which are four of the highest-ranking gods in Taoism. Houtu was originally the god of all land and earth in early Chinese mythology, before being absorbed into Taoism as one of the Four Heavenly Ministers. According to early Chinese classics Zuo Zhuan (late 4th century BC), Book of Rites and Classic of Mountains and Seas , Houtu is the son of Gonggong , being able to control

108-458: Is one of the five concepts that conform the wuxing . Earth is the balance of both yin and yang in the Wuxing philosophy, as well as the changing or central point of physical matter or a subject. Its motion is centralising, and its energy is stabilizing and conserving. Earth is associated with the colour yellow or ochre and the planet Saturn , and it lies at the centre of the four directions of

126-411: Is provided by torches and candles. Youdu may be the best-lit area of Diyu. Youdu is the home or official residence of various deities, and also the location of their official offices or palaces. The souls of the dead are their fellow inhabitants and subjects. There are also many subordinate demons which serve to carry out the commands of the judges. Many of these are concerned with punishing or processing

144-617: Is the Yi, and emotion of happiness and is represented by the Yellow Dragon , color yellow and Golden ( Sun ). The Wu Xing Earth is associated with the qualities of patience, thoughtfulness, practicality, hard work, and stability. The earth element is also nurturing and seeks to draw all things together with itself, in order to bring balance and stability. Other attributes of the earth element include mindfulness, purpose, happiness, stubbornness, mediation and fidelity . Its Yin (deficiency) emotion

162-579: Is worry or pensiveness and in Yang (excess) its emotion is self pity, self sympathy, greed. gluttony and selfishness. When earth is in balance there is a feeling of peace, happiness and contentment. The soul associated with Earth is the Yi (意). Earth plays an important role in Chinese astrology . In Chinese astrology earth is included in the 10 Heavenly Stems (the five elements in their yin and yang forms), which combine with

180-419: The 12 Earthly Branches (or Chinese signs of the zodiac ), to form the 60 year cycle . Yang earth years end in 8 (e.g. 1998), while Yin earth years end in 9 (e.g. 1999). Earth is the central balance of the elements and therefore lends qualities to all 12 animals as well. The element earth is associated with the planet Saturn on account of its yellow color. However, some Western astrologers have suggested that

198-752: The Earth';), also known as Hòutǔ Niángniáng (in Chinese either 厚土娘娘 ; 'Deep Earth Lady' or 后土娘娘 ; 'Earth Queen Lady'), otherwise called Dimǔ ( 地母 ; ' Mother Earth ') or Dimǔ Niángniáng ( 地母娘娘 ; 'Lady Mother Earth'), is the deity of all land and earth in Chinese religion and mythology . Houtu is the overlord of all the Tudigongs ("Lord of Local Land"), Sheji ("the State"), Shan Shen ("God of Mountains"), City Gods ("God of Local City"), and landlord gods worldwide. In Taoism , Houtu

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216-472: The Western associations of Saturn give it greater affinity with the rigid, controlling Chinese element of Metal ; while the Chinese conception of earth as a centering, harmonizing element has more in common with the Western notion of the planet Venus . As I Ching and Feng Shui described, Earth is the center to which all movements tend to go to or come from, even if temporarily, that is to say, as with all of

234-401: The compass in Chinese cosmology. It is associated with late summer and the turn of each of the four seasons, as Earth is prone to being over burdened. Its climate is that of dampness causing the mind to be clouded through a deficiency of yang qi. In traditional Chinese medicine , earth governs the yin, Zang organ the spleen , and the yang, Fu organ stomach , mouth and muscles. Its Primal Spirit

252-514: The elements or phases it can polarize with any of the other movements-elements: Fire, Water, Wood and Metal. These four types of Earth are Earth-of-water (Wet/Cold Earth), Earth-of-Fire (Arid/Hot Earth), Earth-of-Metal (Dry/Hard Earth) and Earth-of-Wood (Loose-Fertile/Warm Earth). Yellow, orange, beige and brown colors represent Earth. Earth governs Ox , Dragon , Goat , and Dog . In the controlling cycle, earth controls water by damming or absorbing it; wood can overcome it by breaking it up (by

270-863: The flood by installing mountains of Earth. She is also the assistant god to one of the Great Five Emperors , the Huang Di , being the god of the Earth element in the Wuxing system. In early myths Gonggong also was related to the first Tudigong , his son Gou Long  [ zh ] who was appointed as a god of the soil by Zhuanxu . In Taoism, Houtu is one of the Four Heavenly Ministers, along with Jade Emperor , Gouchen Emperor and Ziwei Emperor . In some Taoist scripts, another two gods, Changsheng Emperor and Qinghua Emperor ( 青华大帝 ), are added to constitute "Six Heavenly Ministers" ( 六御 ). The Daochang of Houtu

288-457: The more important individuals being located in Youdu, as the capital city and seat of government. Youdu has been described in various texts, as well as being depicted in art. Sometimes differences exist according to the religious affiliation of the text, for example whether more Buddhist, folk-oriented, or secular. Being located in the darkness underground is the most common feature. Generally, lighting

306-516: The place of King Yama and the Ten Courts of Justice. Youdu is a major scene of action in various myths, as well as literary works derived from the myths, legends, or religious descriptions or depictions. In the novel Journey to the West , Sun Wukong visits it repeatedly. Houtu Hòutǔ ( Chinese : 后土 ; lit. 'Queen of the Earth') or Hòutǔshén ( 后土神 ; 'Goddess Queen of

324-457: The souls of the dead for reincarnation. The sovereign deity is generally considered to be King Yama . Beneath him in rank ten other kings serve as judges of the souls of the dead. Various creatures also inhabit Youdu, including Tu Bo (土伯), the warden of Youdu under the rule of Houtu , while some argue that Tu Bo itself is the primordial overlord of the underworld; Diting , the steed of Di Zang , which can determine truth from falsehood. Youdu

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