Taoist Culture: What are the four imperial schools of Taoism?

Under the most revered Sanqing God in Taoism, there are also "Four Emperors". "Yu" is a respectful name for the emperor, and it also means to manage things. The Four Emperors are the four gods who live under the Sanqing, are above all gods and dominate the universe.

The Four Emperors were the gods who assisted the Sanqing Movement. In the past, they were called six emperors. In order to classify the four assistants of Daojing (Taiqing, Taiping, Taixuan and Zhengyi), the Jade Emperor and Tsinghua Emperor were removed, and today's "Four Emperors" were formed. Their full names are the Emperor Wei Zi in the Arctic, the Immortal Emperor in the Antarctic, the Emperor Gouchen who went to work and the Emperor Chengtian who imitated the local emperor.

Daofa Hui Yuan called "Sanqing" and "Yusi" the "Seven Treasures", believing that Sanqing was the creator of all things in the universe and Yusi was the master of the universe. In the famous Taoist temple, besides Sanqing Hall and Huangyu Pavilion, there are four palaces dedicated to four emperors. The statues of the four emperors, wearing crowns and royal robes, are luxurious and luxurious, and are the images of emperors on earth. Sanqing and Yusi, as Taoist deities, are often called Sanqing together.

Wei Zibei, the great emperor of Zhongtian, assisted the Jade Emperor in charge of the heaven, earth, latitude, sun, moon, stars, sun and the climate of the four seasons.

The Great Immortal Emperor of Antarctica: Assisting the Jade Emperor to take charge of human troubles and dangers.

Gouchen, the Emperor of Shanggong, assisted the Jade Emperor in charge of the three talents of the North and South Poles, Heaven, Earth and Man, leading the military revolution on earth.

Inheriting heaven and imitating the later earth emperor: assisting the jade emperor in charge of the birth of yin and yang, the growth of all things, and the beauty of the earth and mountains.

In addition, the Four Emperors have another different explanation, which is called "Four Emperors". In the north, it is said that the Arctic emperor Wei Zi always rules all the stars, in the south, the Antarctic immortal emperor always rules all the gods, in the west, the Taiji emperor always rules all the gods, and in the east, the Tsinghua emperor always rules all kinds.

The appearance of the Four Emperors probably did not precede the Song Dynasty. The Ten Definite True Classics, Volume 7, Dan Juege, says: "Nine-nine Daos are accomplished, and three clean-ups and four royal festivals are held." Liu Daocang: "I will clean up the ancestors, the jade emperor is supreme, five elders and four emperors, nine poles and ten flowers, and the ancient sage and the high truth preach the wonderful way."

From the different arrangements for the Four Emperors in these two materials, we can see two interpretations of the connotation of the Four Emperors. "Danjue Pavilion" connects Sanqing and the Four Emperors, and is the four heavenly emperors headed by the Jade Emperor. Liu linked the five old kings with the four emperors, who were the four greatest emperors. But the former theory is more common and widely used in shaping idols for Taoism and fasting.