The Great Jade Emperor
Origin of the Jade Emperor
The Great Jade Emperor(Yu huang shangdi) is often simply called the
Jade Emperor, as well as the 'Most Venerable Jade Emperor of the
Heavenly Golden Palace' and 'Lofty Jade Emperor of the Mysterious
Heaven".
In the Song Dynasty, Emperor Zhen honored him with the holy title
'Supreme Jade Emperor, Creator of Heaven, Holder of Talismans,
Imperial Timesetter, Container of Perfection, and Embodiment of
Tao".
Emperor Hui honored him as 'Supreme Highest Jade Emperor of the
Heavens, Creator of Heaven, Holder of Talismans, Jade Timesetter,
Container of Perfection, and Embodiment of Tao'.
His complete name in Taoist scriptures is 'Most Venerable Highest
Jade Emperor of All-Embracing Sublime Spontaneous Existence of the
Heavenly Golden Palace".
According to the Scripture of the Jade Emperor, the Great Jade
Emperor is the son of the King of the Pure Blissful Kingdom of
Lofty Heavenly Lights and Ornaments and of the Empress of Precious
Moonlight. The King and Queen had no had a child for years, out of
desperate, they prayed to heaven for a child. One night, the Queen
dreamt of the Heavenly Lord of Numinous Treasure (Ling Bao Tian
Zun) one of The Three Pure Ones(san qing) carrying a baby to here.
The Queen was pregnent after that. (Jade Emperor is thus originated
from the Three Pure Ones)
At birth, the precious light of his glorious flames filled the
country. He was smart and wise when young, and kind and benevolent
when grown up. He devoted the entire state treasury to all sentient
beings, the poor and suffering, the deserted and single, the hungry
and disabled. After the death of the King of Pure Bliss, he ruled
ably as crown prince and told his ministers that, feeling merciful
for all sentient beings, he would abandon the throne and cultivate
Dao on the Mountain of Universal Light and Fragrant Rocks.
After 3200 aeons, he attained to the station of Golden Immortality
and was called 'Emperor of Spontaneous Enlightenment". After
another billion aeons, he ascended to the station of Jade
Emperor.
Emperor of Ten Thousand Divines
The Jade Emperor is the emperor of all heavens, king of all
Immortals, lord of saints, the highest divinity of the ten thousand
divines in the three realms and of all Immortals of the Three
Grottoes. He has the power to order the Immortals of the Nine
Heavens and to invoke the spirits of the four seas and five sacred
mountains.
All the divines follow and attend to him in queue, just like the
emperor and his ministers in the human world.
A poem of Bai Juyi says: "Immortals such as Anqi and Xianmen attend
to him in queue like ministers. To his holy majesty I look up and
bow to pay my sincere respect."
In Charge of the Tao of Heaven
The Jade Emperor is an avatar of the Three Pure Ones. T
he relationship between them is like Emptiness preceding Subtle
Being, Infinity preceding the Supreme Ultimate, Non-Interference
preceding Interfering Action.
Therefore, the Jade Emperor is the master of the three fundamentals
in charge of the pivot of Heaven, Earth and Man.
The Jade Emperor sends the four heavenly ministers to assist Him ,
which are the Great Emperor of the North Pole Star of Purple
Subtlety(Heavenly Lord Zi Wei) to administer the longitudes and
latitudes of Heaven and Earth; the Great Emperor of the Highest
Palace of Polaris(Heavenly Lord Tian Huang) to administer the Three
Powers of Heaven, Earth, and Man and to control wars; and the
Imperial Goddess of Earth(Hou Tu) to administer births, land, and
rivers. Great Emperor of the Southern Polaris (Heavenly Lord Nanji)
to administer man's lifespan.
In general, all things, Heaven, Earth, Yin and Yang, and creation,
are in the charge of the Jade Emperor. One of his holy name 'Yu
huang She Zui Tian Zun', is been recitied by some Taoist for
blessings and forgiviness.
