heaven

The Jade Emperor is not only a notable figure in Chinese mythology, but also one of the most important deities in Taoism and in Chinese folk religion. Today, the Jade Emperor is regarded as the supreme ruler of Heaven, guiding the affairs of mortals via a bureaucracy not unlike that which was once used in imperial China. Considering the Jade Emperor’s significance as the ruler of Heaven, the history of his worship is rather peculiar. In the early Taoist writings, he was either a minor deity, or not even mentioned at all. In fact, it was only later on, during the Tang Dynasty, that the Jade Emperor became an important deity. Apart from his religious significance, the Jade Emperor also