Who Are the Thirty-Six Heavenly Generals of Taoism?

Chiyang Daoren, Eastern Taoism

The Thirty-Six Heavenly Generals spoken of in Taoism arose from ancient Chinese worship of the Northern Dipper, and so they are also called the Thirty-Six Heavenly Ladle (Tiangang) stars.

Taoism holds that among the stars of the Dipper there are thirty-six Heavenly Ladle stars, each with a god within it, making thirty-six divine generals in all; each has a name and surname and is not merely a figure of speech.

The names of the thirty-six divine generals are: Jiang Guang, Zhong Ying, Jin You, Yin Jiao, Pang Yu, Liu Ji, Guan Yu, Ma Sheng, Wen Qiong, Wang Shan, Kang Ying, Zhu Yan, Mu Kui, Fang Jiao, Chi Tong, Deng Yuguang, Xin Hanchen, Zhang Yuanbo, Tao Yuanxin, Jing Leijie, Bi Zongyuan, Zhao Gongming, Wu Mingyuan, Li Qingtian, Mei Tianshun, Xiong Guangxian, Shi Yuanxin, Kong Leijie, Chen Yuanyuan, Lin Dahua, Zhou Qingyuan, Ji Leigang, Cui Zhixu, Jiang Feijie, Jia Tianxiang, and Gao Ke.

Some of these thirty-six Heavenly Generals were historical figures, such as Guan Yu, a model of loyalty, righteousness, filial piety, and valor, who was made a god after his death. Some were eminent Taoists, such as Wang Shan, who after ascending as a feathered immortal was mythologized and became Marshal Wang Lingguan. More are figures of legend, such as Wen Qiong, god of Mount Tai (also a plague god), and Zhao Gongming, the God of Wealth (also a god of the underworld and a plague god). Others come from fiction, such as Yin Jiao, the Tai Sui deity.

When Taoist priests perform rituals at the altar, they often need to summon the Thirty-Six Heavenly Generals down to earth to drive out ghosts. The Correct Method of Turning the Chariot and Completing the Way of the Heavenly Pivot Court of Highest Clarity says: “Thirty-six Heavenly Ladle stars, great god-kings in heaven, Seven General Primordial Sovereigns, drive away calamity for me. This is the scriptural method used by Taoist priests in fasts and offerings (zhaijiao) and prayers to avert disaster.”

According to the Complete Biography of the Origins of the Northern Patriarch Zhenwu, Supreme Emperor of the Dark Heaven (also called the Journey to the North), the Thirty-Six Heavenly Generals were all gods subdued by the Perfected Warrior (Zhenwu), and all those appointed by the Jade Emperor were placed under his command. They are: the generals of Water and Fire; the two generals Tortoise and Snake; Marshal Zhao, Zhao Gongming; Marshal Guan of Manifest Numinosity, Guan Yu; the two marshals Lei Kai and Gou Bi; Marshal Zhou of the Wind Wheel, Guangze; Marshal Zhang of Utmost Loyalty, Zhang Jian; Marshal Xie of Fire Virtue, Xie Shirong; Marshal Ma the Numinous Officer, Bi Guang; Marshal Zhu, who punishes those who do not believe in the Tao, Zhu Yanfu; Marshal Dang the Examiner, Dang Guiji; Marshal Kang the Benevolent Sage, Kang Xi; Marshal Pang of Chaotic Qi, Pang Qiao; Marshal Jiang of Descending Birth, Gao Yuan; Marshal Yu, Subduer of Demons and Repeller of Evil, Yu Tian; Marshal Wen of Majestic Numinosity, Wen Qiong; Marshal Shi of Divine Thunder, Shi Cheng; the two marshals Wang and Gao of Tiger Hill, Wang Tie and Gao Tong; Marshal Li the Vanguard, Li Fulong; Vice-Marshal of Inspection, Fu Ying; Marshal Yin the Tai Sui, Ying Gao; Marshal Tie the Fierce, Tietou; the Mother of Lightning, Lady Zhu; the Thunder Lord of Fengdu, Marshal Xin; the Heavenly Lord of the Comet, Lady Zhu Bei; Marshal Wang of Huoluo, Wang Zhong; Marshal Yang, Yang Biao; Heavenly Lord Liu, Liu Jun; the two Wise Worthies, Gao Wei and Shi Kuang; the two Grand Guardians, Ren Wubie and Ning Shikao; Marshal Deng, Deng Cheng; Marshal Xin, Xin Jiang; and Marshal Zhang, Zhang An. The book describes the whole process by which Zhenwu subdued the Thirty-Six Heavenly Generals.

In folk legend, the Thirty-Six Heavenly Generals often set out together with the Twenty-Eight Lunar Mansions and the Seventy-Two Earthly Fiend (Disha) stars to subdue demons and monsters.