Since ancient times, the Mount Tai has been seen as a sacred place where the spirits of the dead gather, so the god of Mount Tai was thought to be the supreme deity of the underworld, who governed the lifespan and status of humans. He was reportedly the grandson of the
Jade Emperor. The Taoist immortal , has been described as the third son of Dongyue Dadi.
Han dynasty emperors performed the
Feng Shan ceremony on
Mount Tai. The ceremony was considered very important and completing Feng Shan allowed the emperor to receive the
mandate of heaven. The practice began in 219 BC, when the
Qin Shi Huang gave homage to the mountain after he unified China. Under the Eastern Han dynasty, Dongyue Dadi transformed from a mountain god to a Daoist deity as a result of the influence of Daoism and Buddhism. In Daoist belief, the deity of Mount Tai was either an ancient saint or the descendant of
Fuxi. The Shen-yi Jing, portrayed this deity as the offspring of a descendant of
Pangu who was granted the title
Taihua Zhenren. This title was the basis for Dongyue Dadi's development in Daoism and elevated him to the status known as Xian Ren, which placed him in the hierarchy of Daoist immortals. In Chinese Buddhism, Dongyue Dadi was believed to serve as the judge of the Underworld. This perception emerged during the Six Dynasty period, and the deity's title in Buddhist scriptures was
Taishan Fujun, which was subsequently assimilated into the concept of the Buddhist Hell,
Diyu. Consequently, Taishan Fujun was regarded as one of the ten kings of hell or even as a prince of the seventh king of hell. He is referred to as Dongyue Dadi in Daoism and Chinese folk religion, while Taishan Fujun is his only title in Buddhist scriptures. In Taoist belief,
Wudao Jiangjun (The Five Path Generals, ) are subordinate deities serving Dongyue Dadi. == Popularity ==