Daoist deities organized by pantheon relationships rather than popular fame, with titles, functions, scriptural sources, iconography and boundaries. The first release covers the Three Pure Ones and the traditional Four Sovereigns. Variant systems are preserved rather than forced into one hierarchy.
The Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning stands first among the Three Pure Ones. Lingbao scriptures present him as the supreme deity who opens cosmic eras, proclaims scripture and offers…
Opening cosmic cycles and delivering beingsTransmitting scriptures and teachingsSource of the DaoCore Daoist pantheon
The Celestial Worthy of Numinous Treasure is the second of the Three Pure Ones. Earlier titles include the Great Lord of the Dao of Jade Dawn and the Supreme Lord of the Dao. The Chart of th…
Numinous Treasure scriptures and teachingsDelivering beings in every ageRetreat and offering ritesCore Daoist pantheon
The Celestial Worthy of the Dao and Its Virtue, also known as the Supreme Venerable Sovereign, is the deified form of Laozi and one of the Three Pure Ones. From the Eastern Han onward, Laoju…
Teachings of the DaodejingExemplar of the immortalsTransmitting the Dao and its methodsCore Daoist pantheon
Four Sovereigns 4
Jade Emperor玉皇大帝 · First of the Four Sovereigns (traditional account)
The Jade Emperor governs the gods within the Daoist celestial administration. The traditional Four Sovereigns scheme places him below the Three Pure Ones and first among the Four Sovereigns.…
Supreme administration of the celestial orderSovereignty over the deitiesOrder of the Three RealmsCore Daoist pantheon
The Great Emperor of the North Star of Purple Tenuity is one of the Four Sovereigns. Symbolically centred on the north celestial pole and the Purple Tenuity Enclosure, he is called sovereign…
Sovereign of all starsCelestial order and terrestrial patternSun, moon and starsSeasons and climateCore Daoist pantheon
The Great Heavenly Emperor of the Curved Array is one of the Four Sovereigns; his title derives from the Gouchen asterism in the traditional Purple Tenuity Enclosure. Daoist pantheons assign…
Northern and southern celestial polesThree Powers of Heaven, Earth and humanitySovereignty over the starsWarfare in the human realmCore Daoist pantheon
The Imperial Sovereign of Earth is one of the Four Sovereigns, presiding over mountains and rivers, yin-yang generation and the transformation of all beings, in a Heaven-and-Earth pairing wi…
Yin-yang and generationEarth, mountains and waterwaysTransformation and nurture of all beingsShared by the core Daoist pantheon and ancient state cults