TYPE: God of the afterlife
ORIGIN: Taoist (Chinese)
INFORMATION: The head of the Heavenly Ministry of Exorcism, and allegedly the first head of the Taoist church. By tradition he vanquished the five poisonous animals—the centipede, scorpion, snake, spider, and toad—placing their venom in a flask in which he concocted the elixir of life. Having drunk the contents at the age of 123, he ascended to heaven. He is depicted riding upon a tiger and brandishing a sword. Before the communist takeover of China, the gods of exorcism lived in a sanctuary on the Dragon Tiger mountain in Kiangsi province. Exorcised spirits were trapped in jars which were stored in the cellars.