[ **up: [[Chinese deities]] **] --- # Tudi Gong (Earth God) [[2024-0728. Tudi Gong—the Earth God—was 'a local protective deity and a subordinate of the City God'.|Tudi Gong—the Earth God—was 'a local protective deity and a subordinate of the City God'.]][^1] [[2024-0728. Unlike the major gods and goddesses found in the village temples, such as Mazu or Guan Yu, each village’s Earth God was a separate entity; Earth Gods were thought to live amongst and interact with human beings.|Unlike the major gods and goddesses found in the village temples, such as Mazu or Guan Yu, each village’s Earth God was a separate entity.]][^2] [[2024-0728. Unlike the major gods and goddesses found in the village temples, such as Mazu or Guan Yu, each village’s Earth God was a separate entity; Earth Gods were thought to live amongst and interact with human beings.|'Each village, on the other hand, had its own Earth God who was different from the next village’s Earth God. The two gods were not emanations of one Earth God in Heaven. Rather, Earth Gods were thought to live amongst and interact with human beings.']][^2] --- [[2024-0728. 'Small communities, or even single families, thus also came to have their local god or Tudi Gong (the Earth God).'|'Small communities, or even single families, thus also came to have their local god or Tudi Gong (the Earth God). Throughout the country countless small shrines or temples were constructed, each with two images.']][^3] [[2024-0728. 'Earth Gods, like Kitchen Gods, were often represented as a married couple, reinforcing the notion that these gods of the Earthly Domain were very close to human beings, both in terms of proximity and life patterns.'|'Earth Gods, like Kitchen Gods, were often represented as a married couple, reinforcing the notion that these gods of the Earthly Domain were very close to human beings, both in terms of proximity and life patterns.']][^4] [[2024-0728. 'In most cases these gods originated as historical persons who in life came to the assistance of their respective communities in times of need.'|'In most cases these gods originated as historical persons who in life came to the assistance of their respective communities in times of need.']][^5] --- [[2024-0728. 'If misfortunes visit a locality, the Tudi Gong is judged to have lost interest and a new patron is chosen.'|'If misfortunes visit a locality, the Tudi Gong is judged to have lost interest and a new patron is chosen.']][^5] --- [[2024-0728. 'The great Han dynasty emperor Gao Zi (reigned 206–195 BCE) was but one of many Chinese rulers who encouraged the local populace to sacrifice to their particular Tudi Gong...'|'The great Han dynasty emperor Gao Zi (reigned 206–195 BCE) was but one of many Chinese rulers who encouraged the local populace to sacrifice to their particular Tudi Gong...']][^3] [^1]: ‘The Kitchen God & Other Gods of the Earthly Domain’, *Living in the Chinese Cosmos*, retrieved 24 December 2022, http://afe.easia.columbia.edu/cosmos/prb/earthly.htm. [^2]: ‘The Kitchen God & Other Gods of the Earthly Domain’, *Living in the Chinese Cosmos*, retrieved 24 December 2022, http://afe.easia.columbia.edu/cosmos/prb/earthly.htm. [^3]: ’Sheji’, *Encyclopaedia Britannica*, updated 28 November 2018, https://www.britannica.com/topic/Sheji. [^4]: ‘The Kitchen God & Other Gods of the Earthly Domain’, *Living in the Chinese Cosmos*, retrieved 24 December 2022, http://afe.easia.columbia.edu/cosmos/prb/earthly.htm. [^5]: ‘Tudi Gong’, *Encyclopaedia Britannica*, updated 28 November 2016, https://www.britannica.com/topic/Tudi-Gong.