Xuan Nu
| Jiutian Xuannü | |||||||||
| Chinese | 九天玄女 | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Literal meaning | Mysterious / Dark Lady of the Nine Heavens | ||||||||
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| Transcriptions | |
|---|---|
| Standard Mandarin | |
| Hanyu Pinyin | Jiǔtiān Xuánnǚ |
| Wade–Giles | Chiu-t'ien Hsuan-nu |
In Chinese mythology, Jiutian Xuannü is the goddess of war, sexuality, and longevity.
The Record of the Assembled Transcendents of the Fortified Walled City, written by the Daoist master Du Guangting (850–933), mentions that she is the teacher of Huangdi and the disciple of Xi Wangmu. Du Guangting's work also tells about the appearance of the goddess Jiutian Xuannü before Huangdi. At the time, Huangdi was in conflict with Chiyou, who had caused a great mist. Huangdi dwelt for several day in the mist, which was so impenetrable that it obscured day and night. Jiutian Xuannü rode a cinnabar phoenix into the great mist, holding phosphors and clouds as reins. She wore variegated kingfisher-feather garments, which had nine different colors. Huangdi greeted her and received her command. Du Guangting's text also noted the following interaction:
Jiutian Xuannü: "I base myself on the teachings of the Grand Supreme. If you have any doubts, you may question me."
Huangdi: "[Chiyou] is cruelly crossing us. His poison is harming all the black-haired people. The four seas are sobbing. No one can protect his own nature or life. I want the art of winning a myriad victories in a myriad battles. Can I cut the harm facing my people?"
Thereupon the goddess bestowed various objects and artifacts, which was specified in Du Guangting's text. Du Guangting subsequently noted that this was the reason that Huangdi could defeat Chiyou and ascend to heaven.
During the Tang dynasty, the rise of Daoism gave way to a new imagery of a high goddess of war who won by magical and intellectual means, and who transmitted the arts of immortality. The aspects of sexuality, victory over enemies in warfare, and everlasting life was slowly modified to fit this new image. It demonstrated that contrary views of Jiutian Xuannü coexisted during the Tang dynasty.
The goddess Jiutian Xuannü appears in several works of physiological microcosmology—as Cahill (2013) terms it—in which the human body is seen as a microcosm of the universe and where the gods are present within. These texts locate Jiutian Xuannü along the central median of the body and associate her with the circulation of breath, which nourishes the vital spirit and provides longevity.
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