Xuan Wu (god)

Xuánwǔ ( "Dark Warrior" or "Mysterious Warrior") or Xuándì (玄帝 "Dark Deity"), also known as Zhēnwǔ (真武) or Zhēnwǔdàdì (真武大帝 "True Warrior Great Deity"), is a deity in Chinese religion, and one of the higher-ranking deities in Taoism. He is revered as a powerful god, able to control the elements and capable of great magic. He is identified as the god of the north Hēidì (黑帝 "Black Deity") and is particularly revered by martial artists. He is the patron deity of Hebei, Manchuria and Mongolia. As some Cantonese and Southern Min speakers (particularly Hokkien) fled into the south from Hebei with the Song dynasty, Xuanwu is also widely revered in Fujian and Guangdong as well as among the Chinese diaspora.

Since the usurping Yongle Emperor of the Ming dynasty claimed the help of Xuanwu during his successful Jingnan Campaign against his nephew, he had Taoist monasteries constructed in the Wudang Mountains of Hubei, where Xuanwu allegedly attained immortality.

One story says that Xuanwu was originally a prince of Jing Le State in northern Hebei during the time of the Yellow Emperor. As he grew up, he felt the sorrow and pain of the life of ordinary people and wanted to retire to a remote mountain for cultivation of the Tao.

Another says that Xuanwu was originally a butcher who had killed many animals unremorsefully. As days passed, he felt remorse for his sins and repented immediately by giving up butchery and retired to a remote mountain for cultivation of the Tao.

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