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Painting of Taiyin Xingjun, the Western Xia (982-1227), in Hermitage Museum.

Taiyin Xingjun (太阴星君) is the Chinese goddess of the moon. While often intertwined with the legend of Chang'e, Taiyin Xingjun is the true guardian of the moon.

Legends

Tracing its origins, the emergence of Taiyin Xingjun is related to ancient Chinese worship of the moon. Taiyin Xingjun is also known as the Moonlight Goddess, Taiyin Xingjun, Moon Maiden, and Moonlight Bodhisattva. The worship of Taiyin Xingjun has a long history in China and is also a common phenomenon worldwide, rooted in celestial worship and primitive beliefs.

During the Qing dynasty, Beijing's moon worship underwent some changes. It evolved from the early pure Taoist worship of Chang'e to a blend of Buddhism and Taoism, featuring the secular image of the Moonlight Bodhisattva and the Medicine-Pounding Jade Rabbit. The depictions of the Moon God were mostly inscribed by Taoist temples, titled "Yuefu Suyao Taiyin Xingjun" (月府素曜太阴星君, lit. 'the moon palace of Taiyang Xingjun').

The earliest recorded worship of the moon in ancient times can be found in the Book of Documents: Canon of Yao, which states: "The sun, moon, and stars are celestial deities, and Mount Tai, the Yellow River, and the sea are terrestrial deities. The celestial and terrestrial deities together form the six gods."

When Wang Yi annotated the Nine Songs: Regretful Chant in the Chu Ci, he said, "The six gods refer to the gods of the six domains." This indicates that the moon had long been worshipped as a god by the people before this period. In fact, when the ancients sacrificed to the moon, they often did so in conjunction with the sun. They would worship the sun in the east and the moon in the west, distinguishing between the internal and external and establishing their respective positions. This phenomenon sufficiently demonstrates the ancient practice of "worshipping the sun as the main deity and the moon as a supplementary deity."

In Qing dynasty Taoist Wugou's The Legend of the Eight Immortals, he annotated the origin of Taiyin Xingjun, stating, "To know the purest essence in the world, it is none other than the moon. The realm within the moon, compared to the legendary Penglai of the seas or the immortal mountains, is particularly serene. No matter how beautiful Chang'e is or how elegant and refined she appears, the truth remains that her physical form is merely mundane, and she is already married, once the consort of a tyrannical Houyi. With such a history, her presence in the Moon Palace could hardly be considered pure. Even though you may not have achieved enlightenment, you surely know that Taiyin Xingjun is the ruler of the Moon Palace. She is the third princess of the Jade Emperor, residing by his side. Who can compare to her nobility? Yet her nature is quite different from others. She is often seen wandering alone in the heavenly palace, indifferent to the elegant company around her, as if she were dwelling among the mundane. She spends her days in quiet contemplation, away from worldly affairs. After much consideration, the Jade Emperor could find no one worthy of her presence, so he appointed her as the ruler of the Moon Palace and bestowed upon her a residence there. Only then could the princess find solace in her solitude. Her lofty and refined demeanor is truly remarkable, far surpassing even Chang'e in elegance. Without the princess, the heavens would lack refinement, and they would be unfit for habitation. The Jade Emperor had no choice but to grant her the title of Taiyin Xingjun and bestow upon her the Moon Palace as her residence. Her austere elegance and her profound nature—who can compare? Chang'e may be graceful, but she is incomparable to the purity and tranquility that surround Taiyin Xingjun. If we were to judge their characters, they are indeed different from ordinary people, possessing a sense of refinement and detachment. Furthermore, Taiyin Xingjun has always had a deep affinity for the moon, often longing to reside in the Moon Palace, her lifelong aspiration unfulfilled until now. In this regard, she shares a common bond with the moon and a kindred spirit with Taiyin Xingjun."

According to Taiwanese media reports, Taiyang Xingjun and Taiyin Xingjun are often worshipped as the companion gods of the Jade Emperor.

In Taiwanese folk beliefs, people believe that the deity who governs the moon is Taiyin Xingjun. Taiyin Xingjun originated from natural worship in animistic beliefs and originally did not have an image. For example, in the Tiantan Temple, known as the first temple in Taiwan, there is only a wooden plaque inscribed with the words "Taiyin Xingjun." However, with the spread of the myth of Chang'e flying to the moon, the connection between the pure white moon and Chang'e's beautiful and gentle image was formed, leading many to believe that Taiyin Xingjun is the incarnation of Chang'e. Most of the images of Taiyin Xingjun that we see today depict a woman dressed in palace attire, holding the moon high in her hand; she is also known as Taiyin Niangniang.

According to some traditions, although Chang’e is also considered to be an accidental resident of the moon, she is not the moon’s rightful owner. Instead, Taiyin Xingjun, the moon goddess herself, graces the night sky with her luminous presence. Taiyin Xingjun is also known as Jielin, which means "the immortal who races to the moon."

The Seven Sage Chronicles states: "The Yu Hua (red text) dwells with the sun; the Jie Lin (yellow text) dwells with the moon. The Yu Hua is the essence of the sun; the Jie Lin is the essence of the moon."

Sometimes, Taiyin Xingjun is also seen as another aspect of the Queen Mother of the West. The Yúnjí Qīqiān states: "The Xiwangmu is the primordial qi of the Taiyin. Her two breasts are the essence of the myriad gods, the vital fluids of yin and yang. Under her left breast is the sun, and under her right breast is the moon. It is the dwelling place of the King Father and the Queen Mother."

The Supreme Yellow Court Inner Scenery Jade Scripture states: "Highly running towards the sun and moon is my supreme path, Yuhua and Jielin are mutually protecting."

The Commentary of Liangqiu Zi states: "Yuhua is the immortal who runs towards the sun, while Jielin is the immortal who runs towards the moon."

Statue of Taiyang Xingjun, enshrined in the Kaijiyu Temple in Tainan City, Taiwan

According to the poem Two Ghosts (二鬼) by Ming dynasty poet Liu Ji (刘基), the Jade Emperor, taking pity on the uneven distribution of labor and rest, which led to illness and ailments, appointed two ghosts to guard them, named Jielin and Yuhua. Yuhua clutches the foot of a three-legged crow, her feet treading on firewheels coiled with nine dragons. She chews on the five-colored essence of the wood spirit, and her body radiates with five-colored light. In the morning, she sets out from the Valley of the Rising Sun and returns to the branch of the Fusang tree in the evening. Cracking his whip, she drives dragons and rides the sea like a bird, stirring up clouds and boiling waves to cook fish and turtles. Her radiant brilliance illuminates the darkness, and the warm air nourishes the plants and flowers, causing them to grow fragrant and luxuriant. Jielin sits at the roots of the Guanghan Cassia tree, rinsing her mouth with the fragrant dew of cassia. She partakes of the spiritual medicine offered by the White Rabbit, leaping onto the back of the toad. She sketches light and plays with shadows, swirling in the Milky Way, sparkling like jewels and flowers."

Taiyin Xingjun holds a position akin to the Chinese goddess of the moon, similar to Selene in Greek mythology. With the Mid-Autumn Festival's focus on lunar veneration, homage naturally gravitates towards Taiyin Xingjun. On the 15th day of the eighth lunar month, throughout China, people erect incense altars, light crimson candles, offer fresh fruits in four vivid hues, burn incense, and pay homage beneath the gleaming moonlight. This ritual intertwines reverence with leisure, as the moon's radiance bestows a mystical aura, evoking myriad enchanting narratives and profound contemplations. Amidst these tales, "Chang’e Flies to the Moon" remains among the most revered.

In Journey to the West, when Tang Sanzang passes through India on his journey, a demoness wants to marry him so that she can absorb his yang essence and increase her powers. Sun Wukong sees through her disguise and fights with her. Just as Sun Wukong is about to defeat the demoness, accompanied by the fairy Chang'e, Taiyin Xingjun descends on a colored cloud. The Monkey King hastily puts away his iron rod and bows, saying, "Old Taiyin, where are you going? I, Sun Wukong, have been avoiding you." Taiyin replies, "The demon you are facing is the Jade Rabbit, who guards the mystical frost elixir in my Guanghan Palace. She secretly unlocked the jade gate and escaped from the palace, and it has been a year since then. I foresee she is currently in grave danger, so I have come to save her. I hope the Great Sage will spare her for my sake." Sun Wukong reluctantly agrees, and Taiyin Xingjun takes the Jade Rabbit to the Moon and assigns her duties.

In Fenshen Yanyi, when Jiang Ziya was naming gods, Queen Jiang was appointed as Taiyin Xingjun.

Temple

There are not many temples dedicated to Taiyin Xingjun; the oldest one is the Guan Shengdijun Temple in Daxi, which has a history of over a hundred years and does enshrine her.