Nine Heavens Responding Origin Thundering Universally Transforming Heavenly Venerate
Origin
The ancestor of thunder, known as the Nine Heavens Responding Origin Thundering Universally Transforming Heavenly Venerate or Nine Heavens Responding Origin Thundering Universally Transforming True King, is identified in the “Supreme Nine Heavens Pure Great Brahma Purple Sublime Mysterious Capital Thunder Jade Scripture” as the incarnation of the ninth son of Fuli Yuan Beginning Heavenly Venerate, the Pure Jade True King. He, along with Supreme God Xiao Pure True King Longevity Emperor, Eastern Extreme Blue Emperor, Nine Heavens Thunder Ancestor Emperor, Upper Pure Purple Sublime Green Jade Palace Taiyi Great Heaven Emperor, Six Heavens Abyss Emperor, Six Waves Heavenly Lord, Ke Han Director General True Lord, and Nine Heavens Inspector True Lord, collectively form the “Nine Celestial Beings of God Xiao.” According to Bai Yuchan’s “Nine Heavens Responding Origin Thundering Universally Transforming Heavenly Venerate Jade Pivot Treasure Scripture Annotations” from the Southern Song dynasty, the significance of his title is explained as follows: “Nine, a yang number, represents the heavenly way, presiding over the Thunder Palace, thus the southeast is discussed as the land of the nine invisibles, where the Thunder Master enters and exits. Heaven, the qi of utmost greatness and holiness, untouchable and inactive. Responding, everything thrives by obeying the heavenly command. Origin, the greatest, also said to be the leader of all goodness, the beginning of the seasons, the precursor of the five elements. Thunder, the command of heaven, holding the power of granting life and death, unpredictable in motion and stillness, followed by all deities. Sound, means life, everything springs forth upon hearing the thunder. Also said that heaven speaks through thunder. Universal, encompassing everything above and below, within the four dimensions and eight deserts, formless and formed. Transform, the operation of yin and yang in the heavenly way, from non-being to being, from being to non-being, all things living and dying are transformations. Laozi says: I do nothing and the people transform themselves. Also said by virtue of transformation. Heavenly Venerate, a title for utmost greatness and honor.” It is also said to be one of the nine sons born by Fuli Yuan Beginning Heavenly Venerate, originally a transformation of the God Xiao Pure True King, “transforming through the eons, showing signs according to the times,” “monitoring all heavens every four mornings, wandering through the three realms and nine provinces, recording good deeds and mistakes, thus universally transforming and of utmost nobility.”
Some say that after Xuanyuan Huangdi (the Yellow Emperor) ascended to immortality, he became the essence of thunder, the god of thunder and rain. The title of Thunder Ancestor was given to him. The Thunder Ancestor resides in the God Xiao Jade Mansion, within the azure celestial qi, two thousand three hundred li from Thunder City. Thunder City is where the celestial court conducts thunder, with a height of eighty-one zhang, on the left is the Jade Pivot Five Thunder Command, on the right is the Jade Mansion Five Thunder Command. In front of the Heavenly Venerate are thirty-six thunder drums, overseen by thirty-six gods. When conducting thunder, the Thunder Ancestor strikes the drum, immediately causing the Thunder Duke and Thunder Masters to initiate thunder. The Thunder Department has thirty-six deities, all of whom were meritorious officials of their time. In the Ming dynasty novel “Fengshen Yanyi,” Wen Zhong is referred to as the Nine Heavens Responding Origin Thundering Universally Transforming Heavenly Venerate, leading twenty-four deities in the Thunder Department to summon clouds, assist rain, and protect the law. Among them are regularly worshipped deities within Taoist temples such as Marshal Deng Yuan of the Statute, Xin Tianjun of Radiant Teeth, Messenger Zhang of Swift Retribution, Marshal Gou of the Left Demon-Slaying, Marshal Bi of the Right Demon-Slaying, and other celestial generals like Tao Tianjun Rong, Pang Tianjun Hong, Qin Tianjun Wan, Zhao Tianjun Jiang, Dong Tianjun Quan, Yuan Tianjun Jiao, etc.
Function
The worship of Thunder Duke and Thunder God has existed since ancient times. However, the establishment of a Thunder Department led by the Nine Heavens Responding Origin Thundering Universally Transforming Heavenly Venerate likely began towards the end of the Northern Song dynasty. During the Northern Song period, the God Xiao and Pure Weft factions of Taoism advocated the practice of thunder magic. Thus, the function of thunder expanded not only to distributing rain but also to overseeing the fortune and disaster of the heavens, balancing all matters, governing objects and people, and overseeing life and death. “Nine Heavens Responding Origin Thundering Universally Transforming Heavenly Venerate Jade Pivot Treasure Scripture” states that those who are “disloyal to the king, unfilial to parents, disrespectful to teachers and elders” should be handed over to the Five Thunders Execution Office, where their spirits are executed first, followed by their bodies, causing their bodies to split and shatter upon examination.
Worship
The “Ritual Records” of “Ming History” state, “Thundering Universally Transforming Heavenly Venerate, considered by Taoism as the commander of the Five Thunders, also designates June 24th as the day of Heavenly Venerate’s manifestation, thus annually on this day, officials are sent to Xianling Palace to offer sacrifices.” Most major Taoist temples and monasteries worship the Thunder Ancestor. Each year on June 24th, Taoists enter the temples to burn incense and pray for blessings and disaster relief. In major Taoist ritual ceremonies, the Orthodox Unity sect often includes a deity position for the Thunder Ancestor and incorporates the summoning of various celestial lords of the Thunder Department into the ritual procedures.
References
“Ming History, Ritual Records”
“Supreme Nine Heavens Pure Great Brahma Purple Sublime Mysterious Capital Thunder Jade Scripture”
“Nine Heavens Responding Origin Thundering Universally Transforming Heavenly Venerate Jade Pivot Treasure Scripture”