Introduction on Jin Jia Shen (九天巡狩金甲神)

Jin Jia Shen (金甲神) aka The Heavenly Marshal of Golden Armour.

In Taoism, he is being recognised as the Personal Protector of Jade Emperor of Heaven (玉皇大天尊) or Assistant of San Qing aka The Three Pure Ones (三清道祖).

So what is his Primary Task in Taoism?

According to Ritual Records, Jin Jia Shen is one of the few important Deities/Generals that needed to be invited before a Ritual/Ceremony Started. He is being invited in-order to Collect & Submit ALL Spiritual Petitions & Reports to the Heavenly Realm, especially to Jade Emperor of Heaven or San Qing.

Besides that, Jin Jia Shen is also an Important Deity that assisted Jade Emperor of Heaven to release any Imperial Edicts to the Deities or Mortal Realm.

In some Taoist Contexts, Jin Jia Shen is always being placed together with Zhu Wen Gong (朱文公) or Heavenly Marshal Jiang Fei Jie (江飛捷仙官) together, cos the 3 of them are the Commonly Known Deities in-charging of Spiritual Document.

So what is the Background of Jin Jia Shen?

According to Records, Jin Jia Shen was actually the Manifestation of the Gold Element while the Heaven & Earth was being opened up in infinite years ago.

After the Manifestation of Jin Jia Shen was being formed, he was being summoned to the Heavenly Realm to be bestowed with a Position.

In some part of the History, Jin Jia Shen’s title was being removed by Mother Queen of the West (瑤池金母) and was being released to be re-incarnated into the Mortal Realm (from then, there is a myth of Taoist Priests are not to place Jin Jia Shen besides Mother Queen on the Altar).

In Chinese Culture, the Insect Beetle was being known as the Manifestation of Jin Jia Shen while he was being Re-incarnated into this Mortal Realm.

So did he appear in Chinese History?

In Chinese History Records, Jin Jia Shen did appear quite a number of times.

Far in Yellow Emperor’s (黃帝) Era, Tang Dynasty, Song Dynasty, Ming Dynasty and even in Qing Dynasty, Jin Jia Shen did appeared in the Mortal Realm to assist the necessary People in overcoming certain issues.

The most famous Case was during Ming Dynasty, after Emperor Zhu Yuan Zhang (明太祖朱元璋) got his Throne, he wanted to build the Imperial City, but no matter how he engaged the Construction Experts to do drawing of the Floor-plan, Emperor Zhu was not able to get the Best Finalize Plan and so, one night, while Emperor Zhu was in the Garden looking up into the Night Sky, he saw a Golden Shining Star, he made a vow and requested the Shiny Star to assist him in Building the Imperial City.

After Emperor Zhu made his vow, he saw a Sharp Brightness drop in front of him, but regardless how he put in effort to search for the Brightness, he couldn’t see the items that drop in front of him. And so, Emperor Zhu had to give up.

Next Day, while Emperor Zhu and his Premier Liu Bo Wen (劉伯溫) was out in the Field checking on the outcome of the Building of the Imperial City, Liu Bo Wen saw a young guy sitting near the edge of the Construction Ground doing some calculation with a special Abacus. With curiosity, Liu Bo Wen went towards the young guy. Just before Liu Bo Wen reached the young guy’s side, the young guy disappeared with a gust of wind and left behind the special Abacus on the ground.

Just as Liu Bo Wen was about to pick the Abacus up, the Abacus slowly sank into the ground. On that very night, Emperor Zhu got a dream on the Outline of the Finalize Imperial City and on the next day after he was awoke, Emperor Zhu advised his Assistant to draft out the Imperial City.

Upon completion of the Plan, the Construction was able to take place. And after the whole Imperial City completed, Liu Bo Wen was amazed by the whole Outlook of the City – it look like an Abacus.

Soon, this story was being spread among the whole Country and in China today, people still believed that the Outlook of the Imperial City was built with the assistance of Jin Jia Shen.

So when is the Best Day to honour Jin Jia Shen?

According to Records, Jin Jia Shen’s Manifestation Anniversary falls on the 02nd Day of Lunar 8 Month (農曆八月初二日).

For those who are learning Spiritual Taoist Skills, Jin Jia Shen is one of the Deities that Oneself can approached or honoured.

In the following is the Praise Mantra of Jin Jia Shen (金甲神寶誥):

九天巡狩金甲神寶誥
Jiu Tian Xun Shou Jin Jia Shen Bao Gao (Praise Mantra)

至心皈命禮。
Zhi Xin Gui Ming Li

九天金闕殿。玉皇御前將。
Jiu Tian Jin Que Dian. Yu Huang Yu Qian Jiang

青鋒常守駕。威猛滅穢氛。
Qing Feng Chang Shou Jia. Wei Meng Mie Hui Fen

聖旨傳達出天門。
Sheng Zhi Chuan Da Chu Tian Men

驅行麒麟步天下。
Qu Xing Qi Lin Bu Tian Xia

素面丹脣。金甲披身。
Su Mian Dan Chun. Jin Jia Pi Shen

珠冠瓊花。敕封大神。
Zhu Guan Qiong Hua. Che Feng Da Shen

凡有上奏書必達。
Fan You Zou Shu Bi Da

狀帖投進不移漏。
Zhuan Tie Tou Jin Bu Yi Lou

唐顯聖跡。太宗駕前。
Tang Xian Sheng Ji. Tai Zong Jia Qian

宋有記載。書於宮中。
Song You Ji Zai. Shu Yu Gong Zhong

明相伯溫。觀解事疑。
Ming Xiang Bo Wen. Guan Jie Shi Yi

至剛至勇。至仁至威。
Zhi Gang Zhi Yong. Zhi Ren Zhi Wei

九天巡狩傳達使。
Jiu Tian Xun Shou Chuan Da Shi

三界無拘金甲神。
San Jie Wu Ju Jin Jia Shen

For Higher Res Pictures, please proceed to think link: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/taoism_deity_singapore_2007/photos/album/406769539/pic/list