《一方霸主。福德夫人》
Myth of Madam Fu De 02
一方大霸主，
誰與爭鋒。
一氣動山河，
神也難救。
以上就是對【福德夫人】的“贊美”。
【二月二】，【土地公】生日，自然不能不提到【土地公】身後的“女强人”。
關於【福德夫人】的傳説有很多，但在【道教神明文化】中，最早是【東嶽三公主】被“下嫁”給了【張福德】。
Today in here, Jave will like to share
another Myth on Madam Fu Ren after going through another set of Ancient Records
on Fu De Zheng Shen (福德正神)
aka Earth Deity (土地神).
The
story goes like that;
Yu Nv Tai Xian (玉女太仙), the Third Daughter of Lord Mountain Tai (泰山仁齊聖帝) aka Dong Yue Da Di (東嶽大帝). Official Title known as Bi Ling Yuan Jun (碧靈元君) and was born in Shang Dynasty (生于商朝) after Empress Dong Yue (东岳淑明坤德皇后) swallowed a gust of Energy
emitted from the Northern Dipper (北斗元氣).
At the age of 3, Yu Nv Tai Xian was able
to assist her Third Brother – Bing Ling Gong (炳靈公), in eliminating the Negative Entities and assist her Sister – Bi
Xia Yuan Jun (碧霞元君), in the
recording of new Born Beings.
At the age of 7, one day, while Yu Nv
Tai Xian was performing her daily Cultivation at the peak of Mountain Tai, Jiu
Tian Xuan Nv (九天玄女) aka The
Immortal Maiden of Ninth Heaven, descended at the Pavilion where Yu Nv Tai Xian
was.
Upon entering into the Pavilion, Jiu
Tian Xuan Nv was attracted by the beauty of this young lady and just as she was
about to speak to Yu Nv Tai Xian, Yu Nv Tai Xian came forward to pay her
respect to Jiu Tian Xuan Nv by calling out her Official Title. Jiu Tian Xuan Nv
was shocked but also delighted to know that Yu Nv Tai Xian was such a brilliant
girl.
From then, on every 9th Day
of the Month, Jiu Tian Xuan Nv would descend on the Peak of Mountain Tai to
impart Yu Nv Tai Xian the Spiritual Skills and Prediction Tactics.
By the age of 26, Yu Nv Tai Xian had
mastered most of the Skills that Jiu Tian Xuan Nv imparted her. One day, while
Jiu Tian Xuan Nv was about to advise Yu Nv Tai Xian on her marriage, Yu Nv Tai
Xian cut in the conversation and told Jiu Tian Xuan Nv that she would be
marrying to a Well-known Deity in Zhou Dynasty (周朝).
Knowing that nothing could be hidden
from Yu Nv Tai Xian, Jiu Tian Xuan Nv could only smiled and continued to guide
on her Practising.
On BC 1036, the 2ndYear of
King Zhou Wu (周武王二年) ascending
the Throne, Zhang Fu De was born on the 2nd Day of Lunar 2 Month (張福德生于周武王二年農曆二月初二日).
On BC 928 (周穆王癸己年), 10th Day of Lunar 1 Month (農曆正月初十日), Zhang Fu De passed on with an age of 108, after protecting his
Master’s Granddaughter from being frozen to death. On the Day of Zhang Fu De’s
passing-on, a few characters appeared on the Sky written as Yu Feng Zhang Fu De
Wei Nan Tian Men Fu De Zheng Shen (御封張福德為南天門福德正神), meaning Celestially Bestowed Zhang Fu De as Fu De Zheng Shen.
Upon being summoned to the Celestial
Palace, Zhang Fu De was being appointed to look after the distributing of
Wealth to the Mortals upon requesting. After getting the Imperial Edict, Zhang
Fu De was being positioned at the South Border of the Country.
On the 1st Month of
appointment, Zhang Fu De was not able to get much honouring due to he was still
new to the People staying in the South.
One day, just before 23rd Day
of Lunar 12 Month (農曆臘月廿三日
– Sending Off of Kitchen Deity started in Zhou Dynasty 送灶始于周朝), where People would Send-off Kitchen Deity aka Zao Shen (灶神), a big group of People suddenly
dashed towards the mini Shrine dedicated to Zhang Fu De.
At the point of time, Zao Shen was
waiting for the People to provide him with a good feast of Offerings but
suddenly, everyone was busy running towards a small Shrine at the City Gate.
Zao Shen was puzzled and so, he transformed himself into a Commoner and
followed the People dashing towards the Shrine.
Just the moment that Zao Shen stepped
into the Shrine, he saw all the People kneeling down in front of the Altar and
making request to Zhang Fu De, telling Zhang Fu De that they were too poor to
celebrate the New Year. After every request that the People made, a string of Zhou-coins
(一串周幣) would drop
out from the Stone Incense-holder and landed onto the hand of the Person who
made the request. By looking at it, Zao Shen was shocked and started to get
jealous.
After returning to his own Mansion, Zao
Shen couldn’t get over with the way that Zhang Fu De had distributed the Wealth
to the People, so he decided to make his way back to the Celestial Palace on
the Evening of 23rd Day to make his report to Jade Emperor of Heaven
(玉皇大天尊, during
this Period, Yu Huang shall be addressed as Tian Di 天帝, meaning Emperor of Heaven. According to some Contexts, Tian Di’s
appearance was being created using the painting of Zhou Wu Wang 周武王).
At the Celestial Meeting, Zao Shen was
quite upset with the behaviour of Zhang Fu De and so, with a lengthy Petition,
Zhang Fu De was being “sued” by Zao Shen.
By going through the Petition, Yu Huang
was shocked by the way of Zhang Fu De’s distribution of Wealth and so, without
any delay, Yu Huang ordered Jin Jia Shen (九天金甲神) to summon Zhang Fu De back for questioning.
On the way back to the Celestial Palace,
Zhang Fu De and Jin Jia Shen pass-by Mountain Tai, just as both of them were
about to enter into the Dong Jiao Tian Men (東角天門) – the Heavenly Gate in the East Corner, Yu Nv Tai Xian and Jiu
Tian Xuan Nv were making their way back to the Celestial Palace for the
Meeting.
With a glance at Yu Nv Tai Xian, Zhang
Fu De was shocked by her look and just as Jin Jia Shen was about to fasten
Zhang Fu De, Jiu Tian Xuan Nv stopped him by doing so and by directing Jin Jia
Shen to a side, Jiu Tian Xuan Nv told him on the fate that connecting the 2 of
them. Upon knowing the fate, Jin Jia Shen had to follow the “instruction” that
being pre-planned by the Heaven.
In the Celestial Palace, Zhang Fu De was
being confronted by Zao Shen for making such a Non-realistic move of distributing
Wealth to any people without checking on their background and reality of the
request. By looking back at Zao Shen, Zhang Fu De was shocked to know that the
way of distribution of Wealth was wrong, since that Yu Huang had appointed him
to take-charge of the Wealth-blessing.
Knowing that Zhang Fu De did it out of
Compassionate, Yu Huang accepted his statements but at the same time, Yu Huang
was worried that Zhang Fu De would make the same mistake again and so, by suggestion,
Yu Huang asked ALL the Deities that arrived in the Celestial Palace to give
their comments.
Just as Zao Shen was about to speak up,
Lord Dong Yue stepped out from his position and pay his respect to Yu Huang and
suggested that, by getting an “Assistant” for Zhang Fu De, so that the
Assistant could control on the Wealth distributed to the Mortals.
Upon getting the suggestion, Yu Huang
agreed but after consideration, Yu Huang found it ridiculous – if needed
another Assistant to look after the distribution of Wealth, so what for needed
Fu De Zheng Shen?
Knowing that Yu Huang had doubts on the
term Assistant, Lord Dong Yue spoke up again by telling Yu Huang to match-make
a Wife for Zhang Fu De, so that this Lady would be able to “scan” through all
requests before Zhang Fu De distributed out the Wealth.
After Yu Huang got the suggestion, he
was delighted and by looking through all the Deities & Immortals in the
Celestial Palace, who would want to marry to an Old Man like Zhang Fu De? And
so, Yu Huang summoned Yue Lao (月佬星君)
aka the Match-maker forward to check on the Match-making record.
Just as Yue Lao was about to open up his
Record, Yu Nv Tai Xian stepped forward to pay her respect to Yu Huang and
volunteered herself to be married to Zhang Fu De.
At the moment, the whole Celestial
Palace was shocked, cos of Yu Nv Tai Xian’s beauty, how could such a beauty
married to an Old Man?
Lord Dong Yue didn’t make a comment but
standing at one side nodding his head.
By looking at Lord Dong Yue, Yu Huang
somehow had understood the situation and so, without hesitation, Yu Huang
announced the Engagement of Zhang Fu De & Yu Nv Tai Xian as Immortal
Couple.
Just before Zhang Fu De and Yu Nv Tai
Xian left the Celestial Palace, Yu Huang appointed Yu Nv Tai Xian as Nan Tian
Men Yi Pin Fu De Fu Ren (南天門一品福德夫人) – the First Grade Lady of the Celestial Realm, and given her the
task of “scanning through” all the request before Zhang Fu De distributed out
the Wealth to the Mortals.
Yu Nv Tai Xian accepted the appointment and
left the Celestial Palace and return to the Mortal Realm with Zhang Fu De.
On the way back to the Mortal Realm,
Zhang Fu De was puzzled with the decision that Yu Nv Tai Xian had made and so,
he shyly asked Yu Nv Tai Xian on why she had willingly to marry to him. By
looking back at Zhang Fu De, Yu Nv Tai Xian smiled and replied – cos in near
future, you will be the one that being highly respected by everyone in the
Mortal Realm.
By getting such a reply, Zhang Fu De got
more puzzled but he knew that ALL these were Heavenly Secrets, so from then, he
didn’t ask much. And whenever anyone came to make request, he would direct the
request to his Wife – Madam Fu De, before making any actions.
Myths
in Myth
1 – due to Madam Fu De was being
appointed as the one who controlled the Wealth Distribution, this is why,
People in the Southern China does not like to honour her and claimed that she
is stingy
2 – due to Zao Shen had somehow accused
wrongly on Zhang Fu De, Fu De Zheng Shen’s Tablet or Shrine in a house, can
never be placed near the Altar of Zao Shen
3 – even though Madam Fu De and Madam
Zao Shen (灶神夫人) are both
Ladies staying under the same roof, both of them do not communicate
4 – Yu Huang knowing that Zao Shen and
Fu De do not get along well and so, Fu De can only be placed outside the House
5 – 10th Day of Lunar 1 Month
was the Immortal-hood Anniversary of Zhang Fu De, this is why, in Taoist
Culture, this is also the Day that Fu De Zheng Shen opened his Wealth-coffer to
distribute Wealth (福德正神開財庫日)
6 – after Zhou Dynasty, the popularity
of Fu De Zheng Shen indeed increased, Yu Nv Tai Xian’s prediction indeed came
true. Till today, Fu De Zheng Shen still can considered as the Top Choice for
Taoists/Chinese in Honouring
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: only a member of this blog may post a comment.