Tongtian Jiaozhu (), also translated as Grandmaster of Heaven, is a Taoist deity and mythological figure in Chinese literature and folklore. In Fengshen Yanyi, he is the third disciple of Hongjun Laozu and the younger brother of Yuanshi Tianzun and Taishang Laojun. He is the founder and leader of the Jie sect (截教) and serves as one of the novel's major opposing figures.
In Investiture of the Gods Tongtian Jiaozhu was a disciple of Hongjun Laozu, alongside Taishang Laojun and Yuanshi Tianzun. Unlike his two elder brothers, who lead the Chan sect (阐教), Tongtian Jiaozhu is the founder of the Jie sect (截教). He resides at Biyou Palace (碧游宫) on Jin'ao Island (金鳌岛). The Jie sect accepts disciples from various origins, including humans, animals, spirits, and demons, whom Tongtian Jiaozhu teaches in the practice of cultivation.
Before the war between the Shang dynasty and the Zhou dynasty, Tongtian Jiaozhu meets with Taishang Laojun and Yuanshi Tianzun to establish the Investiture Roster (封神榜). He warns his Jie sect disciples not to participate in the conflict, telling them that those who leave their retreats will face death and have their names added to the roster.
Despite his warning, many Jie sect disciples become involved in the war after being persuaded by figures such as Shen Gongbao and Grand Tutor Wen Zhong to support the Shang side. Many of them are later defeated and killed by Chan sect immortals supporting King Wu of Zhou.
Tongtian Jiaozhu remains neutral at first. After the Chan immortal Guangchengzi kills his disciple Huoling Shengmu and returns her magical crown to Biyou Palace, Duobao Daoren (多宝道人) tells Tongtian that Guangchengzi and the Chan sect have insulted him and the Jie sect. Tongtian Jiaozhu then joins the war.
Tongtian Jiaozhu gives four magical swords to Duobao Daoren, who uses them to establish the "Immortal Slaughtering Array" (诛仙阵). The array is defeated by Taishang Laojun and Yuanshi Tianzun together with Jieyin Daoren and Zhunti Daoren.
Afterward, Tongtian Jiaozhu establishes the "Ten Thousand Immortal Array" (万仙阵), which is also defeated by the Chan sect and Western deities. He then attempts to destroy and recreate the world, but his master Hongjun Laozu appears and stops him. Hongjun Laozu reprimands the three brothers and gives them a pill that will cause their deaths if they fight each other again. Tongtian Jiaozhu is taken away by Hongjun Laozu for punishment.
Later depictions Tongtian Jiaozhu appears in later literary works and local traditions. In the Qing dynasty novel Baxian Dedao (八仙得道), he takes part in a magical contest with Taishang Laojun, during which he is shot in one eye and injured. A local tradition recorded in Xuejiawan tells of a similar contest between Tongtian Jiaozhu, Taishang Laojun, and Yuanshi Tianzun. The three compete in magical arts while teaching their respective doctrines. They place lotus flowers before them and use magic to transform the flowers, leading to a dispute.
Prototype and interpretations
In traditional Taoism, the Three Pure Ones (三清) are Yuanshi Tianzun, Daode Tianzun (Taishang Laojun), and Lingbao Tianzun. In Investiture of the Gods, Yuanshi Tianzun and Taishang Laojun appear as senior and junior brothers, while Lingbao Tianzun does not appear. Instead, the novel introduces Tongtian Jiaozhu as the leader of the Jie sect (截教). Some studies of the novel have compared Tongtian Jiaozhu with Lingbao Tianzun because of their similar positions within the structure of the Three Pure Ones.
According to Zhao Kangli, although Tongtian Jiaozhu appears less frequently than Yuanshi Tianzun in Investiture of the Gods, he plays a key role in the development of the plot. Zhao argues that Tongtian Jiaozhu is a major figure in the novel's conflicts and that his portrayal challenges simple distinctions between good and evil. Zhao also suggests that the character represents a conflict between "humanity" and "divinity" within the novel's themes.
The conflict between Tongtian Jiaozhu's Jie sect and Yuanshi Tianzun's Chan sect has been interpreted as representing disputes between different religious traditions and views of orthodoxy. The novel portrays the Jie sect as accepting disciples from different origins, a theme associated with the Confucian idea of "teaching without discrimination" (有教无类). Some interpretations regard the struggle between the two sects as a literary representation of conflicts between orthodox and heterodox traditions within religious thought.
Temple In southern China, some temples are dedicated to Tongtian Jiaozhu. One is the Tongtian Jiaozhu Temple in Haikou, Hainan Province.
In Taiwan, the Sansheng Temple (三聖宮) in Yilan City worships Lingbao Tianzun as its main deity, who is locally known as Tongtian Jiaozhu or "Master Teacher" (老師公). According to the temple's history, during the Japanese colonial period a local resident, Ye Jinfeng (葉金風), was believed to have become possessed by the deity and performed rituals to help villagers. The deity was later identified by worshippers as Lingbao Tianzun.
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