The God of Literature

In addition to the ancestors of whose worship it really consists, Confucianism has in its pantheon the specialized gods worshipped by the literati.  Naturally the chief of these is Wen Ch’ang, the God of Literature.  The account of him (which varies in several particulars in different Chinese works) relates that he was a man of the name of Chang Ya, who was born during the T’ang dynasty in the kingdom of Yueeh (modern Chekiang), and went to live at Tzu T’ung in Ssuch’uan, where his intelligence raised him to the position of President of the Board of Ceremonies.  Another account refers to him as Chang Ya Tzu, the Soul or Spirit of Tzu T’ung, and states that he held office in the Chin dynasty (A.D. 265-316), and was killed in a fight.  Another again states that under the Sung dynasty (A.D. 960-1280), in the third year (A.D. 1000) of the reign-period Hsien P’ing of the Emperor Chen Tsung, he repressed the revolt of Wang Chuen at Ch’eng Tu in Ssuch’uan.  General Lei Yu-chung caused to be shot into the besieged town arrows to which notices were attached inviting the inhabitants to surrender.  Suddenly a man mounted a ladder, and pointing to the rebels cried in a loud voice:  “The Spirit of Tzu T’ung has sent me to inform you that the town will fall into the hands of the enemy on the twentieth day of the ninth moon, and not a single person will escape death.”  Attempts to strike down this prophet of evil were in vain, for he had already disappeared.  The town was captured on the day indicated.  The general, as a reward, caused the temple of Tzu T’ung’s Spirit to be repaired, and sacrifices offered to it.

The object of worship nowadays in the temples dedicated to Wen Ch’ang is Tzu T’ung Ti Chuen, the God of Tzu T’ung.  The convenient elasticity of dualism enabled Chang to have as many as seventeen reincarnations, which ranged over a period of some three thousand years.

Various emperors at various times bestowed upon Wen Ch’ang honorific titles, until ultimately, in the Yuean, or Mongol, dynasty, in the reign Yen Yu, in A.D. 1314, the title was conferred on him of Supporter of the Yuean Dynasty, Diffuser of Renovating Influences, Ssu-lu of Wen Ch’ang, God and Lord.  He was thus apotheosized, and took his place among the gods of China.  By steps few or many a man in China has often become a god.

Wen Ch’ang and the Great Bear

Thus we have the God of Literature, Wen Ch’ang Ti Chuen, duly installed in the Chinese pantheon, and sacrifices were offered to him in the schools.

But scholars, especially those about to enter for the public competitive examinations, worshipped as the God of Literature, or as his palace or abode (Wen Ch’ang), the star K’uei in the Great Bear, or Dipper, or Bushel—­the latter name derived from its resemblance in shape to the measure used by the Chinese and called tou.  The term K’uei was more generally applied to the four stars forming the body or square part of the Dipper, the three forming the tail or handle being called Shao or Piao.  How all this came about is another story.