This deity has power over the lives of the members of each family under his supervision, distributes riches and poverty at will, and makes an annual report to the Supreme Being on the conduct of the family during the year, for which purpose he is usually absent for from four to seven days.  Some hold that he also makes these reports once or twice or several times each month.  Various ceremonies are performed on seeing him off to Heaven and welcoming him back.  One of the former, as we saw, is to regale him with honey, so that only sweet words, if any, may be spoken by him while up aloft!

Ts’an Nue

In the kingdom of Shu (modern Ssuch’uan), in the time of Kao Hsing Ti, a band of robbers kidnapped the father of Ts’an Nue.  A whole year elapsed, and the father’s horse still remained in the stable as he had left it.  The thought of not seeing her father again caused Ts’an Nue such grief that she would take no nourishment.  Her mother did what she could to console her, and further promised her in marriage to anyone who would bring back her father.  But no one was found who could do this.  Hearing the offer, the horse stamped with impatience, and struggled so much that at length he broke the halter by which he was tied up.  He then galloped away and disappeared.  Several days later, his owner returned riding the horse.  From that time the horse neighed incessantly, and refused all food.  This caused the mother to make known to her husband the promise she had made concerning her daughter.  “An oath made to men,” he replied, “does not hold good for a horse.  Is a human being meant to live in marital relations with a horse?” Nevertheless, however good and abundant food they offered him, the horse would not eat.  When he saw the young lady he plunged and kicked furiously.  Losing his temper, the father discharged an arrow and killed him on the spot; then he skinned him and spread the skin on the ground outside the house to dry.  As the young lady was passing the spot the skin suddenly moved, rose up, enveloped her, and disappeared into space.  Ten days later it was found at the foot of a mulberry-tree; Ts’an Nue changed into a silkworm, was eating the mulberry-leaves, and spinning for herself a silken garment.

The parents of course were in despair.  But one day, while they were overwhelmed with sad thoughts, they saw on a cloud Ts’an Nue riding the horse and attended by several dozens of servants.  She descended toward her parents, and said to them:  “The Supreme Being, as a reward for my martyrdom in the cause of filial piety and my love of virtue, has conferred on me the dignity of Concubine of the Nine Palaces.  Be reassured as to my fate, for in Heaven I shall live for ever.”  Having said this she disappeared into space.

In the temples her image is to be seen covered with a horse’s skin.  She is called Ma-t’ou Niang, ’the Lady with the Horse’s Head,’ and is prayed to for the prosperity of mulberry-trees and silkworms.  The worship continues even in modern times.  The goddess is also represented as a stellar divinity, the star T’ien Ssu; as the first man who reared silkworms, in this character bearing the same name as the God of Agriculture, Pasture, and Fire; and as the wife of the Emperor Huang Ti.