Tʾu-ti

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Tʾu-ti. A Chinese deity, the ‘earth god’, an ubiquitous deity worshipped in almost every village or district of China. His dwelling is the sacred space of the community, whether it is a simple mark or a modest roadside shrine.

Hou-tʾu is an earlier name for Earth God. ‘Hou’ denotes fertility or the generative force in Chou times. ‘Hou-tʾu’ therefore denotes the generative force of the earth.

Fu-teh Chen-shen (God of Prosperity and Virtue) is a later name for Earth God. It was given by religious Taoism in the Sung dynasty (960–1279). ‘Chen-shen’ is a Taoist designation for divinity, connoting immortality. As Fu-teh Chen-shen, Earth God has become a member of the Taoist pantheon.

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