Picture a vast tapestry where cosmic monarchs, neighborhood guardians and hearth spirits all share center stage. At the very top sits the Jade Emperor (Yuhuang Dadi), the “face of the pantheon,” who’s celebrated each Lunar New Year’s Day with lantern festivals glowing across China and Taiwan. Alongside him, the Queen Mother of the West (Xiwang Mu) holds court over longevity and immortals, her peach-blossom banquet still inspiring modern pop-culture nods in everything from video games to TV dramas.

Drilling down from the heavens:

• Huangdi (Yellow Emperor) – A cultural hero turned deity, credited with inventing everything from silk weaving to traditional medicine.
• City Gods (Chenghuang) – Each town or neighborhood has its own, ensuring local peace and handling souls in the afterlife. Recent temple fairs in Beijing’s Ditan Park continue to draw crowds keen to pay respects.
• Earth God (Tudigong) – The friendly “uncle” spirit of the soil, invoked for good harvests, safe travels and real-estate blessings.

Closer to home lie the Kitchen God (Zao Jun), who files his annual report on family deeds; the Door Gods, who stand guard against mischief at New Year; and Caishen, the flamboyant god of wealth, whose red envelopes are as eagerly awaited as any holiday bonus. Coastal communities still swear by Mazu, the sea-protector—2024’s Dajia pilgrimage alone drew over a million devotees trekking hundreds of kilometers in her honor.

Even Guanyin, originally a Buddhist bodhisattva, has woven into Shenism’s fabric as the merciful “Goddess of Compassion,” showing that Chinese folk religion thrives on blending grand myths with everyday hopes—from cosmic order right down to the stir of incense at a family altar.