Within what is often called Shenism, the religious landscape is not organized around a single, rigid pantheon, but around a broad hierarchy and web of spirits and deities. At the highest level stand celestial powers such as the Jade Emperor, regarded as a supreme ruler of heaven, alongside other heavenly officials and star gods. These celestial beings are complemented by powerful goddesses such as the Queen Mother of the West, who embodies an important pole of divine authority and blessing. Such figures give a sense of overarching order to a cosmos otherwise filled with innumerable local and specialized spirits.

Beneath these high deities lies a dense network of nature and locality spirits that bind religious life to specific places and communities. Dragon Kings preside over water and weather, while the Earth God (Tudigong) watches over particular tracts of land, villages, and neighborhoods. Mountain and river spirits, along with deities of thunder and wind, express the sense that every feature of the natural world is animated and responsive. These beings are not distant abstractions but intimate presences, approached for rain, protection, and the everyday well-being of fields and homes.

Ancestral spirits occupy a central place in this religious field, forming a bridge between the human and divine. Deified ancestors of families and clans are honored as ongoing members of the community, capable of influencing the fortunes of their descendants. Alongside them stand cultural heroes and moral exemplars who have been elevated to divine status, such as the general Guan Yu, revered for loyalty and righteousness. Through these figures, ethical ideals and historical memory are woven directly into the fabric of worship.

Equally significant are the protective and domestic deities who guard thresholds, households, and settlements. Door Gods serve as guardians at the entrances of homes and temples, while the Kitchen God oversees the domestic sphere and the moral conduct of the family. City Gods (Chenghuang) function as protectors and spiritual magistrates of urban communities, reflecting the belief that every social unit has its own tutelary spirit. The goddess Guan Yin, associated with mercy and compassion, is also widely venerated as a protective presence, showing how different religious currents are integrated into Shenist practice.

Finally, the pantheon extends into the realms of the sea and the underworld, as well as into countless regional and occupational cults. Mazu, the sea goddess, is honored especially in coastal areas as a guardian of sailors and travelers, while Wealth Gods (Caishen) are invoked for prosperity and good fortune. Underworld deities such as the Yama Kings and their ghostly officials preside over judgment and the fate of souls after death, mirroring earthly bureaucracy in spiritual form. Across all these levels, Shenism remains highly localized: each community tends to emphasize those deities and spirits most closely tied to its geography, history, and way of life, creating a living tapestry of worship rather than a single, uniform system.