Although such storms are no longer seen as a form of divine wrath, the legacy of Leizi and her companions lives on in these major weather events. *In Western culture, Raijin is usually known as Raiden (rai (雷, thunder) + den (電, lightning)), and depicted as a tall monk wearing a large straw hat (these hats are used widely throughout Asia to keep off rain), with the power to create storms, thunder, and Believing that she was committing a sin by wasting food, Lei Gong struck her with a thunderbolt and killed her. Because Lei Gong was charged with smiting the wicked, the gods that accompanied him often brought about terrible storms when more than a small number of people had to be dealt with. 'God of Thunder'), is the god of thunder in Chinese folk religion, Chinese mythology and Taoism. My work has also been published on Buzzfeed and most recently in Time magazine. According to legend, Leizi was born as a mortal woman. The Chinese god of thunder, whose name means "Thunder Duke". Lightning Myths and Facts. Mae Hamilton 2 In Chinese mythology, Dianmu (電母) —or Leizi as she is commonly known—is the goddess of lightning and the wife of the thunder god, Léi Gōng (雷公). Because he had killed her, he was responsible for her and would have to care for her as his wife. Privacy Policy, https://www.ancient-origins.net/artifacts-ancient-technology/advanced-technology-ancient-chinese-automata-006021, https://mythopedia.com/chinese-mythology/gods/leizi/. The Celts considered lightning as a sacred sign. Lei Gong, (Chinese: “Duke of Thunder”) Wade-Giles romanization Lei Kung, also called Lei Shen (“Thunder God”), Chinese Daoist deity who, when so ordered by heaven, punishes both earthly mortals guilty of secret crimes and evil spirits who have used their knowledge of Daoism to harm human beings. Yun Tong, the Cloud Youth, brought the clouds that darkened the sky when Lei Gong traveled. GodNote: Sorry this Tian Mu article is a bit short. Although scientific explanations for natural phenomenon would not exist until the modern age, the story of Leizi used observations of the natural world as the basis for its rationale. He was called "Jesus" in the Age of Grace (from the time of Jesus until, presumably, the early 1990s when Eastern Lightning started). Leigong (Chinese origin) from Chinese mythology, the name is derived from the "God of thunder". It’s considered to be the daughter of the Moon. She is the original ancestor of the Chinese nation. In some later traditions, he was replaced by Feng Po Po, Lady Wind, instead. Those three deities could choose to join together or travel on their own as they pleased or as the Jade Emperor commanded. She flashes her mirrors so he can see and, after a short delay, he releases his thunder. “Leizi.” Mythopedia. Retrieved from https://mythopedia.com/chinese-mythology/gods/leizi/. It introduces the interpretation of Chinese characters for thunder and flash, and people's understanding of the horrible lightning phenomenon is also presented. This article explores more about lightning … Dian Mu carries a pair of mirrors, which she flashes to create bolts of lightning or (occasionally) fire. Bieggolmai was the unpredictable Sami god of the summer winds and storms who used two shovels to shuffle the winds into and out of his cave. https://mythologysource.com/leizi-chinese-goddess-lightning He has the beak, wings and claws of an owl, but his body has the shape of … God was called "Jehovah" in the Age of Law (the Old Testament period). By moving her mirrors to create reflections, Leizi was able to provide brief flashes of light so the thunder god could aim his thunderbolts more accurately. Lei Gong had been giving the job of punishing wrongdoers by the Jade Emperor, but he did not always fulfill his task well. (n.d.). He would be helped, eventually, by a victim of his terrible aim. From fear to good luck, lightning can mean many things. Mae Hamilton, “Leizi,” Mythopedia, accessed , https://mythopedia.com/chinese-mythology/gods/leizi/. Leizi, more formally known as Dianmu (電母), is the Chinese goddess of lightning and the wife of the thunder god, Lei Gong (雷公). … © 2019 Wasai LLC – All Rights Reserved. * Iris goddess of rainbow. Although its shortened version gives her a more personal name, her primary job is as an assistant to the more powerful god of thunder. To the people of China, the flash of lightning that came before the sound of thunder was Leizi showing her husband where to aim his destructive bolts. An explanation provided by the myth could be that lightning and thunder seem to be closer together when she is successful and Lei Gong needs less time to aim because of her light. Accessed on . Learn more. Mingren, Wu. Raijin is represented in Kanji as 雷神, a combination of 雷 (kaminari), meaning “thunder,” and 神 (kami), meaning “god” or “spirit.” Thus, he is simply the Thunder God. 2014) As she traveled with Lei Gong, however, Leizi ended up being of service to her husband. Modern science has shown us that lightning is seen before it is heard because light travels faster than sound. Mythology of lightning in ancient China Abstract: The paper gives a short overview of mythology about lightning in ancient China. Thunder is caused by lightning but the difference in speed makes it seem as though it comes later. Fact: Crouching doesn't make you any safer outdoors. In the Taoist pantheon Lei-gong is an official in the Ministry of Thunder, which forms a part of the celestial administration. The Jade Emperor, however, realized that Leizi had been an innocent victim of the thunder god’s poor judgment. When the Jade Emperor learned what had happened to the innocent girl, he took pity on her. As a result, Lei Gong often struck those who did not deserve his punishment. Leigong is the thunder god of both Taoism and the folklore-based mythology of China. Raijin (雷神, lit. Other articles where Shenlong is discussed: long: …and the Spiritual Dragon (Shenlong), who controls the rain and winds. Thunder gods are a nearly ubiquitous archetype used by ancient cultures to explain a powerful natural phenomenon. Chinese Christians call it “Eastern Lightning.” Its followers believe that Jesus has returned in the form of a Chinese woman, like “lightning that comes from the east,” according to the description of His second coming in … The strongest and most destructive storms were blamed on the five storm gods working in conjunction with one another. Elektra (Greek Origin) means "amber" or "incandescent". Chinese folklore used another recognizable phenomenon, the way light reflected off a mirrored surface, to explain why lightning only appeared in the sky for a moment. According to Chinese legends, Leizi was the goddess of lightning. "Thunder God"), also known as Kaminari-sama (雷様), Raiden-sama (雷電様), Narukami (鳴る神) and Raikou (雷公), is a god of lightning, thunder and storms in Japanese mythology and the Shinto religion. Read on to learn how she became linked to the thunder god and what her role was in his duty! Those who violate human ethics and commit unforgivable crimes will be struck to death by a bolt of lightning. Polytheistic peoples of many cultures have postulated a thunder god, the personification or source of the forces of thunder and lightning; a lightning god does not have a typical depiction, and will vary based on the culture. The cult is reported to have begun about 25 years ago by Zhao Weishan**. Greek-Roman * Zeus/Jupiter god of the sky, rain, lightning and thunder. One day, Lei Gong, the god of thunder, passed over their village. The images of the god changed throughout the centuries according to Chinese … Though I have no idea why his skin colour is brown in this pic. Leizi and Lei Gong worked with three assistants, Yúnzhōngzǐ (雲中子), a youth who had the power to generate clouds, Fēngbó (風伯) who was the god of wind, and Yǔ Shī (雨師), who made it rain upon the Earth by dipping his sword into water and allowing the water to drip from the blade. Leizi’s goal is to improve her husband’s aim. The combined names of Shu and Hu mean lightning. She flashes giant, polished mirrors to create the phenomenon of lightning while her husband uses a drum to generate the sound of rolling thunder. Her alternative appellation is Léigōng zhī qī (雷公之妻), or “Lei Gong’s wife,” which often gets shortened down to “Leizi” in English transliterations. Lei Gong often failed to distinguish between truly evil deeds and more benign actions. Introduction – When we talk about the Japanese gods and goddesses, we must understand that much of the mythology and pantheon is derived from the traditional folklores of the Shinto – one of the major religions of Japan. He proclaims that the (ChinaSource 4 Apr. They often traveled in a large group that worked together to bring storms. Eastern Lightning (Dongfeng Shandian in Chinese), which blasphemously calls itself, 'The Church of the Almighty God,' is a highly dangerous Chinese cult that infiltrates churches to destroy them and even murder their leaders. Yu Zi, the Rain Master, dripped his sword into a pot of water to make drops fall to Earth. If you are too far to run to one of these options, you have no good alternative. Leizi’s full name in Chinese is Leigong zi qi, or Lei Gong’s wife. Myth: If you're caught outside during a thunderstorm, you should crouch down to reduce your risk of being struck.
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