The principal deity of Hsing Tian Kong is Guan Sheng Dijun (Guan Yu or Guan Gong). Venerated with him are Lu Dongbin, Zhang Dan, Wang Shan, and Yue Fei. Together they are called the Five Saviors (“En Chu Gong“). Also venerated at Hsing Tian Kong are Guan Yu’s son Guan Ping, and Guan Yu’s faithful general Zhou Cang.
The Five Saviors, some of whom are figures in Chinese history, bring enlightenment and salvation to all people, and bestow universal benevolence. They are deeply revered, relied upon, trusted, and venerated.
Guan Sheng Dijun was a Chinese military general who was born in 160 AD during the Han Dynasty who has been venerated down the ages. His transcendent moral virtue is celebrated in the Confucian, Buddhist and Taoist faiths. Lord Guan is an all-knowing, all-powerful deity. Not only is he the patron of business people and scholars—one can also pray to him for good physical health, peace, safety, a happy family life, success in examinations, business or career, and so on. But the most important thing is to learn and practice the Five Cardinal Relationships and Eight Virtues of Guan Sheng Dijun.
The Birthday of Guan Sheng Dijun lies on the 24th day of the sixth lunar month. The main Hsing Tian Kong holds a traditional and sacred ritual ceremony, called great “San Xian Li” on this day to celebrate and pay respect to Lord Guan.
The Savior Lu Dongbin was also known as Lü Yan. The sword that Lu carries over one shoulder symbolizes an invisible "moral sword" that cleaves through the greed, anger, and ignorance in mortals' hearts.
The Heart Sutra of Lu Dongbin is what he uses, starting from the perspective of morality, to identify 36 types of good heart and to cleanse 36 kinds of evil heart. This sutra is profound yet also closely bound up with everyday life. It is considered to be a spiritual guide for those seeking to attain virtue or righteousness.
Zhang Dan is the Kitchen God. The Kitchen God is worshipped by families, and watches after each family's well-being. He also monitors every family member's good and evil deeds, and reports their behavior to the Emperor of the Heavens so that the latter can dole out appropriate blessings and punishments. It is said that the Kitchen God has a pair of attendant gods on his left and right, one of which holds a "good acts urn" and the other an "evil acts urn." Records of each family member's behavior are all kept in these two urns. In his statue at the Main Hsing Tian Kong, Zhang Dan holds a tablet in his right hand, and uses it to keep records of mortals' good and evil words and deeds.
The three-eyed Thunder God. With a truth-seeking third eye upon his temple, bright red face, hair and beard, Wang Shan is a formidable deity able to summon powerful bolts of divine lightning to smite down evil spirits and demons. Savior Wang Shan is a master of thunder and rain, patrolling realms far and wide, rewarding good and punishing evil.
Yue Fei, also known as Peng Ju, was a renowned Chinese general from the Song-Dynasty often considered to be a national hero. His noble Confucian spirit of loyalty and righteousness has been hailed by generations up until the current day. Savior Yue Fei’s birthday is celebrated on the 15th day of the second lunar month.
Yue Fei’s mother tattooed four characters on his back—Utmost. Loyalty. Serve. Nation, to remind him to remain true to his sworn patriotic mission. In leading his army against fearsome northern invaders, Yue Fei was guided by the five principles of "wisdom, trust, compassion, courage, and rigor." Amidst the chaos of war, he was able to rally his troops while protecting the lives and sovereignty of his people against the Jurchen and other nomadic tribes rampaging down from the north. In protecting his motherland over many epic battles, and later being put to the same authority he once served, he became widely revered by ordinary people as a paragon of virtue loyalty and heroism.
