Doumu
Doumu ( Chinese 斗 母 , Pinyin Dǒumǔ , Jyutping Dau 2 mou 5 - "mother of the bushel"; outdated also 斗姆 , Dǒumǔ or 斗 姥 , Dǒumǔ ) is a Daoist goddess . Mother of the Bushel refers to the constellation Great Bear , an ancient Taoist symbol. Another name is Daomu - 道 母 , Dàomǔ , Jyutping Dou 6 mou 5 - "mother of Dao ". In mythology , she is the mother of the Jade Emperor . She also bears the title Tiānhòu - 天后 Queen of Heaven . In this respect, however, she must be strictly differentiated from the sea goddess Mazu, who is also called the sea goddess .
iconography
Iconographically , Doumu is usually represented with eight arms and four faces, each of which looks in one direction. They allude to the function of the goddess as an omnipresent and active helper. In her hands she holds the sun and moon, the peach of immortality , a sword and other symbols; sometimes it is also represented with a boar's head. She is often shown together with Xiwangmu and an earth goddess, as a symbol of the Daoist triad and cosmic harmony.
Adoration
Unlike her "competitor", the sea goddess Mazu, who is also known as the Queen of Heaven, Doumou is worshiped more in the interior and especially in the mountains. An important sanctuary is located on the holy mountain Tai Shan .
literature
- Martin Palmer: Travels through Sacred China. Thorsons Press, London San Francisco, Calif. 1996, ISBN 978-185-538494-1 .