The Jade Emperor

One of the most important and popular figures in Middlelands mythology, the Jade Emperor is the supreme ruler of Heaven and the first emperor of Middleland. With all of its specialized roles and social hierarchies, the Jade Emperor’s court parallels the structure of monarchies. The emperor’s fairness, benevolence, and mercy are traits that Middlelands emperors sought to emulate.

Physical Description

Body Features

In art, the Jade Emperor is usually depicted as a middle-aged man sporting a thin mustache and a long, sagely goatee. He typically appears wearing long, flowing robes and sitting on a royal throne, though he is also sometimes depicted wearing full battle armor and wielding a large sword.

Mental characteristics

Personal history

In some versions of his origin story, the Jade Emperor came into existence when the universe was created by Pangu. In most popular myths, he is commonly described as having been a mortal man prior to becoming a god.
Myths include one, where the Jade Emperor used to be a soldier called Denglai, who died in a bloody civil war. When Denglai woke up in the afterlife, he found his commander handing out honorary positions in the celestial court to each of the other soldiers. Gradually, all of the men were awarded positions in the court except for the commander and Denglai. His commander was secretly scheming to save the highest ranking position of Jade Emperor for himself. Just as he was about to declare himself emperor, however, he paused and said “děng lái,” meaning “wait a moment.” It was customary for high officials and royals to pause before accepting a promotion and reflect on the great responsibilities they would be taking on. Seeing a huge opportunity, Denglai feigned ignorance of this tradition and acted as if he had heard his name. Thus, Denglai stepped forward and accepted the role of the Jade Emperor.
In other versions of his story, the Jade Emperor was born to a chaste queen who had been praying for an heir to succeed the throne of her sick, elderly husband. One night as she slept, she miraculously became pregnant. As soon as the baby was born, it was obvious that there was something special about him. He gained the ability to walk and talk prematurely, and was unusually patient and kind for a small child. When his father died, the Jade Emperor assumed the throne and devoted his time to helping the needy and ensuring the prosperity of his subjects. After achieving all of his goals in just a few short years, the Jade Emperor abdicated the throne to a relative because he saw no use in having so much power. He devoted his life to meditation and studying philosophy. After years of study, he achieved enlightenment, learned the secret to immortality, and became a powerful deity.

Social

Family Ties

The Jade Emperor is married to the Celestial Queen Mother, Dongwangmu. The couple are said to have had an enormous amount of children together.