Jintong (mythology)

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Jintong (Chinese: 金童; pinyin: Jīntóng; lit. 'Golden Boy') is a Taoist deity in Chinese mythology and Chinese traditional religion who, along with his female counterpart Yunü (Jade Girl), are favored servants of the Jade Emperor and Zhenwudadi.^[1]

They are also believed to serve as guides in the underworld and the protectors of houses and temples. Some of the Golden Boy and Jade Girl pair could be found on some graves at Bukit Brown Cemetery as they are believed to serve as guides in the Spirit World or the Underworld.

This couple helps virtuous souls over a golden bridge to paradise, and helps souls whose good deeds outweighed the bad, over a silver bridge to paradise. Therefore, by erecting the Golden Boy and Jade Maiden by the grave of the deceased, living family members hope that the deceased will not venture into the courts of hell but instead lead their afterlife in paradise.