Xuanwu (god)

Xuantian Shangdi
Statue of Zhenwu or Xuantian
by Zheng Yongtai (Penghu)
Chinese name
Chinese
Literal meaningDark (or Mysterious) Heavenly Highest Deity
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinXuántiān shàngdì
Bopomofoㄒㄩㄢ´ ㄊㄧㄢ ㄕㄤ` ㄉㄧ`
Yue: Cantonese
Yale RomanizationYùhn tīn seuhng dai
JyutpingJyun4 tin1 soeng6 dai3
Southern Min
Hokkien POJHiân-thian siōng-tè
Tâi-lôHiân-thian siōng-tè
Teochew Peng'imHiang5 tiêng1 siang6 di3
Alternative Chinese name
Chinese
Literal meaningDark (or Mysterious) Warrior
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinXuánwǔ
Bopomofoㄒㄩㄢˊ ㄨˇ
Yue: Cantonese
Yale RomanizationYùhn móuh
JyutpingJyun4 mou5
Southern Min
Hokkien POJHiân-bú
Tâi-lôHiân-bú
Teochew Peng'imHiang5 bhu2
Xuandi
Chinese
Literal meaningMysterious Emperor
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinXuándì
Bopomofoㄒㄩㄢˊ ㄉㄧ`
Wade–GilesHsüan2-ti4
Yue: Cantonese
Yale RomanizationYùhn dai
JyutpingJyun4 Dai3
Southern Min
Hokkien POJHiân-tè
Tâi-lôHiân-tè
Teochew Peng'imHiang5 di3
Zhenwu
Chinese
Literal meaningTrue Warrior / Truly Valiant
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinZhēnwǔ
Bopomofoㄓㄣ ㄨˇ
Wade–GilesChên1-wu3
Yue: Cantonese
Yale RomanizationJān móuh
JyutpingZan1 mou5
Southern Min
Hokkien POJChin-bú
Tâi-lôTsin-bú
Teochew Peng'imZing1 bhu2
Zhenwu dadi
Chinese
Literal meaningTrue Martial Great Emperor / Truly Valiant Great Emperor
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinZhēnwǔ dàdì
Bopomofoㄓㄣ ㄨˇ ㄉㄚ` ㄉㄧ`
Yue: Cantonese
Yale RomanizationJān móuh daaih dai
JyutpingZan1 mou5 daai6 dai3
Southern Min
Hokkien POJChin-bú tāi-tè
Tâi-lôTsin-bú tāi-tè
Teochew Peng'imZing1 bhu2 dai6 di3
Tua Lao Aie
Traditional Chinese
Simplified Chinese
Literal meaningBig Deity
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinDàlǎoyé
Bopomofoㄉㄚ` ㄌㄠˇ ㄧㄝˊ
Wade–GilesTa4-lao3-yeh2
Yue: Cantonese
Yale RomanizationDaaih lóuh yèh/yé
JyutpingDaai6 lou5 je4
Southern Min
Hokkien POJTōa lāu-iâ
Tâi-lôTuā láu-iâ
Teochew Peng'imDua7 lao6/2 ia5
Vietnamese name
Vietnamese alphabetTrấn Vũ
Chữ Hán
Thai name
Thaiเจ้าพ่อเสือ
RTGSChao Pho Suea
Korean name
Hangul현천상제
Hanja
Transcriptions
Revised RomanizationHyeoncheon Sangje
McCune–ReischauerHyŏnch'ŏn Sangje
Indonesian name
IndonesianXuan Tian Shang Di
A Ming painting of Xuanwu in his position as Xuantian Shangdi (Supreme Emperor of the Dark Heaven), seated on a rock throne in the clouds surrounded by attendants and divine marshals

Xuanwu (玄武) or Xuandi (Chinese: 玄帝; pinyin: Xuándì), also known as Zhenwu (真武, lit.'True Warrior' or 'Truly Valiant') or Zhenwudadi (真武大帝, lit.'True Martial Great Emperor' or 'Truly Valiant Great Emperor'), is a revered deity in Chinese religion, one of the higher-ranking deities in Taoism. He is revered as a powerful god, able to control the elements and capable of great magic. He is identified as the god of the north Heidi (黑帝, lit.'Black Emperor') and is particularly revered by martial artists. He is the patron god of Hebei, Henan, Manchuria and Mongolia. As some Han Chinese (now the modern-day Cantonese and Fujianese peoples) migrated into the south from Hebei and Henan during the Tang-Song era, Xuanwu is also widely revered in the Guangdong, Guangxi and Fujian provinces, as well as among the overseas diaspora.

Since the usurping Yongle Emperor of the Ming dynasty claimed to receive the divine assistance of Xuanwu during his successful Jingnan Campaign against his nephew, he had a number of Taoist monasteries constructed in the Wudang Mountains of Hubei, where Xuanwu allegedly attained immortality.