Houtu

Houtu
Painting of Goddess Houtu with attendant in White Cloud Temple of Beijing China
Chinese name
Chinese后土
Literal meaningQueen of the Earth
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinHòutǔ
IPA[xôʊ.tʰù]
Yue: Cantonese
IPA[hɐw˨.tʰu˧˥]
Vietnamese name
Vietnamese alphabetHậu Thổ
Chữ Hán后土
Japanese name
Kanji后土
Kanaこうど
Transcriptions
RomanizationKōdo

Hòutǔ (Chinese: 后土; lit. 'Queen of the Earth') or Hòutǔshén (后土神; 'Goddess Queen of the Earth'), also known as Hòutǔ Niángniáng (in Chinese either 厚土娘娘; 'Deep Earth Lady' or 后土娘娘; 'Earth Queen Lady'), otherwise called Dimǔ (地母; 'Mother Earth') or Dimǔ Niángniáng (地母娘娘; 'Lady Mother Earth'), is the deity of all land and earth in Chinese religion and mythology.[1] Houtu is the overlord of all the Tudigongs ("Lord of Local Land"), Sheji ("the State"), Shan Shen ("God of Mountains"), City Gods ("God of Local City"), and landlord gods worldwide.

In Taoism, Houtu is one of the Four Heavenly Ministers, which are four of the highest-ranking gods in Taoism.