Jade Emperor

Jade Emperor
Jade Emperor in a Ming Dynasty ink and color painting on silk, 16th century
Chinese	玉皇
Literal meaning	Jade emperor
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Yùhuáng Southern Min Hokkien POJ Gio̍k-hông
Second alternative Chinese name
Chinese	天公
Literal meaning	Heavenly grandfather
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Tiāngōng Southern Min Hokkien POJ Thiⁿ-kong Tâi-lô Thinn-kong
Third alternative Chinese name
Chinese	玉皇大帝
Literal meaning	August emperor of jade
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Yùhuáng Dàdì Southern Min Hokkien POJ Gio̍k-hông-tāi-tè

In the myths and folk religion of Chinese culture, the Jade Emperor or Yudi^[1] is one of the representations of the primordial god.

In Taoist theology, he is the assistant of Yuanshi Tianzun, who is one of the Three Pure Ones, the three primordial emanations of the Tao. However, some Taoists in history were skeptical of his benevolence because his buildings and infrastructure in heaven and earth were sometimes seen as interfering with the many natural laws or dao.^[2]

He is often identified with Śakra in Chinese Buddhist cosmology^[3] and identified with Yu the Great in Chinese mythology.^[2]

The Jade Emperor is known by many names, including Yu,^[2] Heavenly Grandfather (天公, Tiāngōng), which originally meant "Heavenly Duke",^{[citation needed]} which is used by commoners; the Jade Lord; the Highest Emperor; Great Emperor of Jade (玉皇上帝 Yu Huang Shangdi, or 玉皇大帝 Yu Huang Dadi).