A RECORD OF ALL THINGS UNDER HEAVEN
As gathered from the oldest accounts that remain
PROLOGUE — CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
On the Matter of Wenchang Wang — 文昌王 — the God of Literature
His name is Wenchang Wang — 文昌王.
Wen — 文 — means culture. Literature. Language. Written word.
Chang — 昌 — means flourishing. Thriving. Prosperous.
Wang — 王 — means king. Sovereign.
Together — 文昌王 — the King of Flourishing Culture.
He is also called Wenchang Dijun — 文昌帝君 — the Imperial Lord of Flourishing Culture.
He is also called Zitong Dijun — 梓潼帝君 — the Imperial Lord of Zitong.
He governs literature — 文學 — wenxue.
He governs scholarship — 學術 — xueshu.
He governs the imperial examinations — 科舉 — keju.
He governs the fate of all who study.
He determines who passes.
He determines who fails.
He is the god every student in China has prayed to for over a thousand years.
There is a saying in Sichuan — 四川 — Sichuan:
In the north there is Confucius — 孔子 — Kongzi.
In the south there is Wenchang — 文昌.
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On the three layers of his origin.
His origin has three distinct layers.
They are recorded here in order.
The first layer is the constellation.
The second layer is the snake spirit.
The third layer is the human hero.
All three must be understood to understand who Wenchang Wang is.
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On the first layer. The constellation.
Wenchang — 文昌 — was originally the collective name for a group of six stars.
These six stars are located in the Great Bear — 大熊座 — Da Xiong Zuo — the constellation also called Ursa Major.
In the ancient Chinese constellation system, the six Wenchang stars are included in the Purple Forbidden Enclosure — 紫微垣 — Ziwei Yuan — a group of stars near the north celestial pole.
The six stars each had their own name.
The first star: Highest General — 上將 — Shangjiang.
The second star: Assistant General — 次將 — Cijiang.
The third star: Noble Premier — 貴相 — Guixiang.
The fourth star: Controller of Destinies — 司命 — Siming.
The fifth star: Controller of the Middle — 司中 — Sizhong.
The sixth star: Controller of Fortune — 司祿 — Silu.
These were not yet one god.
They were six stars with six names representing six governmental departments.
The ancient Taoists believed that all things in nature carried a spirit.
The stars carried spirits.
The six stars of Wenchang carried a collective spirit.
Over time this collective spirit became a single god.
This is the astronomical origin.
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On the second layer. The snake spirit of Zitong.
In the ancient local religion of Zitong County — 梓潼縣 — Zitong Xian — in Sichuan province — 四川省 — Sichuan Sheng — there was a serpentine mountain spirit — 蛇形山神 — she xing shanshen.
It is called the God of Zitong — 梓潼神 — Zitong Shen.
It lived atop Qiqu Mountain — 七曲山 — Qiqu Shan.
The inhabitants of the town worshipped it because it controlled thunder and rain — 雷雨 — lei yu — that affected the local area.
The snake spirit went through many successive human and divine incarnations — 轉世 — zhuanshi — in its spiritual evolution.
These incarnations are recorded in a twelfth century revelatory text — 啟示文本 — qishi wenben — called the Book of Transformations of Imperial Lord Zitong — 梓潼帝君化書 — Zitong Dijun Huashu.
This text was revealed through spirit-writing — 扶乩 — fuji — a Taoist practice in which a medium receives divine writing.
The snake spirit accumulated virtue over thousands of years.
It accumulated enough virtue to become a god of literature.
The snake spirit and the six constellation stars were eventually identified with each other.
They were unified into one deity.
This is the second layer.
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On the third layer. Zhang Yazi — 張亞子 — the human hero.
The historical figure believed to form the basis for Wenchang Wang is Zhang Yazi — 張亞子.
He is also called Zhang Yu — 張育.
He was a native of Qiqu Mountain — 七曲山 — in Zitong County — 梓潼縣 — Sichuan province.
He lived during the fourth century of the common era under the rule of Emperor Fu Jian — 苻堅 — of the Former Qin dynasty — 前秦 — Qian Qin.
He was known for filial piety — 孝道 — xiaodao.
He was raised by his widowed mother.
He embodied the Confucian ideal of devotion to parents.
He served as a scholar-bureaucrat and honest official — 清廉官員 — qinglian guanyuan — in local governance before transitioning to military service.
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On the infant miracle.
When his mother gave birth to him, she was very sick and malnourished.
Zhang Yazi, as an infant, sliced off a piece of his own thigh — 大腿 — datui.
He gave it to his mother.
Her illness was instantly cured.
This is the first recorded miracle of his life.
It is the miracle of filial piety before the age of words.
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On his death.
During a rebellion against Emperor Fu Jian in 374 of the common era, Zhang Yazi died.
He died a noble and heroic death protecting the emperor.
Because of his virtuous character and the manner of his death, he was sent back to earth.
He was reincarnated.
Some accounts record that he was reincarnated 73 times — 七十三次 — qi shi san ci — as a benevolent official in the Chinese government.
Other accounts record 17 reincarnations — 十七次 — shi qi ci.
Both numbers are recorded in different texts.
The Taoist tradition records 73 reincarnations.
An earlier tradition records 17 reincarnations.
Both are preserved here.
In each incarnation he returned as a virtuous official.
In each incarnation he served the people.
In each incarnation he accumulated more virtue.
After all his reincarnations were complete he ascended to heaven fully.
He became the director of the heavenly Wenchang Palace — 文昌宮 — Wenchang Gong.
He became the overseer of all literary fates — 文運 — wenyun.
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On the controversy regarding his identity.
Scholars have noted a problem.
The stories recorded about Zhang Yazi concern military heroism and filial piety.
They do not concern literature.
Zhang Yazi was not a famous scholar.
He was a soldier who honored his mother.
E.T.C. Werner — a scholar who wrote the book Myths and Legends of China — recorded: the stories of Zhang Yazi have nothing to do with actual literature.
The connection between Zhang Yazi and the god of literature appears to have occurred because:
The constellation of Wenchang was near the constellation now associated with Kui Xing — 魁星 — the original God of Literature.
Over time the two constellation systems were merged.
The god of Zitong was merged with the constellation deity.
The local hero Zhang Yazi was merged with the god of Zitong.
The result was Wenchang Wang — a god of literature whose human origin was a soldier.
This is recorded here honestly.
The connection between his human origin and his divine domain is the subject of scholarly discussion.
This record presents what the texts say without resolving the debate.
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On the 1000 CE manifestation.
Around the year 1000 of the common era, Wenchang Wang appeared as the Spirit of Zitong — 梓潼神 — during a rebellion in Chengdu — 成都 — Sichuan.
Song dynasty — 宋朝 — Song Chao — imperial forces were battling to suppress the rebellion.
According to the account, the spirit delivered a prophecy to a soldier.
The prophecy stated: the town of rebels would fall on the twentieth day of the ninth month.
The town fell on the day indicated.
The general in charge of suppressing the rebellion had the Zitong temple repaired and expanded as gratitude.
This event reinforced his role as a divine protector of dynastic stability.
It amplified his cult's prominence across China.
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On his official deification.
He was officially apotheosized — 神化 — shenhua — in approximately 1314 of the common era during the Yuan dynasty — 元朝 — Yuan Chao.
Different sources record 1314 and 1316 for this date. Both are noted.
His official title given at this apotheosis: Supporter of the Yuan Dynasty, Diffuser of Renovating Influences, Controller of Fortune of Wenchang, God and Lord — 輔元開化文昌司祿宏仁帝君 — Fu Yuan Kaihua Wenchang Silu Hongren Dijun.
This is the title that established him as the official state god of literature.
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On the imperial examination system — 科舉 — Keju.
To understand why Wenchang Wang matters, the imperial examination system must be understood.
The imperial examination system — 科舉 — keju — was the civil service examination system of imperial China.
Its purpose: to select candidates for the state bureaucracy based on merit — 才能 — caineng — rather than birth.
The first serious use of written examinations for government recruitment appeared under the Sui dynasty — 隋朝 — Sui Chao — which ruled from 581 to 618 of the common era.
Systematic implementation began during the Tang dynasty — 唐朝 — Tang Chao.
The system was expanded greatly during the Song dynasty — 宋朝 — Song Chao.
The system lasted for 1,300 years.
It was abolished on the second of September 1905.
For 1,300 years, passing the imperial examination was the primary path from any social class to power, wealth, and honor.
A farmer's son could become a minister.
A merchant's grandson could become a governor.
The examination was the gate.
Wenchang Wang controlled the gate.
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On the levels of the examination.
The examination had multiple levels.
The first level: the Xiucai examination — 秀才 — xiucai — the Cultivated Talent examination. Taken at the county level.
The second level: the Juren examination — 舉人 — juren — the Recommended Man examination. Taken at the provincial level.
The third level: the Jinshi examination — 進士 — jinshi — the Advanced Scholar examination. Taken at the imperial level in the capital.
The Jinshi examination was the highest.
Those who passed the Jinshi examination were received by the emperor.
They were awarded government positions.
They were made officials.
The top three scorers received special titles.
The first place finisher: Zhuangyuan — 狀元 — the Top Scholar.
The second place finisher: Bangyan — 榜眼 — the Second Eye.
The third place finisher: Tanhua — 探花 — the Flower Gatherer.
Every scholar who sat for these examinations prayed to Wenchang Wang.
Every family that produced a son sitting for these examinations prayed to Wenchang Wang.
The examinations were the most important event in a family's life for 1,300 years.
Wenchang Wang presided over them all.
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On his two attendants.
He is attended by two subordinates.
The first is called Tianlong — 天聾 — Heaven-Deaf.
He is deaf to heavenly affairs.
He hears nothing of what happens in heaven.
He exists to ensure that the secrets of heaven are not accidentally revealed to mortals through him.
The second is called Diya — 地啞 — Earth-Mute.
He is mute about earthly affairs.
He says nothing of what happens on earth.
He exists to ensure that the secrets of earth are not accidentally revealed to heaven through him.
Together they create a sealed system.
Nothing passes between heaven and earth through them.
They are the guardians of the boundary.
They are not powerful warriors.
They are administrative officials.
This is the nature of a god of literature. His servants are not fighters. They are keepers of information.
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On his relationship with Kui Xing — 魁星.
Kui Xing — 魁星 — is the original God of Literature and Examinations.
He is always depicted as an ugly, deformed figure.
He has a bent back that makes him resemble a written character.
According to a popular legend: when he was alive, Kui Xing was a brilliant scholar who excelled in all his studies.
He passed his examinations at the highest level.
He presented himself at court to receive his title from the emperor.
The emperor saw his face.
He refused to confer the title.
He refused because Kui Xing's physical deformity was considered inauspicious.
Kui Xing was denied his position despite having earned it.
He threw himself into the sea.
A sea creature rescued him.
He ascended to heaven.
He became the God of Literature.
The god who determines who passes examinations was himself denied his position at the examination.
This is recorded without comment.
E.T.C. Werner noted: wherever Wenchang Wang is worshipped there will also be found a separate representation of Kui Xing. The independent existence of the stellar spirit is maintained even after Kui Xing's stars were absorbed into the Wenchang constellation.
Kui Xing stands near Wenchang Wang in temple arrangements.
He is a separate deity.
He is a subordinate deity.
He is a less popular deity.
But he exists alongside Wenchang Wang in every major temple dedicated to literary success.
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On his appearance.
He is depicted as an elderly scholar — 老學者 — lao xuezhe.
He wears official robes — 官服 — guanfu.
He holds a pen — 筆 — bi — in one hand.
He holds a book — 書 — shu — in the other hand.
The book is inscribed with the words: Heaven determines literary achievement — 天定文運 — tian ding wenyun.
His expression is benevolent — 慈祥 — cixiang.
Tianlong stands on one side.
Diya stands on the other.
In some depictions he shares space with Guan Yu — 關羽 — as the dual patrons of literature and military achievement.
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On the Five Wenchang — 五文昌 — Wu Wenchang.
He is often worshipped as part of a group called the Five Wenchang — 五文昌 — Wu Wenchang.
The five are:
Wenchang Wang — 文昌王 — the God of Literature.
Kui Xing — 魁星 — the Original God of Examinations.
Zhu Yi — 朱衣 — the Red-Robed One — the divine examiner who nods his head when he reads an essay he considers worthy of first place.
Guan Yu — 關羽 — the Martial Sage — patron of loyalty and righteousness.
Lü Dongbin — 呂洞賓 — one of the Eight Immortals — patron of scholars and writers.
Together these five protect all scholars.
Together they govern all aspects of academic success.
A scholar who prays to all five has covered every possible angle of divine influence on his examination results.
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On the Tract of the Quiet Way — 陰騭文 — Yinzhi Wen.
The most important text attributed to Wenchang Wang is the Tract of the Quiet Way — 文昌帝君陰騭文 — Wenchang Dijun Yinzhi Wen — also translated as the Text of the Hidden Good Deeds of Imperial Lord Wenchang.
This text teaches: true merit comes from hidden good deeds and moral character.
It teaches: a scholar who wishes to pass examinations must first cultivate virtue in secret — 陰德 — yin de.
Yin de — 陰德 — means hidden virtue. Virtue performed without witness. Virtue that no one knows about.
The text lists specific virtuous acts.
It lists specific sins that destroy examination fortune.
Among the virtues: rescuing people from danger. Releasing animals that are captured. Not taking advantage of the weak.
Among the sins that destroy examination fortune: disrespecting books. Disrespecting teachers. Cheating in examinations.
This text teaches that Wenchang Wang is not only about exam scores.
He is about moral character.
A person of bad character who passes examinations is a danger to the empire.
Wenchang Wang knew this.
He built moral character into the requirements.
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On his primary temple.
The primary temple dedicated to Wenchang Wang is the Wenchang Temple — 文昌廟 — Wenchang Miao — located on Qiqu Mountain — 七曲山 — in Zitong County — 梓潼縣 — Sichuan province — 四川省.
It was originally established as a shrine during the Eastern Jin dynasty — 東晉 — Dong Jin — 317 to 420 of the common era — to honor Zhang Yazi.
It was renamed Wenchang Temple in 1316 during the Yuan dynasty.
It has undergone multiple rebuilds and expansions across subsequent dynasties.
It now spans 12,000 square meters — 一萬兩千平方米 — yi wan liang qian ping fang mi.
It contains 23 building groups.
It includes the Ming dynasty — 明朝 — Hundred-Feet Tower — 百尺樓 — Bai Chi Lou.
Qiqu Mountain is also the location of the largest cypress forest — 柏樹林 — bai shu lin — in China.
The mountain and the temple and the forest together form what is called the origin of Wenchang culture — 文昌文化發源地 — Wenchang wenhua fayuandi.
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On the offerings for examinations.
Students visiting Wenchang temples before examinations bring specific offerings.
Green onions — 蔥 — cong — because the word for onion sounds similar to the word for intelligence — 聰 — cong.
Celery — 芹菜 — qincai — because the word contains the character for diligence — 勤 — qin.
Garlic — 大蒜 — dasuan.
Radish — 蘿蔔 — luobo.
Zongzi — 粽子 — sticky rice wrapped in bamboo leaves.
Students place photocopies of their examination permits — 准考證 — zhunkao zheng — on the altar.
After praying they eat the offerings.
The intelligence offered to the god is consumed by the student.
One instruction has been passed down through generations: do not overcook the onions.
If the onions are overcooked the intelligence vanishes.
This instruction is recorded in the texts.
It is recorded here.
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On his birthday.
His birthday is the third day of the second lunar month — 二月初三 — er yue chu san.
On this day officials and scholars of every county were historically required to visit the local Wenchang temple.
They made offerings.
They recited poems.
They asked for literary fortune for the coming year.
The requirement was not optional.
Officials who did not attend were considered to have disrespected the foundation of the bureaucratic system that gave them their positions.
They owed their positions to the examinations.
They owed the examinations to Wenchang Wang.
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On his presence today.
The imperial examination system was abolished in 1905.
Wenchang Wang was not abolished with it.
Chinese students today still visit his temples before major examinations.
Before the Gaokao — 高考 — the National College Entrance Examination — Chinese families visit Wenchang temples in large numbers.
The Gaokao is the modern equivalent of the imperial examination.
It determines university placement.
It determines career trajectories.
It determines the shape of a young person's life.
Wenchang Wang still presides over it.
He was not informed of the 1905 abolition.
He was not informed of the establishment of the modern examination system.
He continued presiding regardless.
END OF CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE