Caishen means God of Wealth in Chinese religious tradition. The title is associated with several figures rather than a single biography.
The Story Behind Caishen
Wealth-deity traditions distinguish civil and martial forms, and the identities and stories vary.
Fan Li and Bi Gan are among figures associated with wealth-deity traditions. The Caishen overview summarizes these identities, and the World Mazu Temple lists Bi Gan as a civil wealth deity among the figures it worships.
The Shiji, chapter 129, records Fan Li leaving Yue, taking the name Tao Zhu Gong and accumulating wealth through commerce; it also describes him sharing wealth with poor friends and relatives. That classical commercial biography and later wealth-deity devotion are distinct contexts.
Zhao Gongming in the literary tradition
In the Fengshen yanyi tradition, Zhao Gongming fights on the Shang side and is later given an office connected with wealth.
Popular wealth-deity associations and the novel’s appointments should be distinguished.
Werner’s 1922 retelling describes Zhao Gongming riding a black tiger and later receiving the wealth ministry. A religious community’s account also identifies the black tiger and whip as his attributes.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Caishen?
Caishen is the God of Wealth, a title associated with several figures in Chinese religious traditions.
What identifies Zhao Gongming?
In the traditions cited here, Zhao Gongming is a martial wealth deity associated with a black tiger and a whip.
Do all Caishen stories share one biography?
No. The figures, religious traditions and literary accounts vary.
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