The Great Jade EmperorOrigin of the Jade Emperor The Great Jade Emperor(Yu huang shangdi) is often simply called the Jade Emperor, as well as the 'Most Venerable Jade Emperor of the Heavenly Golden Palace' and 'Lofty Jade Emperor of the Mysterious Heaven".
In the Song Dynasty, Emperor Zhen honored him with the holy title 'Supreme Jade Emperor, Creator of Heaven, Holder of Talismans, Imperial Timesetter, Container of Perfection, and Embodiment of Tao".
Emperor Hui honored him as 'Supreme Highest Jade Emperor of the Heavens, Creator of Heaven, Holder of Talismans, Jade Timesetter, Container of Perfection, and Embodiment of Tao'.
His complete name in Taoist scriptures is 'Most Venerable Highest Jade Emperor of All-Embracing Sublime Spontaneous Existence of the Heavenly Golden Palace".
According to the Scripture of the Jade Emperor, the Great Jade Emperor is the son of the King of the Pure Blissful Kingdom of Lofty Heavenly Lights and Ornaments and of the Empress of Precious Moonlight. The King and Queen had no had a child for years, out of desperate, they prayed to heaven for a child. One night, the Queen dreamt of the Heavenly Lord of Numinous Treasure (Ling Bao Tian Zun) one of The Three Pure Ones(san qing) carrying a baby to here. The Queen was pregnent after that. (Jade Emperor is thus originated from the Three Pure Ones)
At birth, the precious light of his glorious flames filled the country. He was smart and wise when young, and kind and benevolent when grown up. He devoted the entire state treasury to all sentient beings, the poor and suffering, the deserted and single, the hungry and disabled. After the death of the King of Pure Bliss, he ruled ably as crown prince and told his ministers that, feeling merciful for all sentient beings, he would abandon the throne and cultivate Dao on the Mountain of Universal Light and Fragrant Rocks.
After 3200 aeons, he attained to the station of Golden Immortality and was called 'Emperor of Spontaneous Enlightenment". After another billion aeons, he ascended to the station of Jade Emperor.
Emperor of Ten Thousand Divines
The Jade Emperor is the emperor of all heavens, king of all Immortals, lord of saints, the highest divinity of the ten thousand divines in the three realms and of all Immortals of the Three Grottoes. He has the power to order the Immortals of the Nine Heavens and to invoke the spirits of the four seas and five sacred mountains.
All the divines follow and attend to him in queue, just like the emperor and his ministers in the human world.
A poem of Bai Juyi says: "Immortals such as Anqi and Xianmen attend to him in queue like ministers. To his holy majesty I look up and bow to pay my sincere respect."
In Charge of the Tao of Heaven
The Jade Emperor is an avatar of the Three Pure Ones. T
he relationship between them is like Emptiness preceding Subtle Being, Infinity preceding the Supreme Ultimate, Non-Interference preceding Interfering Action.
Therefore, the Jade Emperor is the master of the three fundamentals in charge of the pivot of Heaven, Earth and Man.
The Jade Emperor sends the four heavenly ministers to assist Him , which are the Great Emperor of the North Pole Star of Purple Subtlety(Heavenly Lord Zi Wei) to administer the longitudes and latitudes of Heaven and Earth; the Great Emperor of the Highest Palace of Polaris(Heavenly Lord Tian Huang) to administer the Three Powers of Heaven, Earth, and Man and to control wars; and the Imperial Goddess of Earth(Hou Tu) to administer births, land, and rivers. Great Emperor of the Southern Polaris (Heavenly Lord Nanji) to administer man's lifespan.
In general, all things, Heaven, Earth, Yin and Yang, and creation, are in the charge of the Jade Emperor. One of his holy name 'Yu huang She Zui Tian Zun', is been recitied by some Taoist for blessings and forgiviness.
