Daoist Orthodox (Power Structure)
Western Buddhist (Attainment Hierarchy)
Transcendent Sages (Outside the System)
Demon Forces (Unranked)
Mortals / Grassroots
☯ Source of the Great Dao · Supreme ☯
Yuanshi Tianzun (元始天尊)
Jade Purity · First of the Three Pure Ones
Primordial Beginning · Chaos Dao
Lingbao Tianzun (灵宝天尊)
Supreme Purity · Second of the Three Pure Ones
Differentiation of Chaos · Evolution of Dao
Daode Tianzun (道德天尊)
Grand Purity · Laozi (太上老君)
Dao Embodied · Nurturing All Things
⚜ The Four Sovereigns · Apex of Power ⚜
Jade Emperor (玉皇大帝)
Supreme Lord of the Three Realms
Chief Administrator of the Cosmos
Ziwei Emperor (中天紫微北极大帝)
Second of the Four Sovereigns
Governs Stars & Celestial Order
Gouchen Emperor (勾陈上宫天皇大帝)
Third of the Four Sovereigns
Oversees Polaris & Mortal Warfare
Houtu Empress (后土皇地祇)
Fourth Sovereign · Lady of the Earth
Yin-Yang Fertility · Mountains & Rivers
▼ Under the Jade Emperor · Core Power Echelon ▼
Five Elders of the Five Directions (五方五老)
Regional Sovereigns
East: Chong'en · South: Guanyin
West: Tathāgata · North: Xuanling · Center: Huangjiao
Four Heavenly Masters (四大天师)
Imperial Counselors
Zhang Daoling · Ge Xuan
Xu Xun · Sa Shoujian
Four Saints of the North Pole (北极四圣)
Military Core
Marshal Tianpeng · Vice Marshal Tianyou
Yizhen Shengjun · Zhenwu Dadi
Taiyi Jiuku Tianzun (太乙救苦天尊)
Supreme Savior of the Underworld
Master of the Nine-Headed Lion
Donghua Emperor (东华帝君)
Patriarch of Quanzhen · Leader of Male Immortals
※ Tathāgata (如来) holds the rank of "Elder of the West" among the Five Elders, officially subordinate to the Four Sovereigns and answering to the Jade Emperor.
However, within the Buddhist hierarchy, he remains the supreme attainment of "Buddha".
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Heavenly Bureaucracy
✦ Star Ministry ✦
28 Lunar Mansions (二十八宿)
Four Symbols Constellations
Jiaomu Jiao · Kuimulang etc.
11 Great Luminaries (十一大曜)
Sun, Moon, Planets & more
Southern Dipper Six (南斗六司)
Life · Prosperity · Longevity
Northern Dipper Seven (北斗七元)
Tanlang · Jumen etc.
Taibai Jinxing (太白金星)
Celestial Envoy
Wenqu & Wuqu Stars (文曲星·武曲星)
Civil & Martial Virtues
⚡ Thunder Ministry ⚡
Nine Heavens Responding Thunder Universal Celestial Venerable (九天应元雷声普化天尊)
Supreme Thunder God
Duke of Thunder · Mother of Lightning (雷公·电母)
Thunder & Lightning
Earl of Wind · Master of Rain (风伯·雨师)
Wind & Rain
🌊 Weather & Nature Ministry 🌊
Dragon Kings of the Four Seas (四海龙王)
Ao Guang · Ao Qin · Ao Run · Ao Shun
Rain-making Dragon Gods
Emperors of the Five Sacred Mountains (五岳大帝)
East · West · South · North · Center
Guardians of the Five Peaks
🛡 Guard & Military 🛡
Four Heavenly Kings (四大天王)
Virudhaka · Dhritarashtra · Virupaksha · Vaishravana
Guardians of the South Gate
Nezha, the Third Prince (哪吒三太子)
Marshal of the Central Altar
Erlang Shen Yang Jian (二郎神杨戬)
Illustrious Sage King
Obeys orders, not summons
Wang Lingguan (王灵官)
Chief Divine Inspector
Foremost Guardian of Heaven
Juling Shen (巨灵神)
Vanguard of Heavenly King Li
📜 Surveillance & Messengers 📜
Four Merit Officers (四值功曹)
Year · Month · Day · Hour
Five Direction Dharma Protectors (五方揭谛)
Golden Head Deities
Escort of the Pilgrimage
Six Ding & Six Jia (六丁六甲)
Guardian Spirits
Day & Night Wardens (日游神·夜游神)
Patrol Deities
Clairvoyant & Clairhearing (千里眼·顺风耳)
Surveillance System
Discipline Inspectors (纠察灵官)
Military Police
👻 Underworld Ministry 👻
Ten Kings of Hell (十殿阎王)
King Qinguang · King Chujiang etc.
Administrators of the Netherworld
Judge Cui Jue (判官崔珏)
Chief Magistrate of the Dead
Heibai Wuchang (黑白无常)
Soul-escorting Officers
Ox-Head & Horse-Face (牛头马面)
Executors of the Underworld
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Buddhist Attainment Hierarchy (Spiritual Rank)
🔸 First Fruition: Buddha (Perfect Enlightenment) 🔸
🔸 Second Fruition: Bodhisattva (Enlightened Being) 🔸
Guanyin Bodhisattva (观音菩萨)
Teacher of Seven Buddhas · Compassion
Also listed as Five Elder
Mañjuśrī Bodhisattva (文殊菩萨)
Wisdom Supreme · Teacher of Seven Buddhas
Samantabhadra Bodhisattva (普贤菩萨)
Great Practice & Vows
Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva (地藏王菩萨)
Lord of the Underworld
Hell not empty, vow not to become Buddha
Mahāsthāmaprāpta Bodhisattva (大势至菩萨)
Attendant of Amitābha
Lingji Bodhisattva (灵吉菩萨)
Subduer of Wind Demons
Pilamra Bodhisattva (毗蓝婆菩萨)
Reclusive · Insect Demon Tamer
Peacock Great Illustrious King (孔雀大明王)
Buddha-Mother · Great Bodhisattva Rank
Sūryaprabha & Candraprabha (日光菩萨·月光菩萨)
Attendants of Bhaiṣajyaguru
🔸 Third Fruition: Arhat (Worthy One) 🔸
Five Hundred Arhats (五百罗汉)
Assembly of Saints
Eighteen Arhats (十八罗汉)
Dragon-subduing · Tiger-taming etc.
Elite Dharma Protectors
🔸 Fourth Sequence: Dharma Protectors & Guardians 🔸
Four Heavenly Kings (Buddhist Guardians)
Dharma Protectors
Skanda Bodhisattva (韦驮菩萨)
Chief Guardian Deity
Eight Legions (天龙八部)
Devas · Nāgas · Yakṣas · Asuras etc.
Eighteen Saṃghārāmas (十八伽蓝)
Monastery Guardians
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Transcendent Sages · Outside the System
Patriarch Bodhi (菩提祖师)
Transcendent Sage · First Rank
Master of Three Teachings · Hidden from the World
Status equal to the Three Pure Ones (三清)
Great Immortal Zhenyuan (镇元大仙)
Ancestor of Earth Immortals · First Rank
Reveres only Heaven & Earth · Old friend of the Three Pure Ones
Status equal to the Three Pure Ones (三清)
※ These two exist outside the administrative hierarchy, peers of the Three Pure Ones.
Old Mother of Mount Li (黎山老母)
Ancient Immortal Lady
Disguised as Bodhisattvas' mother to test the pilgrims
Chan Master Wuchao (乌巢禅师)
Hermit of Floating Mountain
Taught Tang Sanzang the Heart Sutra
Nine Elders of Yingzhou (瀛洲九老)
Recluses of the Ocean Immortal Isles
Barefoot Immortal (赤脚大仙)
Wandering Immortal of the Heavenly Court
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The Pilgrimage Core Team
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Demon Forces · Unranked & Targets of Suppression
⚠ Demons with Backgrounds (Mounts/Servants/Relatives of Deities) ⚠
Green Bull Demon (青牛精)
Laozi's Mount
Wields the Diamond Snare
Yellow Brow King (黄眉大王)
Boy Servant of Maitreya
Human Sack
Golden-winged Great Peng (金翅大鹏雕)
Tathāgata's Uncle
Leader of the Lion-Camel Ridge trio
Golden Horn & Silver Horn Kings (金角大王·银角大王)
Laozi's Fire-tending Boys
Sai Taisui (赛太岁)
Guanyin's Mount Golden-haired Hou
Yellow Robe Monster (黄袍怪)
The Star Kui Wood Wolf Descends
Nine-headed Lion Sage (九灵元圣)
Mount of Taiyi Jiuku Tianzun
White Deer Spirit (白鹿精)
Mount of the South Pole Immortal
💀 Demons without Backgrounds (Self-cultivated Spirits) 💀
White Bone Spirit (白骨精)
Corpse Demon · Master of Disguise
Scorpion Demoness (蝎子精)
Once Stung Tathāgata
Seven Spider Sisters (蜘蛛精)
Silk-Cave Web Queens
Centipede Demon (蜈蚣精·百眼魔君)
Thousand-eye Golden Light Array
Red Boy (红孩儿)
Son of Bull Demon King · Samadhi Fire
Later adopted by Guanyin as Shancai
Black Bear Demon (黑熊精)
Fierce Lone Fighter
Yellow Wind Demon (黄风怪)
Samadhi Divine Wind
Inspiration King (灵感大王·金鱼精)
Subdues Zhu Bajie underwater
🐂 The Seven Great Sages · Brotherhood of Sun Wukong 🐂
Great Sage Equal to Heaven · Bull Demon King (牛魔王)
Leader of the Seven Sages
Great Sage Covering the Sea · Flood Dragon King (蛟魔王)
Great Sage Confusing Heaven · Peng King (鹏魔王)
Great Sage Moving Mountains · Lion King (狮驼王)
Great Sage Ventilating Wind · Macaque King (猕猴王)
Great Sage Driving Gods · Giant Ape King (禺狨王)
Princess Iron Fan (铁扇公主)
Rakshasi · Wife of Bull Demon King
Banana-leaf Fan
Ruyi Immortal (如意真仙)
Brother of Bull Demon King
Six-eared Macaque (六耳猕猴)
Mirror Image of Sun Wukong
Three Demons of Chechi (车迟国三妖)
Tiger · Deer · Goat
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Mortal World & Grassroots Deities
Emperor Taizong of Tang (唐太宗·李世民)
Mortal Ruler
Wei Zheng (魏征)
Dream-beheaded the Dragon King
Yuan Shoucheng (袁守城)
Divine Fortune-teller
Liu Boqin (刘伯钦)
Hunter of Double Fork Ridge · Peak Mortal Warrior
Queen of the Women's Kingdom (女儿国国王)
Mortal Kingdom
Kings of Various Nations (各国国王)
Chechi · Bichu etc.
🏘 Grassroots Deities 🏘
City God (城隍)
Protector of Cities
Earth God (土地)
Local Guardian
Mountain God (山神)
Guardian of Mountains
🐉 Dragon Clan Supplement 🐉
Dragon King of the Jing River (泾河龙王)
Beheaded for tampering with rain quotas
Catalyst of the Pilgrimage
Tuo Long (鼍龙)
Son of Jing River Dragon King
Demon of the Black River
Prince Mo'ang (摩昂太子)
Mightiest Warrior of the West Sea Dragons
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📜 Summary of the Three Realms Order 📜
Lowest Level → Earth Gods · Mountain Gods · City Gods · Underworld Messengers
Above Them → Star Mansions · Dragon Kings · Thunder Ministry · Yama Kings
Higher Still → Four Heavenly Kings · Nezha · Erlang Shen · Four Heavenly Masters · Four Saints · Five Elders
Sovereign → Jade Emperor (Chief of the Four Sovereigns)
Apex of Power → All Four Sovereigns
Supreme Dao → The Three Pure Ones (Embodiments of the Dao)
Parallel Path: Buddhist Attainment Line (Buddha → Bodhisattva → Arhat → Protector)
Parallel Path: Transcendent Sages (Patriarch Bodhi · Great Immortal Zhenyuan · Old Mother of Li Mountain — outside the system, peers of the Three Pure Ones & Four Sovereigns)
Demons have no rank, only outcomes — absorbed into the system or annihilated.