Chitou Furen
Deity of the Blood Pool Hell and protector of childbirth.
Chitou Furen, also known as Lady of the Pool or Madam Pond, is a Taoist deity primarily worshipped at Longshan Temple and Dalongdong Baoan Temple in Taiwan. Her origins are tied to conflicts in the Mengjia area during the Qing Dynasty, and she is often enshrined alongside Zhusheng Niangniang, Ksitigarbha, or City Gods.
Quick Facts
- Literal meaning
- Lady of the Pool or Madam Pond
- Primary temples
- Longshan Temple, Dalongdong Baoan Temple
- Period of origin
- Qing Dynasty
- Associated deities
- Zhusheng Niangniang
- Ksitigarbha (Dizang Wang)
- City Gods
Facts from the source article.
Legend
According to the Yuli Baozhuan (Jade Record), Chitou Furen serves under Fengdu Dadi and oversees the Blood Pool Hell. Families of women who died in childbirth would worship her, praying that their deceased relatives be spared suffering there. A temple tradition recounts that in the seventh month of 1854, during a period of conflict, a pregnant woman resting by the temple's wishing pool discovered a planned night attack by Zhangzhou immigrants on Quanzhou immigrants. She was killed by the Zhangzhou people to silence her, but the commotion alerted the Quanzhou immigrants, who then prepared and successfully defended their homes. Because of her sacrifice, the Quanzhou immigrants managing the temples erected a statue of her in the rear hall, honoring her as Lady of the Pool and venerating her as a deity who protects women's safe childbirth.
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