Yuan-shi tian-zun
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Yuan-shi tian-zun (Chinese: 元始天尊; pinyin: Yúanshǐ Tīanzūn), also known as the Celestial Venerable of the Primordial Beginning, is one of the highest deities of religious Taoism. He is one of the pure ones, the so-called San-qing and resides in the Heaven of Jade Purity. It is believed that he came to being at the beginning of the universe as a result of the merging of pure breaths. He then created Heaven and Earth.
He once was the supreme administrator of Heaven but later entrusted that task to his assistant Yu-huang (also known as the Jade Emperor). Yu-huang later came to replace and even exceed the administrative duties of Yuan-shi tian-zong as overseer to both Heaven and Earth. At the beginning of each age or aeon he transports the Ling-pao ching, the Scriptures of the Magic Jewel, to lesser deities. These deites in turn instruct mankind in the teachings of the Tao.
Yuan-shi tian-zong is said to be without beginning and the most supreme of all beings, in fact, representative of the principle of all being. From him all things arose. He is eternal, limitless, and invisible.
