Fengbo, also known as "God of Wind", "Master of Wind", "Feilian" and "Jibo", is the deity in charge of wind among the gods of Taoism. The worship of Fengbo originated relatively early. The chapter Da Zong Bo in The Rites of Zhou states: "Offer sacrifices to Sizhong (God of the Central Stars), Siming (God of Destiny), Fengshi (Master of Wind) and Yushi (Master of Rain) with burnt sacrifices of firewood." Cai Yong of the Eastern Han Dynasty wrote in Du Duan: "The god Fengbo is the star Jixing. Its image is in the sky and can stir up wind."
Fengbo's duty is to "control the movement of the eight winds and regulate the climate of the five elements' cycles". Wind, as a major factor of climate, is related to the timely growth and nourishment of all things. Ying Shao of the Han Dynasty recorded in Fengsu Tongyi · Sacrifice Records that Fengbo "stirs things with thunder, moistens them with wind and rain, nurtures all creatures, and has made contributions to humans. Therefore, the king offers sacrifices to repay his merits."
After the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods, the belief in the God of Wind gradually became unified. In the Central Plains, the God of Wind was worshipped as a star, while in the southern regions, it was worshipped as a bird-shaped or feathered Feilian. The worship of Fengbo was included in the national sacrifice system as early as the Qin and Han dynasties. Tang Huiyao (Compilation of Important Statutes of the Tang Dynasty) records that the worship of Fengbo was elevated to a medium-level sacrifice, and "each prefecture should set up an altar" to worship him together with the local rulers.
✨ Recommended Taoist Talismans
Discover powerful talismans for your spiritual journey
There are also Taoist temples that enshrine Fengbo, Yushi, Leigong (God of Thunder) and Dianmu (Goddess of Lightning) in separate halls. The statue of Fengbo is often depicted as a white-haired old man, holding a wheel in his left hand and a fan in his right hand, as if fanning the wheel, and is called "Fengbo Fang Tianjun" (Heavenly Lord Fang, the God of Wind).
Fengbo's birthday is the 5th day of the 10th lunar month.
