Hòutǔ (Chinese: 后土; lit. 'Queen of the Earth') or Hòutǔshén (后土神; 'Goddess Queen of the Earth'), also Hòutǔ Niángniáng (in Chinese either 厚土娘娘; 'Deep Earth Lady' or 后土娘娘; 'Earth Queen Lady'), otherwise called Dimǔ (地母; 'Mother Earth') or Dimǔ Niángniáng (地母娘娘; 'Lady Mother Earth'), is the deity of deep earth and soil in Chinese religion and mythology.[1] Houtu is the overlord of all the Tu Di Gong ("Lord of Local Land") world wide.
Houtu is featured in some versions of the myth of the Great Flood of China: Yu did not do such a great job of channeling the Yellow River into the sea, dredging the wrong way. Sacred Mother Houtu then made the Yellow River Map and sent one of her divine messenger birds to tell Yu what to do; specifically, that he should open a channel to the east, to allow the right drainage.[4]
Gallery[]
Temple of the Queen of the Earth in Jiexiu, Shanxi.
Stone for the deity Houtu (Chinese:后土之神) at the burial site of Gia Long, former emperor of Vietnam.
