道教文化中“北帝”的信仰及发展

The Development of the Faith of the North Emperor

北帝是道教的神灵,他最初只是酆都地狱的掌管者,是地位低下的鬼官。在南北朝末至唐代和北宋末年以后,北帝的信仰先后两次发展,北帝的地位得到了很大提升,围绕着北帝出现了新的庞大的神灵体系,北帝信仰也从一部分道士的信仰发展成为整个道教的主流信仰。而北帝信仰的第一次发展是众多道士推崇的结果;北帝信仰的第二次发展则与北宋朝廷的推动有关。

North Emperor is the Taoist gods. At first he was in charge of the Fengdu hell, was the low status of the ghost officer. In the South and North Dynasty to the Tang Dynasty and at the end of Song Dynaaty the faith of the North Emperor has twice development. The status of the North Emperor has been greatly enhanced, and there were many new gods emerged around the North Emperor . The faith of the North Emperor also become the mainstream of the Taoist faith. The first development of the faith of the North Emperor was because there are many Taoists believed in him, and the second was because of the promotion of the Song Dynasty.