Shuiguan

THE CORPUS HELD NONE OF THE THREE, though they rank immediately below the Jade Emperor, whom it does hold. The triplicate confession is why they cannot be authored singly: the rite requires all three destinations.

Domains

• the office of water
• the three officials
• absolution and blessing

Relations

• of the three officials with: Tianguan
• of the three officials with: Diguan
• subordinate to: Jade Emperor

Sources

• Reference treatment of the Sanguan, the Three Officials of Daoism: Tianguan, the Heavenly Official who confers blessings and bestows happiness; Diguan, the Earthly Official who absolves sins and grants remission of them; and Shuiguan, the Water Official who eliminates misfortunes and averts them. They are three of the highest sky gods in Daoism, subordinate only to the Jade Emperor. On the fifteenth of the first month, the fifteenth of the seventh month and the fifteenth of the tenth month — the birthdays of the Three Officials of Heaven, Earth and Water — Daoists go to temples and burn incense to offer sacrifices. The Daoist principle held heaven, earth and water to be three transcendent powers, with confession of sins written in triplicate, one copy burned for heaven, another buried in earth and the third sunk in water. The Chinese theatre did much to popularise Tianguan by introducing a skit before each play called 'The Official of Heaven Brings Happiness'.