Regarding to the Bamin tongzhi (八閩通志), Chen Jinggu was a medium in Tang dynasty. She was born in 767. It is said that she had the talent to predicate future events and is also good at Daoist and popular religion rituals. When she was adult, she was married with a man named Liu Qi (劉杞). Not long after she was preganant, there was a harsh drought. Because Chen Jinggu was well known as a kind and powerful medium among villagers, she was asked for help by them. In order to accomplish this mission, she induced abortion by herself without noticing anyone and held on a ritual. Finally, it was rained. However, Chen Jinggu was too exhausted to be dead. Before she was dead, she vowed that she would protect pregrant women, baby and children forever as her last wish. After she was dead, it is said that in Linsui, she was seen by villagers who witnessed her spirit killed a white snake demon. After that, she left a mysterious message as the hint of her homeland. When the villagers found her homeland, they realized she was Chen Jinggu’s iphany. People began to worhip her to pray for pretection and blessing. The temple dedicated to Chen Jinggu was established.
In Song dynasty, about 1241-1252, Chen Jinggu were be titled as Ciji furen (慈濟夫人), the Lady Ciji. A banner inscribed Shunyi furen (順懿夫人) was also hung in the temple.
However, above content were not recorded in the comtempory literatures. They were be recorded by later generations. On speculation, Chen Jinggu was a deity in popular religion at first. The worship of Chen Jinggu originated from the boarder between Zhejiang (浙江) and Fujian (福建) in Tang or Song dynasty.
Chen Jinggu is not only regarded as the patron goddess of women and children, but also a patriarch enlisted in a school of popular religion. The school is Lushan Fapai (閭山法派) which is a ritual school in popular religion spreading around Fujian (福建), Jiangxi (江西), and Taiwan. Its rituals were influenced by Daoism and Tantra Buddhism and mixed with Wu (巫), an ancient tradition in Chinese popular religion. In this school, besides Chen Jinggu, there are still two important ladies. They are Lin Sha-niang (林紗娘) and Li San-niang (李三娘). Chen Jinggu, Sha-niang (林紗娘) and Li San-niang (李三娘) are called Sannai Furen (三奶夫人).
Chen Jinggu is also an important character in tradition drama. In some plays, such as the Hai You ji (海遊記), Linshui Pingyao zhi (臨水平妖志) and Furen chuan (夫人傳), Chen Jinggu’s life stories are the themes. Those plays are in relation with Chen Jinggu scarifying her own unborn baby and herself to save villagers, killing the demon white snake, and Sannai Furen searching for the great Master Xu Xun (許遜, 239-374). Apparently, Chen Jinggu is very popular goddess.
In Taiwan, early temple dedicated to Chen Jinggu was established in 1707, Gaoxiong (高雄). However, the evidence is not concret. Regarding to official investigation during Japan reign, the first temple is Linshui temple (臨水宮) in Tainan (台南). Besides, there are still many temples dedicated to Chen Jinggu , titled Shuntian shengmu elsewhere in Taiwan. It is estimated about twenty seven temples.
Sannai furen 三奶夫人
Sannai furen (三奶夫人), the Three ladies, designate one goddess or three goddesses. In case of one goddess, it is Chen Jinggu (陳靖姑), the Lady of Linshui (臨水夫人). In another case, they are Chen Jinggu (陳靖姑), Lin Sha-niang (林紗娘) , and Li San-niang (李三娘). As the Lady of Linshui, Chen Jinggu is renown of protecting pregnant women and children. However the other two ladies’ story is few. According to very few records, Chen Jinggu, the Lady of Lin, and the Lady of Li were all disciples of Xu Xun (許遜, 239-374), a Daoist in Jin dynasty. Because Xu Xun was a Daoist figure in Jin dynasty, the Lady of Linshui was a shaman in Tang dynasy. Apparently, it is a mystical story not a history.Sannai Furen and Chen’s elder brother Chen Hai-qing (陳海青)are originally exorcists. Chen Hai-qing failed his mission in taming a viper demon and was captured by the viper demon. Then Chen Jinggu and Lin, Li, tried to locate Xu Xun to ask him for help. During this heroines like journey, they crossed a troubled river, fought with an evil dragon, and defeated a fierce tiger. Finally, they found Xu Xun lived in Mountain Lu, Lu shan (閭山) and became his disciples to advance their own exorcising skill. Lu-shan is the holly mountain to the exorcists in Fujian, Zhe jiang and other provinces around other southeast China. However, Lushan is a mystical mountain which located in where nobody knows exactly. AfterSannai Furen learned all the skill from Xu Xun, including Lei Fa (雷法). They started to trace the viper demon, find its cave and killed it. Chen Hai-qing was saved by them.Sannai Furen then became the famous demon buster. They even saved King Min (閩王) and his concubines from another viper demon. So King Min bestowed them with 36 maids. The 36 maids becameSannai Furen’s follower and squad.
In Chinese popular religion,Sannai Furen represented the legacy of Lushan Fapai (閭山法派). Lushan Fapai is a teaching or a school in popular religion which spreads around Fujian ,jiang xi , and Taiwan. Its rituals were influenced by Daoism and Tantra Buddhism and mixed with Wu (巫), an ancient tradition in Chinese popular religion. Under the school of Lushan Fapai, there is a subdivision called Sannai pai (三奶派). In Taiwan, the exorcists who belong to San-nai pai wear red turban on their head. They are often called hongtou fashi (紅頭法師), the exorcist with red hair. Besides,Sannai Furen’s temples are all the same as the Lady of Linshui. People worship to them for praying children’s and pregnant women’s secure life. San-nai pai’s stories are also popular in traditional drama.
The Ten Madams of Lin Shui Palace 臨水宮十夫人
Ten Madams of Lin Shui Palace are the Ten sworn sisters of Madam Lin Shui Chen Jing Gu.
臨水宮十夫人乃是臨水夫人陳靖姑志同道合所結拜的十為姐妹。
According to some contexts, few of these Ten Madams, some of them are actually demons that being subdued by Madam Chen, after giving them the right direction on self-cultivation, they followed Madam Chen to do the salvation for the sufferings.
根據記載,其中的幾位原為魔精﹐而後被陳夫人所點化﹐因此跟隨陳夫人游遍十方以拯救天下蒼生。
Here are the list of names of these Ten Madams:
1st Madam of Lin Shui Palace: Luo Yuan Area Madam Lin Shu Jing
2nd Madam of Lin Shui Palace: Lian Jiang Area Madam Li San Jing
3rd Madam of Lin Shui Palace: Xi Hu Area Tigeress Madam Jiang
4th Madam of Lin Shui Palace: Madam Liu (Maiden Zhu)
5th Madam of Lin Shui Palace: Mt Wu Shi 1st Madam of Shi Jia
6th Madam of Lin Shui Palace: Mt Wu Shi 2nd Madam of Shi Jia
7th Madam of Lin Shui Palace: Fu Qing Area Madam Zou
8th Madam of Lin Shui Palace: Fu Zhou Area Madam Gao
9th Madam of Lin Shui Palace: Zhu Lin Area Madam Ou
10th Madam of Lin Shui Palace: Princess Ou Yang of Ou Yang Palace
十宮第一夫人 - 羅源林淑靖夫人
十宮第二夫人 - 連江李三靖夫人
十宮第三夫人 - 西河虎婆奶江夫人
十宮第四夫人 - 珠媽劉夫人
十宮第五夫人 - 烏石山石夾大夫人
十宮第六夫人 - 烏石山石夾二夫人
十宮第七夫人 - 福清鄒鐵鸞夫人
十宮第八夫人 - 福州高雪梅夫人
十宮第九夫人 - 竹林歐夫人
十宮第十夫人 - 歐陽宮歐陽公主
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