Photo Essay: The Generosity of the God of Wealth
Wealth and prosperity features prominently in traditional Chinese religion and folk practices, with Caishen (God of Wealth) being the most famous example. However, while all this may look like wishful thinking, there was always a deeper meaning behind the symbolism.
According to the Ven. Master Chin Kung, the original Caishen (God of Wealth) was Fan Li, a Spring and Autumn era statesman who retired from the service of King Goujian of Yue after helping him vanquish the Kingdom of Wu (which had subjugated Yue over a decade ago).
Realising King Goujian’s paranoia, he wisely left his service with legendary beauty Xi Shi and retired to Lake Tai. Afterwards, he went into merchant trade and amassed a fortune. He promptly gave that fortune away to the poor, started again from scratch, made another fortune and gave it away once more. He did this one more time. Thus establishing his legend of three accumulations and three distributions. Due to the good karma from his almsgiving and charity, he apotheosized into the God of Wealth.
Today, millions of worshippers make offerings of incense and joss paper to him in the hope of receiving his blessing.
However, what they do not know is that the God of Wealth’s greatest legacy is that of his philanthropy. He thrice hit jackpot, and gave it all away each time without any reservation. He was a cheerful giver, generous giver and sincere giver. From this, we learn that the karmic cause of wealth is giving. It is just as Master Chin Kung said in his commentary on Liao Fan’s Four Lessons: Those who deserve wealth will just receive it regardless of their qualifications or status.
For instance, the murals of prosperity and divine providence on the Tunnel of Wealth in Guandu Temple, a vibrant folk temple in Beitou embodying such beliefs, depict karmic rewards of giving to encourage the doing of good. They are carvings of historical accounts from karmic treatises such as the Treatise on Response and Retribution, the Yin Chih Wen, and the An Shi Quan Shu. These stories are not merely to elicit greed for good fortune, or encourage supplication, but to remind people that if they wish for nice things, they must first be charitable and embody the generosity of Fan Li. Master Chin Kung has also said that if one gives sincerely and regularly, one may see karmic rewards manifest as soon as 3 to 6 months after starting the practice of Dana, with clear rewards being seen by the third year of practice.
Tunnel of Wealth of Guandu Temple — murals symbolising the karmic rewards of generosity and giving:
Karmic Rewards of Practicing Generosity and Giving:
All photos taken by Brian Bye Sheng Chung at the Guandu Temple Wealth Tunnel. Permission granted for personal and educational purposes.
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