Why do some people say that the Jade Emperor’s surname was Zhang?

Because according to the "Legends of the Gods" compiled by Ouyang Fei, the Jade Emperor's name is Zhang Youren, so some people say that the Jade Emperor's surname is Zhang.

According to "Legends of the Gods" compiled by Ouyang Fei, the Jade Emperor was originally the owner of Zhangjiawan in Changyang Mountain, Dongsheng State, named Zhang Youren, also known as Zhang Bairen.

It is said that since the founding of the world by Pangu, everything in the heaven and earth was peaceful. Later, the gods began to fight, and the human world was debauched, causing chaos in the three realms of heaven and earth. Taibai Jinxing therefore went down to earth to find someone with both talent and virtue to be the emperor of the three realms.

Taibai Jinxing transformed into a beggar and searched everywhere. Later, when he arrived in Zhangjiawan, he found that Zhang Youren, known as Zhang Bairen, managed the village very harmoniously and was kind and compassionate, so he took him back to heaven and became the Jade Emperor.

Later, all the gods in the three realms invited Zhang Bairen to recommend Zhang Bairen as the lifelong emperor, and he called him the Jade Emperor. Because the Jade Emperor was the chief emperor of the three realms, he was also called the Jade Emperor or the Jade Emperor God. , and other titles: Haotian God, Xuanqionggao Jade Emperor, Great Heavenly Emperor, etc.

The full name of the Jade Emperor is the Haotian Golden Tower, the Supreme, Natural, Wonderful and Milo, the True Jade Emperor. In the eighth year of the reign of Emperor Zhenzong of the Song Dynasty, he respected the holy title of the Jade Emperor as the Taishang Kaitian, held the talisman and held the talisman to hold the true body of the Jade Emperor. In the sixth year of Zhenghe reign of Emperor Huizong of the Song Dynasty, he also honored the Jade Emperor with the title of Taishang Kaitian Zhifu Yuli Hanzhenti Dao Haotian Jade Emperor God.

Extended information:

Inspired by malicious propaganda from modern TV, movies and non-Taoist sects, it is claimed that the Jade Emperor God will abdicate and the god who will take over as the Jade Emperor is Emperor Guan Sheng or Emperor Zhenwu.

Such heresies mostly come from the theories of supporting the shackles, possessing people, and other strange powers to disrupt the gods. According to the "Tai Shang Temple of Heaven Jade Ge Jing", all the true gods and generals who do not possess the body of a living person, such as those who possess human speech at any time, are definitely evil spirits, heretics and evil spirits. Most of them are land and command officials who can do this. Weird, it can be said to be fallacy and heresy, not Taoist belief.

According to the "Collected Sutras of the Highest Jade Emperor", the Jade Emperor was originally the crown prince of the Guangming Miao Le Kingdom. He gave up his throne to learn Taoism and practice Buddhism in Xiangyan Mountain of Jinming Dynasty, assisting the country and saving the people, and transforming all living beings. After thousands of calamities and millions of calamities, he once sacrificed his life to stop Bei Que, saving all sentient beings on his behalf, and finally became a saint through the ages. The age of the Jade Emperor is close to the age of the universe tested today.

It can be seen that the Jade Emperor is not only the leader of Taoist gods and the master of the three realms in the general sense, but also the great sage who regulates the universe based on the movement of the Taoism, that is, the ontology of Taoism's belief - Tao.

If Emperor Guan Sheng or Emperor Zhenwu succeeds the Jade Emperor, it will mean the destruction of the universe. Therefore, using the Jade Emperor’s resignation to scare people is a fallacy and not a Taoist belief.

Baidu Encyclopedia—Zhang Youren

Baidu Encyclopedia—Jade Emperor