Prince Chi of Nankunshen

Chi Fu Qian Sui’s earthly name was Chi Mengbiao, the Second Prince among the Five Princes of Nankunshen, and today commands the largest following and the most extensive network of branch temples across Taiwan. According to legend, when the Celestial Emperor decreed a plague upon humanity, he dispatched a Pestilence Deity bearing deadly plague medicine to Chi’s domain. Upon learning of this, Chi Mengbiao devised a ruse: he invited the deity to feast and drink until intoxicated, then seized the opportunity to swallow the entire dose of plague medicine. As the toxins surged through his body, his complexion turned black or deep crimson, his eyes bulged open in agony, and he died—sacrificing himself to spare his people. Deeply moved by his selfless devotion, the Celestial Emperor posthumously enfeoffed him as Heaven’s Imperial Inspector, granting him divine authority to patrol the mortal realm on Heaven’s behalf. Hence, statues of Prince Chi invariably portray him with fiercely wide-open eyes—the very visage he wore at the moment of his ultimate sacrifice. Temples dedicated to Prince Chi abound throughout Taiwan, especially in fishing villages and port towns; devotees pray to him during outbreaks of disease or malevolent spiritual forces, and for protection against perils at sea—regarding him as the most valiant and protective of all the Wangye deities.