Juling Shen

Juling Shen is a giant celestial general in Chinese mythology, first recorded in the classical text In Search of the Supernatural: originally, Mount Hua was joined to Mount Shouyang, causing the Yellow River to back up and flood repeatedly at this point; Juling Shen thrust apart the mountains with his enormous hands and stamped them apart with his feet, allowing the river to flow freely eastward—traces of his palm-print remain on Mount Hua’s cliffs, and his footprints are said to linger beneath Mount Shouyang. This legend, known as 'Juling Shen Splits the Mountains', later became closely associated with river deity worship. In Journey to the West, he serves as the vanguard general under the Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King Tuo Ta Tian Wang, wielding a broad-bladed axe to confront Sun Wukong in the first battle—a portrayal of simple yet indomitable courage that has left a lasting impression on generations. In folk belief, he is revered as a heroic deity who cleaved mountains to regulate rivers, worshipped to ensure tranquil waterways and prevent flooding.