Six Ding and Six Jia Deities

The Six Ding and Six Jia originated from the deification of the sexagenary cycle’s celestial stems and earthly branches. The Six Ding embody yin forces, while the Six Jia embody yang forces—twelve deities in total—who, in Daoist cosmology, preside over the celestial stems and earthly branches, wielding authority over wind, thunder, ghosts, and spirits. When performing rituals, Daoist priests recite incantations to summon the Six Ding and Six Jia to provide directional protection, subdue demons, and vanquish evil. They also hold designated roles in formal Daoist fasting and sacrificial liturgies. In the classic novels Journey to the West and Investiture of the Gods, the Six Ding and Six Jia are dispatched on secret missions to safeguard the monk Tang Sanzang, thereby embedding their image deeply within popular consciousness as an all-purpose pantheon of divine protectors upholding the Orthodox Daoist Dharma.