Great Emperor of Longevity of the South Pole

Nánjí Chángshēng Dàdì is one of the Four Sovereigns in Daoism and resides in the Divine Empyrean Jade-Pure Palace (Shénxiāo Yùqīng Fǔ). His full title is 'The Most Exalted Divine Empyrean Jade-Pure True King of the South Pole, the Great Emperor of Longevity'. According to Daoist scriptures, he is the eldest son of Yuánshǐ Tiānzūn (the Primordial Celestial Worthy) and rules over the southernmost extremity of the cosmos, overseeing human longevity and mortality, fortune and misfortune, as well as the seasonal climate and cosmic cycles—making him among the most venerated deities of longevity in Daoism. With the rise of the Divine Empyrean School (Shénxiāo Pài) during the Song dynasty, his status rose markedly; Emperor Huizong of Song even proclaimed himself the 'Daoist Lord Sovereign' and vigorously promoted the Divine Empyrean deities. In popular belief, Nánjí Chángshēng Dàdì is frequently conflated with Nánjí Xiānwēng (the Star of Longevity), and during festivals and birthdays, elders are traditionally blessed in his name for protection and longevity. In Daoist temples, the Hall of the Four Sovereigns typically enshrines his image as a benevolent elder immortal holding a peach of immortality and a ruyi sceptre—symbolising enduring life and perpetual vision.