Cui Fujun is a Chinese folk deity said to judge the underworld. Wikidata uses Cui Fujun as the Chinese title and also lists Cui Jue, Cui Ci, Cui Ziyu and Cui Yuanjing. The cited Chinese Wikipedia says Tang and Song records are scattered, that the Long Draft Continuation of the Comprehensive Mirror states that his name was lost, and that one tradition calls him Jue while another calls him Ci, courtesy name Ziyu. Because the citations do not settle on one personal name, the titles already on this entry stay unchanged.[1][2]
Rival origins
The Chinese Wikipedia reports an account in the Compendium of Gods from the Three Teachings: he was from Gucheng in Qizhou, his father was Cui Rang, he was born on the sixth day of the sixth month of the third year of Daye, and he was named Ziyu. In the seventh year of Zhenguan he was magistrate of Changzi county in Luzhou, and legend says he judged the living by day and the underworld by night. Shanxi gazetteers more often record a Cui Jue of Leping. The same page also tells of his magistracy at Fuyang in Cizhou, and of the Dunhuang tale Tang Taizong Enters the Underworld, in which he, as judge of Fengdu, releases Taizong's soul. Journey to the West mentions that story.[2]
Later titles
The page goes on to say that during the An Lushan rebellion he appeared in a dream to comfort Emperor Xuanzong and was enfeoffed as the Numinous and Holy Marquis Who Protects the State. In the second year of Jingyou he was advanced to Duke of Manifest Response Who Protects the State, and in the second year of Yuanfu to the corresponding prince. A further title added Zhaohui. Under the Southern Song the story of the clay horse carrying Prince Kang was told. After Zhao Gou took the throne he founded a temple and granted it the plaque Xianwei. In the thirteenth year of Chunxi the deity was reclassified as a perfected lord. Popular usage still called him Cui Fujun.[2]
Basic facts
- Title used here: Cui Fujun[1]
- Description on this entry: fictional person[1]
- Setting recorded on this entry: Tang[1]
- Appears in: Journey to the West