80
a Stupa and/or spear
The King Protector of the North E and controller of Autumn
element metal
sometimes identified as Li T'ien-wang
P'i-sha-men T'ien-wang E
In a number of older temples the Diamond Kings are portrayed as demonic with black skins and with a total of eight in the group rather than the usual four. In the Kai-yüan Ssu in Changchou in Fukien province, the Eight are positioned on all sides of the main altar. They are bare to the waist and have bare feet, and are without weapons or attributes.
In northern Chinese temples the two guardians outside the main doors, often painted on the front walls flanking the entrance, are blue or green skinned demons known as Wu-shih, simply meaning 'warriors'. or Li-shih J
Doré claims that the Four were introduced in the 8th century during the reign of T'ang T'ai Tsung who believed that the Four helped him establish his empire. The Taoist group said to have assisted the T'ang emperor is often identified with four Taoist mythological deities. These are:
Li Yüan-shuai [Marshal Li or Li T'ien-wang], Li Ching, the Heavenly King who holds a pagoda10
Ma Yuan-shuai [Marshal Ma] or Ma the Heavenly King who holds two swords
Chao Yuan-shuai [Marshal Chao] or Chao T'ien-wang, holding a single sword
Wen Yuan-shuai [Marshal Wen] or Wen T'ien-wang holding a spiked club