RAS-1998 — Page 178

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and Zheng Lingguan Yuanshuai EA

Xu Sun's festival is celebrated on the 1st of the eighth lunar month, though in a few of the temples a further minor festival is held on the 28th of the first lunar month.

Apart from his title, Xu Zhenjun and his personal name, Xu Sun, he is also known as:

Xu Xianzhen 許仙真

Xu Xian Zhenren 許仙真人

Xu Zhenren 許真人

Shengong Miaoji Zhenjun 神功妙濟真君

a Song dynasty title

Jingming Zhongxiao Dao 凈明忠孝道

a Song or Yuan dynasty title

Note: This deity should not be confused with another, Xu Jia, also known as Xu Zhenren A nor should either cult be confused with yet another local deity, Xu Tianjun. A further complication arises from the identification by some temple keepers in Singapore and Taiwan of Xu as the local Chaozhou community Military Earth God, Gantian Dadi.

i Chinese Medical Deities: 1870

ii Sun Simiao, one of the Ten Celebrated Physicians renowned not only as a herbalist but as a diagnostician was also of Jiangxi province.

iii Wu Ben, a herbalist of great renown born in a village near Xiamen in Fujian province. He is possibly better known by his title of Baosheng Dadi, the Great Emperor who Protects Life.

iv Fitkin, Gretchen Mae: The Great River - The Story of a Voyage on the Yangtze Kiang: Shanghai: Kelly and Walsh: 1922

v Professor Liang is Head of the Department of History at the Jiangxi Normal University in Nanchang.