Chinese Mythology

The Folk Gods and Spirits of the Middle Kingdom

HE XIANGU

Daoist Femininity Goddess

Also known as H'o Chiung, H'o Hsien-Ku, He Qiong, He Xiangu

Picture of the Chinese Femininity Goddess He Xiangu from our Chinese mythology image library. Illustration by Chas Saunders.

Immortal Goddess of Ladies, Virgins and Housewives

He Xiangu is not a He, but a She — the only female in the Eight Immortals.

One day, trying out new recipes, she ground up a shiny gem, which was more than likely a stone from a Peach of Immortality. (Lu Dongbin is rumored to have sneaked it into her shopping basket.)

She mixed the powder into a cordial and presto! Heshee Peachee, the flavor that stays with you forever. “Darlings, you simply must try some!”

He Xiangu found after a sip or two that she could fly over mountains. At first she used this talent to fill her larder with new and exotic fruits from places far away. But it wasn’t long before she spotted other immortals on her travels and threw her lot in with them.

With her emblem the self-raising lotus flower, she is the patron deity of virgins and unmarried ladies. She is also a celebrity chef and Goddess of Housekeeping. Which is all the more remarkable because after a slap-up lunch with Lu Dongbin she never felt the need to eat again.

He Xiangu Facts and Figures

Name: He Xiangu
Pronunciation: Huh Shee-yen Goo
Alternative names: H'o Chiung, H'o Hsien-Ku, He Qiong, He Xiangu

Gender: Female
Type: Goddess
Celebration or Feast Day: Unknown at present

Role:
In charge of: Womanhood
Area of expertise: Women, Woman, Female, Femininity

Good/Evil Rating: GOOD, quite approachable
Popularity index: 5483

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Article last revised on April 22, 2019 by Rowan Allen.
Editors: Peter J. Allen, Chas Saunders

References: Coming soon.

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