Earth God (Tu Di Gong)

The most popular origin story runs like this. In the Zhou dynasty there was a tax official named Zhang Fude — and in an age when tax collectors were despised, he was so honest that he gave away his own salary to help the poor. He lived to 102, an almost unheard-of age back then. After he died, a farmer he had once helped built him a humble shrine out of three stones. And then something strange happened: the farmer's fortunes began to soar. Word got around, the neighbors built shrines of their own, and Earth God temples went up one after another — until they outnumbered every other kind of temple on the island. Call it the most successful word-of-mouth campaign in history. One honest official, starting from three stones after his death, became the most widespread god in all of Taiwan. No dazzling miracles, just the plainest of truths — that good people are repaid — which is exactly what makes Tudigong so endearing. He isn't remote and he isn't stern; he's the old neighbor who watched you grow up.

What to pray for: wealth (Tudigong is the most approachable of all the money gods), a safe home, a thriving business, a good harvest. Business owners, take note — you honor him with the 'zuoya' ritual on the 2nd and 16th of every lunar month. That's the old custom.

Praying to him is easy. The offerings needn't be grand — three meats, fruit, peanuts, mochi, candy, all of it works. Tudigong isn't a picky eater; sincerity is what counts. As you offer incense, tell him your address, your name, and what you're hoping for. To pray for wealth, burn 'Tudigong gold' paper money, or head to Zhushan Zinan Temple in Nantou to cast moon blocks and borrow 'prosperity money' as your seed capital.

There's just one taboo: if you borrow prosperity money, you must pay it back once your fortunes improve — usually double. Tudigong is a kind old soul, but his memory is excellent.

His birthday on the 2nd of the 2nd lunar month ('First Ya') sees celebrations at temples everywhere. The 'Last Ya' on the 16th of the 12th month evolved into Taiwan's unique corporate year-end banquet tradition, where traditionally a chicken pointing at an employee suggested they wouldn't be rehired.