Who is the legendary emperor and deity in Taoism, known as the Yellow Emperor? Huangdi is the legendary emperor and deity known as the Yellow Emperor.
Huangdi, also called the Yellow Thearch or Xuanyuan, is one of China’s legendary Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors. He is presented both as a culture hero and as a divine ruler, making him an important figure in Chinese mythology, folk religion, and Taoist tradition.
Traditional accounts credit Huangdi with defeating the warrior Chi You and establishing a unified realm. He is also said to have introduced or inspired inventions and institutions such as the calendar, writing, wheeled vehicles, and medical knowledge. These attributions are legendary rather than securely historical.
In cosmological Taoism, Huangdi represents the center and is associated with the Earth phase, the color yellow, and Saturn. Several major works were attributed to him, including the Huangdi Neijing, a foundational text of traditional Chinese medicine. He is sometimes confused with Yandi, the Flame Emperor, who is a separate legendary ruler and ally or rival in different traditions.