Plutus is the deity in charge of wealth in Greek mythology. However, in China, there's also a Chinese Plutus but with a different legend.

Legendary Origin

It's recorded in Fengshen Bang (a list of the names of different gods in traditional Chinese legends) that a man named Zhao Gongming trained himself according to a religious doctrine in Luofu Cavity on the E'mei Mountain and he became immortal during the Shang Dynasty (c. 16th century-11th century BC).

When Zhou Wu (the first emperor of Zhou Dynasty) led troops to campaign against Shang's emperor (a tyrant and the last emperor of the Shang Dynasty), Zhao stood with the tyrant and died in the war.

After his death, his soul was charged with being the deity looking after the distribution of fortune and happiness. Four demi-gods each called a "celestial worthy" (the title of some deities in the Taoist pantheon) and named Zhaobao, Nazhen, Zhaocai and Lishi, were assigned to him. Their responsibilities all related to the granting of fortune. Thus, Zhao became the person for fortune-seeking people to venerate and to make sacrifices to.

Another legend of Taoism said Zhao Gongming originally came from Zhongnan Mountain and lived a remote and solitary life to practice his skills. Later, the Jade Emperor (the Supreme Deity of Taoism) appointed him Zhengyi Xuantan Marshal. So people called him Marshal Zhao.

It was said that Marshal Zhao was in charge of exorcising evil spirits as well as bringing fortune to people. As a result, he was venerated as the Chinese Plutos.

In the past, there was a sculpture of Plutos in every temple and in each household featuring a man-eating face with a thick moustache and an iron crown on his head. In one hand was a steel scourge and a yuanbao (a shoe-shaped gold or silver ingot used as money in feudal China) in the other hand. He was mounted on a big black tiger.

Beggars Bring Luck

In order to become rich, people prostrated themselves before the image of Plutos at various festivals. In addition to private worship, there was usually a fixed day to conduct some activities to welcome and sacrifice to Plutus.

On the first day of the Chinese Lunar New year, beggars and unemployed men would go to each household in a parade known as "Welcoming Plutus".

They wore colorful dress with a paper hat, a thick moustache and painted their faces with colored oil. The beggars held a golden "whip" made of sugarcane in the right hand and carried a tray in the left on which yuanbao made of gold or silver paper, symbolizing gold or silver hills, was piled.

A large pair of "boots" made of black paper completed their ensemble under which they wore straw sandals or just bare feet. No one could help laughing at the sight they presented or at their clowning.

When arriving at a house, they would raise their trays and their whips and would stare at the homeowner without a word even if firecrackers were exploding beside them. According to tradition, the household would lose money if "Plutus" opened his mouth.

Usually, homeowners thought it auspicious if "Plutus" came to their houses so they would give some money. But the beggars would express no thanks and, instead, would go straight to the next house and repeat the exercise. Only on this day could beggars hold their heads high and have a great time during a festival - they were looked down upon and treated badly the rest of the year.

There's another myth that Zhao was so lazy and idle that he would only come down to the world on the fifth day of the Chinese Lunar New Year. So every household had to hurry to welcome him by exploding firecrackers or burning joss sticks on that day.

Water-fetching Fable

Some people also believed that Plutus' birthday was July 22 of the lunar year and they sacrificed to him on that day in the hope of becoming rich.

In Northwest China, a popular legend has it that by getting up early to fetch water on the fifth day of Lunar New Year, success would be assured and poverty would end.

The legend has an interesting background. Three poor brothers had broken with their family and were living apart. However, the youngest was able to build a house and marry within three years while his two older brothers still lived impoverished lives.

On the eve of New Year's Day, the youngest invited his brothers to dinner. After drinking for some time, the two older brothers asked the youngest the secret of making a fortune. The youngest smiled but made no answer. Under repeated questioning, he said: "Next morning we go to fetch two barrels of water from the river, then I'll tell you. Remember to be early!"

At dawn the next day, the two older brothers were awakened by firecrackers. They got up quickly and went to the youngest brother's house but not before they had first fetched two barrels of water from the river.

They were surprised to find that several big urns in their brother's home were already full of water. They realized that the secret of enrichment was, simply, hard work.

The two older brothers then began to rise early, to work hard and they were able to build their homes and marry three years later.

When the legend spread, many old men asked their children to get up early to fetch water on the fifth day of the new year, which would mean a good start to the new year. The earlier, the richer.

Today, people have water on tap, especially in the cities, and do not have to fetch water any more but the custom of welcoming the god of wealth or fortune is still kept up in some regions although mostly in private.

Plutus in modern times appears endlessly in different forms such as in teleplays, dancing, and in computer games.

But no matter in which dynasty people lived, everyone wanted to have their fortune made and to be able to live better. Thus, Plutus has become an eternal object of veneration although his form has varied with the times.

(Shanghai Star January 31, 2003)