According to legend, Marshal Tiandu was from the Tang Dynasty, and his common name was Lei Haiqing. He is good at melody, can sing and dance, and was called into the palace as a musician. Because of his outstanding talent, Li Longji, Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty, put him in charge of the musicians and showgirls in the palace. During the Anshi Rebellion, the rebels invaded Chang 'an, Tang Xuanzong fled, and Lei Haiqing was captured by the rebels.

One day, An Lushan gave a banquet in the palace and invited Lei Haiqing to entertain him. Under duress, Lei Haiqing played a funeral music, and then he threw a musical instrument on the ground and denounced the traitor. An Lushan was furious and let the soldiers dismember Lei Haiqing.

After Lei Haiqing's death, he fled with Li Longji. Whenever the rebels catch up with him, he will show his spirit in the air to protect him, fan the flames and defeat the rebels. On one occasion, the banner of "Lei" was covered by clouds, and no rain could be seen. People only saw Tian Zi, which is why people called him "Marshal Heaven".

After Li Longji took refuge and returned to Beijing, he realized Lei Haiqing's loyalty and appointed him as the general manager of Liyuan. The disciples of Liyuan respected him as a Buddha, a singing and dancing bodhisattva and a marshal, and built a temple to worship him.

Lei Haiqing's loyalty spirit was also moved by Heaven, and the Jade Emperor named him Marshal Feng Huo to help Zhang Tianshi drive away the epidemic ghosts and eliminate the epidemic diseases. Therefore, Marshal Tiandu changed from a drama god believed by his disciples in Liyuan to a god who can exorcise ghosts, resist bandits, protect the environment and people, and eliminate diseases and disasters for future generations.

Extended data

"Marshal Temple" is located in Marshal Road, Gulou District, Fuzhou. It is said to be the oldest temple dedicated to Marshal Tiandu in Fujian and is known as the ancestral temple of Marshal Temple in Fujian and Taiwan. According to the records of Tan Temple in Fujian, the temple was built in the late Tang Dynasty and has a history of 1000 years.

The ancestral hall of Marshal Temple in Fuzhou was originally a palace-style building in the Tang Dynasty, with magnificent specifications, including the main hall, the memorial hall, the stage and the dining room. Today, the main hall, the slant hall, the prison hall, the true gallery, the hall and other buildings are still there, and the believers have raised funds to repair them, and the relevant departments have turned them into places for religious activities.

Many people in Fuzhou believe in "Marshal Tiandu". After Fuzhou people moved to Taiwan Province Province, they also brought Fujian Opera and Seven-Foot Singing. In places where Fuzhou people live in concentrated communities, such as Taipei, Keelung and Danshui, the Marshal Temple will be built accordingly. Zilai Palace in Longshan, Yuqu Palace in Lugang, Changhua in Hsinchu and Marshal House are all famous marshal temples in Taiwan Province Province. Believers in these temples all respect Marshal Temple in Fuzhou as the ancestral temple.

The belief of Marshal Tiandu is also very common in southern Fujian. According to the Records of Xiamen compiled in the Qing Dynasty, people think that Marshal Tian is to show his strength, defend the enemy and protect the environment and people. "Babies are born with sores and poisons, and prayers have worked repeatedly. Incense is especially popular around the Yuan Dynasty." After the Minnan people crossed Taiwan, the belief of Marshal Tiandu also went with them.

Not long ago, a Marshal Temple in Xiangyang Village, Tingjiang Town, Fuzhou was rebuilt and completed. People from overseas and Taiwan Province came to their hometown to attend the completion ceremony. The newly-built "Marshal House" in Xiangyang has a building area of nearly 1,000 square meters and is magnificent. It is said that this is the largest Marshal Temple in Fuzhou.

When the temple was rebuilt, Amin's tomb was found behind the temple, where Minnan puppet artists and their couples were buried. The villagers said that the couple had performed in this area for many years, and they were able to exorcise demons. They suspected that Lei Haiqing had died, so they built a temple to worship. The discovery of this tomb proves that Marshal Tiandu is a legend of a drama god. Fujian and Taiwan respect the same drama god, which shows that the drama culture of the two places comes down in one continuous line.

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