Asian, Southeast Asian & Himalayan Goddesses

Asian Goddesses

[Excerpted from the wonderfully detailed list at oocities.org]

In the tales of Europeans, Asia was always a land of the exotic: perfumes, silks, dragons, spices, fantastically wealthy empires, grand palaces, barbarians and scholars and sorcerers. It was a land unknown to Europeans and many Muslims, and so adventures great and fantastic were set there. Folktales and adventure tales are filled with accounts of heroes and heras traveling to "the East" in search of wealth, fame, land and love.

Only a miniscule sampling of that rich heritage is presented here. The Goddesses profiled are shamanic, Taoist, Buddhist, Shinto and Ainu. Their stories tell of creation, love, enlightenment, war, and nature. Some are purely mythical tales, some are of political origin, some phenomenological, while others appear to be based on historic persons and incidents; many are an ambiguous mixture of all of these.

Amaterasu, Mistress Sun

Her full name is Ama-terasu-o-mi-kami and She is the much-loved, benevolent Goddess of the Sun. She is the highest Deity of the ancient Shinto faith of Japan. Her worship flourished prior to 1945, at which time it was attacked by the occupying American force as too nativistic and nationalistic. Amaterasu, highest expression of the Spirit of Nature, would serve well as Matron of a Japanese environmental movement.

Benten, Lady Fortune

Benten, also known as Benzaiten, is the beloved Goddess of Luck of the Shinto faith. Of the Seven Deities of Luck (or Happiness), She is the only female.

Bixia Yuanjin, Princess of Clouds

This Chinese Taoist Goddess is Matron of dawn and childbirth, as well as destiny. Dawn and childbirth are two concepts often, and quite understandably, linked in world mythology: the rising of the sun, the bringing of light to the earth, is equated with the child emerging from the darkness of the womb to the light of the world.

Fuji, Mother Mountain

Fuji the mountain is well-known in the West, often pictured in travel guides and on post cards. But Fuji (or Fujiyama) is also an ancient fire Goddess of the Ainu, the indigenous people of Japan. Following the arrival of modern Japanese people, the Ainu were decimated and driven north; they now reside on the northern island of Hokkaido.

Inari, Lady Vixen

This Shinto Goddess is often personified as a vixen, or female fox. She is responsible for smithcraft and rice, as well as love and prosperity. Curiously, some myths present Inari as a God, rather than a Goddess.

Jiutinan Xuannu, Dark Maiden

This charming love story comes from China. It is also revealing of the traditional role of Chinese women.

Kamui-fuchi, Lady Hearth

This Hearth Goddess of the Ainu people of Japan is known as the Supreme Ancestress. She may be a deified tribal mother, or the spirit of female reproductivity and the home.

Kuan-Yin, Merciful One

After Amaterasu, Kuan-Yin is the most well-known Asian Goddess in the West. She is worshipped primarily in China, but also in India, Japan (under the name Kwannon), Korea (as Kwanseieun) and South-East Asia. Kuan-Yin is more correctly a Buddhist boddhisattva, rather than a Goddess; however, in scholar analyses of Goddesses (such as David Kinsley's THE GODDESSES' MIRROR), Kuan-Yin is included alongside more recognizable Divine Women, and so She is included here.

Mo Ye, Sword Smith

This heroic saga comes to us from China. Mo Ye may have been a real woman, since some elements of Her story are historical; others, though, are quite fantastical and transport the tale into the realm of fantasy and myth.

Mulhalmoni, Healing Waters

This Korean Goddess is the special Matron of women shamans. She is called on especially to heal ailments of the eye .

Nugua, Lady Dragon

Ancient China was a Goddess-worshipping culture, perhaps even a matriarchal (mother-ruled) culture. This story of creation comes from that ancient age.

Onne-chip-kamui, Grandmother Tree

Her name means "Old Boat Goddess" and Her tale comes from the native Ainu of Japan. This is a beautiful story of maturation and exploration.

Tatsu-ta-hime, Lady Wind

This Shinto Goddess oversees the wind and the season of autumn. Along with the God Tatsua-hiko, faithful pray to Her for an abundant harvest.

Artist unknown

South-East Asian Goddesses

Agemem, Lady Creatrix

Among the Tinguian of the Philippines, She is honored as co-Creatrix of the sun, moon, earth and stars, along with Her husband, Kadaklan.

Amitabha, Merciful Buddha

In Indonesia, She is honored as a Lady of "Infinite Light." She saves souls

Aponibolinayen, Sun Bride

In a reversal of the usual story, this Tinguin tale tells of a mortal woman carried to the heavens. She married the Sun.

Ba Ngu', Lady Dolphin

The Annam of Indonesia see the dolphin as a benevolent creature.

The dolphin is actually a Goddess, Who rescues sailors. Dead dolphins which are found at sea or wash up on shore are ceremonially buried.

Duc Ba, Spirits of Trees

Like the Nymphae (Graeco-Roman Goddesses), Askefruer (Northern

European Goddesses), and Yakshi (Hindu Goddesses), the Duc Ba are feminine spirits of trees. They are worshipped by the Annam of Indonesia.

Gimokodan, Lady of the Dead

The Bogobo of the Philippines call Her the Gimokodan Woman. She sits beside the River of the Underworld and feeds the spirits of deceased infants.

Jata, Primal Serpent

The Dyaks of Borneo worship Her as the serpent Who lived in the primeval waters. Along with the Sun, Mahatala, She created the universe. See Aida Wedo and Ayizan (Central American Goddesses) and Julunggul (Oceanic Goddesses).

Munsumundok, Creatrix

This rather grisly story of creation comes from the Dusun of Sarawak,

Borneo. It recounts the creation not only of celestial phenomena and humans, but also of trees and food. See also Sago Woman (Descent of the Gods chapter) and Nungui (South American Goddesses).

Pajau Yan, Lady Moon

Among the Chams of Vietnam, She is a benevolent Goddess of Health,

Healing and Good Fortune. A lunar eclipse is Her way of honoring the

Sun; She feeds the dead with the fragrant Flowers of Transition.

Po Ino Nogar, Great One

Among Vietnamese and Cambodians, Her name means "Great One."

She is a polyandrous Goddess, Who gave people rice.

Rabia, Reborn Moon

This story told by the Ceram of Indonesia bears a striking resemblence to that of Kore/Demeter/Persephone (see Graeco-

Roman Goddesses) and Kura (Oceanic Goddesses). It is about an

Earth Goddess Who sinks into the ground and is then reborn.

Rangda, Lady of Sex and Death

On the island of Bali, She is worshipped as a Goddess of Sexuality,

Fertility, Lust and the Dead, as well as Magic and Charms.

Sangiyan Sari, Lady Rice

The Buginese of the Celebes Islands honor Her as Goddess of Rice.

If She leaves, there will be famine.

Satine, Lady of the Underworld

This complex story is told by the Ceram of Indonesia. Satine is the

Goddess of the Underworld. She sits on the Ninth Mountain; the dead must cross the other eight Mountains before they reach Her.

Usi Afu, Lady Earth

Her name means "Lady Earth." With Her husband Usi-Neno, "Lord Sun,"

She created everything, and continues to impart vitality and fertility.

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White Tara Thangka

Himalayan Goddesses

Goddesses, or, more correctly, Bodhisattvas, fill a vital role in Tibetan Buddhism. They are considered enlightened beings who aid humans in their release of ego and journey towards union with the Ultimate. One Bodhisattva in particular lies close to the heart of the Tibetan people; the mere utterance of Her name is said to alleviate pain and suffering; She is Tara.

The Bardo, Ladies Who Guide

The Bardo is the after-death state of transition which precedes rebirth. Tibetan Buddhists believe that the deceased must pass certain tests to leave the Bardo and enter the next realm; those who fail are reborn on earth or return as ghosts. The Bardo Goddesses both test and aid the deceased.

gLu-maa Ghirdhima, Lady of Music and Song

This Goddess of Music and Song is one of the Eight Mothers of Buddhism. She is peaceful and benevolent in nature. She also appears in the Bardo.

Khahdoma, Ladies Occult

The Khahdoma are Tantric Deities Who can impart occult powers to Their followers when asked. Some maintain that the Khahdoma are malevolent demons. Others say that there are two kinds of Khahdoma, the "Wisdom Khahdoma" Who reside in another world, and the Khahdoma of our world Who incarnate in women.

Prajnaparamita, Lady of Wisdom

This Goddess of Transcendental Wisdom is believed by Tibetan Buddhists to be the incarnation of the perfected wisdom of Yoga. She is called the Mother of the Bodhisattvas.

rDo-rje-rnal-hbyor-ma, Lady Truth

She is the Goddess of Truth, Spiritual Energy and Knowledge. She dispels ignorance. She is the Guardian of the practices of Tibetan Tantric Yoga.

Tara, the Star Who Leads Across

A Savior Goddess much loved by the people, Tara protects humans from dangers both physical & spiritual. The mere utterance of Her name is believed to bring peace and dissipate all danger. Many myths in Hinduism, Jainism and Tantric Buddhism recount Her intercession in the lives of supplicants.