Bao Gu
Lady Bau; Lady Doctor
ALSO KNOWN AS:
Bao Ku
ORIGIN:
China
Bao Gu’s father, a high-ranking Taoist magistrate, raised his daughter in a monastery where she learned magic, alchemy, and medical techniques including acupuncture. Maturing into a beautiful woman, she married her father’s disciple, a master acupuncturist, in approximately 327 CE. They traveled to the mountains to work as healers while studying medicine and mysticism. Bao Gu’s husband died circa 364 on the very same mountain associated with the Fairy Ho Hsien-Ko.
Bao Gu returned to the monastery, where she continued her healing practice, now working alongside her father. She combined his techniques with the acupuncture she had learned from her husband and her own innovations, becoming an incredibly skilled healer. Bao Gu herself was fascinated with the healing properties of water. Although it no longer exists, her well was renamed the Bao Gu Well in her honor. Her mastery of alchemy was so complete that she never died but transformed into an Immortal or Fairy.
• Bao Gu is petitioned for healing, fertility, and happy marriages.
• She is the goddess of acupuncture.
FAVOURED PEOPLE:
Acupuncturists, practitioners of Traditional Chinese Medicine, and their patients
Sacred site:
Her father’s monastery is now the Triple Origin Temple in Guangzhou City. Originally called the Bau Gu shrine, in 1643, the imperial officer in charge of astronomy advised that the location and feng shui of the shrine was so perfect that it should be converted to venerate the Great Emperors of the Triple Origin, an imperial cult. Bao Gu’s shrine remains but was moved to the side hall. The temple including the Hall of Bao Gu was enlarged after 1700.
OFFERINGS:
Incense, acupuncture needles, different types of mineral waters
SEE ALSO:
Eight Immortals; Ho Hsien-Ko; Miao Shan
SOURCE:
Encyclopedia of Spirits: The Ultimate Guide to the Magic of Fairies, Genies, Demons, Ghosts, Gods & Goddesses– Written by :Judika Illes Copyright © 2009 by Judika Illes.