Si-ming is in ancient Chinese mythology a deity on whom human life depends and at the same time the name of a star that bestows longevity. According to ancient commentaries, small spirits and demons living in the human world monitor human mistakes and report them to Si-ming. As soon as someone commits a bad deed, a small demon flies with a denunciation to Si-ming, who lives in the palace of jade emptiness. Si-ming immediately records the denunciation in the tables of misconduct and merit. Good spirits bring information about good deeds.
Sy-min keeps his records for a reason. From time to time, as befits a heavenly official, he goes to report to the jade sovereign and advises which people should have their lives shortened for sins, and which ones should be extended for good deeds. Each person tries to please Si-ming so that he will tell only good things about him to the heavenly sovereign. And this is often possible. Otherwise, why does a scoundrel sometimes live up to a hundred years, while a good man dies young? Either Si-ming is greedy for bribes and sacrifices, or he is unjust from birth.
This god, the ruler of life, has another important assignment for the jade sovereign. He watches for comets. As soon as the tailed star appears in the sky, the gates of heaven open and Si-ming, armed with a sword, flies out in the wind in order to drive the comet away, because its appearance was considered a bad sign.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru