Xiwangmu

#ChineseMythology
Xiwangmu (西王母), or Queen Mother of the West, is one of the most ancient and powerful goddesses in the Chinese pantheon. She has complete control over life, death, creation, and destruction. She is married to the Jade Emperor (玉皇) and tends to the Peaches of Immortality in their palace gardens. Xiwangmu is thought to have once been a wild demon that lived in the mountains and caused cataclysmic disasters. After repenting her evil ways, she achieved enlightenment and became a goddess. Like other high ranking deities, Xiwangmu has many names and honorary titles. Her most common name is simply “Xī-Wáng-Mǔ” (西王母). “Xī” (西) is the Chinese character for West, “Wáng” (王) is an honorific title reserved for gods and emperors, and “Mǔ” (母) simply means mother. Xiwangmu’s name is most often interpreted as “Queen Mother of the West.” Xiwangmu had a wild, almost feral appearance befitting her ferocious personality. Around the Tang Dynasty, however, popular opinion surrounding Xiwangmu began to shift dramatically. Texts now described her as having the appearance of a human woman, though she retained some beastly traits—notably, tiger’s teeth and a leopard’s tail. Xiwangmu is often depicted wearing a headdress that she uses to hide her wild, untamed hair. Xiwangmu is the highest ranking and most powerful female deity in the Chinese pantheon. She determines the lifespan of every living being, tends to the Peaches of Immortality, and manipulates the occurrences of major calamities, among other duties.