Shangdi in the context of "Chinese salvationist religion"

Tian (天) is one of the oldest Chinese terms for heaven and is a central concept in Chinese mythology, philosophy, and cosmology. During the Shang dynasty (17th–11th century BCE), the highest deity was referred to as Shangdi or Di (帝, "Lord"). In the subsequent Zhou dynasty, Tian became synonymous with this figure. Prior to the 20th century, the worship of Tian was considered an orthodox cosmic principle in China.

In Taoism and Confucianism, Tian (the celestial aspect of the cosmos, often translated as "Heaven") is described in relation to its complementary aspect, Dì (地, often translated as "Earth"). Together, they were understood to represent the two poles of the Three Realms of reality, with Humanity (人, rén) occupying the middle realm, and the lower world inhabited by demons (魔, mó) and spirits or "ghosts" (鬼, guǐ).

The Wǔfāng Shàngdì (Chinese: 五方上帝 "Five Regions' Highest Deities" or "Highest Deities of the Five Regions"), or simply Wǔdì (五帝; "Five Deities") or Wǔshén (五神; "Five Gods") are, in Chinese canonical texts and common Chinese religion, the fivefold manifestation of the supreme God of Heaven (天; Tiān, or equivalently 上帝; Shàngdì). This theology dates back at least to the Shang dynasty. Described as the "five changeable faces of Heaven", they represent Heaven's cosmic activity which shapes worlds as 壇; tán, "altars", imitating its order which is visible in the starry vault, the north celestial pole and its spinning constellations. The Five Deities themselves represent these constellations. In accordance with the Three Powers (三才; Sāncái) they have a celestial, a terrestrial and a chthonic form. The Han Chinese identify themselves as the descendants of the Red and Yellow Deities.

They are associated with the five colors, the five phases of the continuous creation (五行; Wuxing), the five classical planets of the Solar System and the five constellations rotating around the celestial pole, the five sacred mountains and five directions of space (their terrestrial form), and the five Dragon Gods (龙神; Lóngshén) who represent their mounts, that is to say the material forces they preside over (their chthonic form). They have also been defined simply as five special forms of the worship of the God of Heaven, different "accesses" or perspectives, suitable for different situations, to serve Heaven.

Sacrifice to Heaven (Chinese: 祭天; pinyin: Jìtiān) is an Asian religious practice originating in the worship of Shangdi in China. In Ancient Chinese society, nobles of all levels constructed altars for Heaven. At first, only nobles could worship Shangdi but later beliefs changed and everyone could worship Shangdi.

Modern Confucian churches make this practice available to all believers and it continues in China without a monarch.

The 108 Heroes are the main characters of the Ming dynasty classic Chinese novel the Water Margin, which was written in the 14th century and usually attributed to Shi Nai'an. The heroes are divided into the 36 Heavenly Spirits and 72 Earthly Fiends, groups that are based on a belief in Daoism that Ursa Major has 36 Heavenly stars and 72 Earthly stars. The 108 Heroes represent 108 demonic generals who were banished by Shangdi, a supreme god in Chinese folk religion. Having repented since their banishment, the stars are released from imprisonment by accident, and are reborn in the world as 108 heroes who band together for the cause of justice. The bulk of the novel describes the lives of these men and women and how they came to come together in Mount Liang to rebel against the evil forces controlling the court of the Song dynasty.

The Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, or the Heavenly Kingdom of Great Peace (1851–1864), was a theocratic monarchy which sought to overthrow the Qing dynasty. The Heavenly Kingdom, or Heavenly Dynasty, was led by Hong Xiuquan, a Hakka man from Guangzhou. Its capital was at Tianjing, present-day Nanjing. The unsuccessful 14-year war it waged against the Qing is known as the Taiping Rebellion.

A self-proclaimed younger brother of Jesus Christ and convert to Protestant Christianity, Hong Xiuquan led an army that controlled a significant part of southern China during the middle of the 19th century, eventually expanding to an area populated by nearly 30 million people. The rebel kingdom announced social reforms and the replacement of traditional cults for his own Bài Shàngdì Huì (Supreme Emperor Worshipping Society), holding that he was the second son of Heavenly Father (Shangdi) and the Heavenly Mother (Doumu), and the younger brother of Jesus, however it is uncertain whether he meant this literally or metaphorically. The Taiping areas were besieged by Qing forces throughout most of the rebellion. The Qing government defeated the rebellion with the eventual aid of French and British forces.

Hong Xiuquan (1 January 1814 – 1 June 1864), born Hong Huoxiu and with the courtesy name Renkun, was a Chinese revolutionary and religious leader who led the Taiping Rebellion against the Qing dynasty. He established the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom over large portions of southern China, with himself as its "Heavenly King".

Born into a Hakka family in Guangzhou, Hong claimed to have experienced mystical visions after failing the imperial examinations. He came to believe that his celestial father, whom he saw in the visions, was God the Father, his celestial elder brother was Jesus Christ, and he had been directed to rid the world of demon worship. He rejected Confucianism and began propagating a fusion of Christianity, Daoism and millenarianism, which Hong presented as a restoration of the ancient Chinese faith in Shangdi. His associate Feng Yunshan then founded the God Worshipping Society to spread Hong's teachings. By 1850, Hong's sect had over 10,000 followers and increasingly came into conflict with Qing authorities.