Shangdi
Shangdi (Chinese: 上帝) is a term in Chinese religion and theology that translates roughly as “the Supreme Deity” or “Lord on High.” The two characters mean “above/high” and “emperor/deity.” In ancient Chinese texts, Shangdi refers to a supreme sky deity associated with the heavens and with the legitimation of political power, especially in the late Shang and Zhou periods. The term appears in oracle bone inscriptions and later in classical writings as part of the broader concept of Heaven (Tian) and the moral order upheld by ritual.
Historical interpretation varies: some scholars identify Shangdi as the principal god of the Shang rulers, whose
In modern usage, Shangdi is widely encountered as a translation of “God” in Chinese Bible translations. In