Celestial Emperor The Celestial Emperor , also called the Celestial One and the Master of Heaven , was a deity who ruled the Celestial Empire and oversaw the Celestial Bureaucracy , the dominant pantheon of the continent of Kara - Tur , especially the empire of Shou Lung , and the overarching spiritual state managing its gods , spirits , dragons , and other creatures . Description . The Celestial Emperor was depicted as a tall man of aristocratic aspect , with a face at once both stern and compassionate , with eyes that blazed white with the inner fire of karma . He dressed as a lord , wearing the high crown of the emperors of Shou Lung and shimmering robes of many hues . He held in his left hand Lien Min , " Compassion " , a golden chalice bearing the Essence of Life . He held in his right Kun P ' ing Shen p ' an , " Justice " , a mighty scepter fashioned of silver and intricately worked . Abilities . The Celestial One was said to have all - seeing eyes , able to see even that which was concealed , so his officials could hide nothing from him . He also had infinite wisdom and power . Possessions . He held in his left hand Lien Min , " Compassion " , a golden chalice bearing the Essence of Life . He held in his right Kun P ' ing Shen p ' an , " Justice " , a mighty scepter fashioned of silver and intricately worked . Activities . The Celestial One ruled the Celestial Empire and oversaw the Celestial Bureaucracy , which governed all the spirits , dragons , and other creatures of Kara - Tur . From this lofty position , he decided the path of What Has Been and Will Be . He determined that Heaven and the Red Earth should mirror each other in the pursuit of perfection . To this end , he created the Path of Enlightenment . A master of delegation , he gave every deity their divine duties , and appointed the Celestial Court to deal with trivialities like dealing with human s . At his behest , each of the Million Officials of the Bureaucracy carried out his orders and bestowed rewards to the good and punishments on the evil . At the beginning of the New Year , the Celestial Emperor called his court to an audience before the Jade Throne , and every one of the Million Officials gave their reports on their work , their successes and failures , and even their misdeeds , as the Celestial One saw through any deception . With each report , the Celestial Emperor gave his judgment , reward , or punishment , as appropriate . Rogue officials , those who ' d proved incapable , corrupt , or ill - behaved , were formally devested of their position and powers and sent to the Underworld . Relationships . In addition to the subjects of the Celestial Empire and the officials of the Bureaucracy , the Celestial Emperor commanded the Nine Immortals , who stood beside his Jade Throne , always ready to do as he bade as agents of his divine will . At his direction , they commanded the Lesser Immortals and other officials and each took responsibility for one aspect of the Path of Enlightenment . History . In legend . There had only ever been one Celestial Emperor , he had ruled since the start of the Great Cycle , since the beginning of time . In the beginning , when the worlds were but newly formed and molten , the Celestial One blew his cool , misty breath — a divine wind called the kamikaze — upon the land , cooling the fires and making it fertile . Meanwhile , he had his kami , the spirits of nature , wander the land to still its upheavals . And thus was born the Red Earth , as the land of Kara - Tur was known to those of Heaven . It wasn ' t long before humankind arose from the dust of this Red Earth , but they were savage , argumentative , and belligerent . The Celestial One disapproved , and wished for their lives to be a reflection of Heaven , to follow his Path of Enlightenment . To this end , he sent to the Red Earth his emissaries , the Nine Immortals , who would each teach one aspect of the Path and serve as the first emperors of Shou Lung . He caused red lightning to inscribe the precepts of the Path into the sheer granite of the Cliffs of Tanghai along the Hungtse River , so that people would never forget them . In history . According to recorded history , the Celestial Emperor blessed Chan Cheng , a great leader who ' d unified a number of warring states along the Ch ' ing Tung River in −1887 DR , making him the first of the Nine Immortals . Worshipers . In Kara - Tur , belief in the Celestial Emperor was very strong , yet no one prayed directly to him . He had appointed each of his Immortals to oversee all the relevant matters , and humans were expected to call to the appropriate Immortal . He had also organized the Celestial Court to handle trivial matters like speaking with humans . Daring to call directly to the Celestial Emperor was seen as an act of utter impudence , one that would be answered with thunder and lightning . Nevertheless , the Celestial Emperor was most closely associated with terrestrial emperors : namely , the emperors of Shou Lung . Conveniently for them , the Path of Enlightenment declared the living emperor to be the mirror of the Celestial Emperor , deifying him and raising him in importance to the level of the Celestial One . It also instituted veneration of emperors both past and present . The Shou emperor had the right to speak as an equal directly to the Immortals , though he remained a subject of the Celestial Emperor . In Tabot , it was believed that the High Lama also sat with the Celestial Emperor , and oversaw his chosen land . Realm . Dwelling at the Center of All Heaven , he ruled from the Jade Throne in the Celestial Palace , and had a small realm in the Spirit World . Appendix . Background . The Celestial Emperor is most likely inspired by the and of Chinese mythology and religion , and based on the god Shang - ti of D & D ' s Chinese pantheon , presented in " On Hallowed Ground " page 152 and " Legends & Lore " page 37 .