Fu Lu Shou

Fu Lu Shou – The Three Star Gods

Statues of Fu Lu Shou are displayed in millions of homes, shops and offices around the world.

These represent happiness and prosperity, status and authority and health and longevity.

Fu Lu Shou are known as the Three Star Gods. The Chinese term is San Xing. San means three in Chinese and Xing means star in Chinese.

They are often referred to collectively as Fu Lu Shou.

The Three Star Gods are popular lucky symbols for those who are into Feng Shui.

Fu Lu Shou are normally not worshipped. This is good to know for non-Buddhists. 

Anyone may feel free to display these three Chinese auspicious star gods in their home to enhance good fortune, prosperity and health.

Fu Xing

The star of Fu is dedicated to Jupiter which is considered very auspicious.

The legend tells a story of a government official named Xang Cheng. He lived in a village where for some unknown reason all the inhabitants were extremely short.

The emperor discovered this village and was truly fascinated. He found great pleasure by surrounding himself with people who were shorter than himself.

It boosted his ego and made him feel even more powerful. Yes, we know; the emperor had some serious inferiority issues to say the least.

The emperor found it too much trouble to revisit the village. Instead he ordered steady groups of short people be sent to his palace every year.

These villagers were not allowed to return home. The emperor insisted that the little people lived permanently at the palace.

The population of the village was declining yearly. The people were hurting. Their loved ones were taken away with no hope of ever returning.

Xang Cheng took pity on the villagers. He did something brave and almost unthinkable.

With great confidence Xang Cheng approached the emperor and pleaded him to stop taking the little people from their homes. He wrote a convincing petition which he then handed oved to the emperor.

Xang Cheng spoke and wrote very well. The emperor was impressed and agreed to stop this horrendous act. Xang Cheng had through the mere power of words saved a village from extinction.

Xang Cheng became immortalized as Fu Xing. Fu has proven to bring happiness, prosperity and good luck to all those who need it the most.

Fu is the star god of happiness, prosperity and good fortune. Fu is the bringer of good luck.

Lu Xing

Lu is dedicated to the sixth star of the Wen Chang cluster, in the West known as Ursa Majoris. Lu refers to salary and thus he is the star god of social status.

Lu Xing gives blessings when taking difficult exams and competing for the best high paying jobs. This is all about great career success, authority, fame and fortune.

Having career success and fame naturally leads to huge amounts of wealth.

It was told that those who studied hard would receive Lu, which is a high salary in a much respected job. Those who got the best positions were the ones blessed by Lu.

Lu Xing is also associated with helping childless couples finally have the children they have longed for. Having children is also considered a huge blessing especially as one grows old.

There are different legends concerning who Lu Xing originally was. One legend is that he was Kuo Tzu-I also known as the Prince of Fen-yang Wang.

He was one of the most honored Chinese generals. He died in 781AD at the age of 84.

He had eight sons and seven sons-in-law. They all occupied high official posts.

Shou Xing

Shou Xing is the star god of longevity. He is often called the “Old man of the South Pole”.

Shou Xing is easy to recognize with his long forehead. He carries the peach of longevity and a staff.

Legend has it that Shou Xing has the power to fix the date of every person’s death. He decides beforehand how long every human will live.

The digits cannot be changed but they can be tampered with as one story shows.

A boy named Zao Yan. One day he received a visit by a fortune teller who predicted he would only live until he reached 19 years of age. He was devastated.

The boy was told to take some good food and wine out into the forest.

He was to offer the food and wine to two old men playing chess in the forest. He was instructed to not say a single word.

Zao Yan did as he was told. He found the two old men playing chess and offered them the food and wine without uttering a word.

As it turned out these two bearded men were the Old man of the South Pole and the Old man of the North Pole. They enjoyed the meal offered to them.

The two old men wanted to thank the boy for his generous gift. After discussing the matter for a while they decided the proper gift of gratitude would be to reverse the digits for his lifespan.

They changed the digits in 19 and made the number 91.

It turned out very well for the boy. He lived until he was 91 years old and died peacefully in his sleep.

Images of Shou Xing, the star god of longevity are common on birthday cards. Shou Xing is probably the most popular of the Three Star Gods. Everyone wants to live a long happy life.

Where should you place Fu Lu Shou according to Feng Shui?

Fu Lu Sau may be placed in your living room, dining room or office. They should be placed facing the entrance of the room.

You need to keep them at eye level. Never place them on a low table. You do not want to look down on the Three Star Gods. They need to have a solid wall behind them.

In the office it may be a good idea to place them behind your desk. That way they can support you.

Never place the Star Gods in front of a window. Never place them in a bathroom or kitchen.

When placing the star gods Shou should always be to the right facing you (their left), Lu is in the middle and Fu is to the left.

These three lucky Chinese gods are powerful symbols of good fortune in every sense. Fu Lu Shou are used to attract happiness, prosperity and longevity.