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玄天上帝、玄武大帝、元天上帝、亦称为真武大帝，俗称上帝公，是统理北方之道教大神。北方在五行之中属水，能统领所有水族与水上事物（故兼海神）。北方在五色中属于黑色，所以祂也称为水黑帝。因此玄天上帝像身着黑战袍，脚踩或座前有龟蛇，手持七星宝剑，即是北斗七星的象征。玄天上帝是中国北方的守护神。唐宋时期，香火随着部分汉人（今广东人和福建人）从河北和河南来到南方，在广东、广西和福建等省以及在海外侨民中广受崇拜。
玄天上帝的職責除了消災解厄、斬妖除魔、治水禦火之外，據說也有增加事業運、財源廣進的功能，許多生意人常祭拜祂以祈求發展順利。
玄天上帝的圣诞是农历三月初三，这个日子同时是专门用来消灾解厄的上巳节。
Xuan Tian Shang Di (玄天上帝, literally means ‘Dark/Mysterious Heavenly God’) , also known as Xuan Wu Da Di and Zhen Wu Da Di , is a powerful deity in Chinese religion. He is one of the higher ranking deities in Taoism. He is revered as a powerful god, able to control the elements and is capable of great magic. He is also the patron god of Northern China. As Han Chinese (now the modern-day Cantonese and Fujianese peoples) who migrated into the south from Hebei and Henan during the Tang-Song era brought along the deity, Xuan Tian Shang Di is also widely revered in the Guangdong, Guangxi and Fujian provinces, as well as among the overseas diaspora.
The statue of Xuan Tian Shang Di is dressed in black robes, with a turtle and a snake under his feet or in front of his seat. He holds a seven-star sword which is the symbol of the Big Dipper.
Other than eliminating disaster and killing demons, it is believed Xuan Tian Shang Di can control water and fire. He is also brings luck and prosperity to businessmen.
His birthday is celebrated on the third day of the third lunar month which is coincidently Shang Si festival, an auspicious day for blessings and to get rid of evils.
