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Shangdi
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Quick Facts
Chinese:
“Lord-on-High”
Wade-Giles romanization:
Shang-ti
Also called:
Di
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Shangdi

Chinese deity
Also known as: Di, Shang-ti
Written and fact-checked by
Britannica Editors
Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree....
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History

Shangdi, ancient Chinese deity, the greatest ancestor and deity who controlled victory in battle, harvest, the fate of the capital, and the weather. He had no cultic following, however, and was probably considered too distant and inscrutable to be influenced by mortals. Shangdi was considered to be the supreme deity during the Shang dynasty (1600–1046 century bce), but during the Zhou dynasty (1046–256 bce) he was gradually supplanted by heaven (tian).

This article was most recently revised and updated by Matt Stefon.