the oldest traceable worship among the chinese is that of "shang-te" or "shang-ti", the highest of all gods. "shang-te" is usually described as the god of heaven. but his proper place of abode, his palace, is called tsze-wei. and if we inquire as to the meaning and location of tsze-wei, the native commentators upon the sacred books inform us that it is a celestial space about the north pole. thus we find it stated that "shang-te's throne is in tsze-wei, i.e., the polar star." and: "immediately over the central peak of kwen-lun appears the polar star, which is shang-te's heavenly abode." shang-ti's title was the holy and propitious prince of the north pole. one of his symbols, upon which he is sometimes depicted as standing, was the tortoise. the tortoise is also sometimes accompanied by a snake. it is therefore noteworthy that the symbolism of the tortoise and serpent goes at least as far back as the han dynasty and was used as an emblem for the northern region of the world. more than that, as lord of the centre, "shang-ti" was also revered as "huang- ti", who is perhaps better known as the "yellow lord" or "yellow emperor". the "yellow emperor" has long been acknowledged to be the representative of saturn.
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