In the first year of Jiushi (700), during the reign of Emperor Zetian Dasheng of the Great Zhou, the Book of Peddler Gods was established. Burning incense and bowing twice at Shangyang Palace, he offered a copy of the Book of Peddler Gods to the heavens in a ritual fire. He ordered the Peddler God Zi Jingfu of the Laba Festival and the Peddler God Zi Zhushoufu of the Winter Solstice to take charge and enlighten the Peddler Gods of later generations. The process concluded in the eighth year of Dade (1304), during the reign of Emperor Chengzong of the Yuan, with the investiture of sixty-four Peddler Gods.
