Canshen
Cánshén or Cánwáng is the deity of silkworm and sericulture in Chinese religion. There are two main Canshen, who are two deified mytho-historical personalities who contributed to the invention and diffusion of sericulture in China.
- Cánmǔ, is a goddess whose cult is related to that of Houtu and to that of the Sanxiao goddesses. She is also called Cángū, and is identified as Léizǔ, the wife of Huangdi, the deity of the centre of the cosmos and god progenitor of all the Chinese. The worship of Canmu is typical of central-northern and eastern China.
- Qīngyīshén is the same as Cáncóng, the first ruler and ancestor of the Shu kingdom, and promoter of sericulture among his people. He was worshipped in Sichuan, the modern Chinese province descending from the Shu kingdom.