{{Short description|Deity among Chinese diaspora}} [[File:Pun_Tao_Kong_shrine,_Phasi_Charoen_06.23.jpg|thumb|250px|Pun Tao Kong shrine in [[Phasi Charoen district]], Bangkok]] '''Pun Tao Kong''' ({{zh|本頭公}}; [[pinyin]]: ''Běn tóu gōng'') or '''Lao Pun Tao Kong''' ({{zh|老本頭公}}; [[pinyin]]: ''Lǎo běn tóu gōng''; {{lit|traditional senior chief}}) is a [[Chinese god|deity]] who is highly respected and broadly regarded by [[overseas Chinese]] but does not exist in [[China]]. He is related and similar to [[Tudigong]]. Pun Tao Kong beliefs and shrines exist in some countries such as [[Thailand]], [[Malaysia]], [[Vietnam]], [[Cambodia]], [[Singapore]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sure.su.ac.th/xmlui/bitstream/id/98bfdc46-e0d3-4b7c-8fb7-da5faef50dd3/MA_Supakan_Sucharit.pdf?attempt=2|format=PDF|language=thai|title=คติความเชื่อและรูปแบบเทพเจ้า "ปุนเถ้ากง" ของชาวจีนในสมัยรัตนโกสินทร์: กรณีศึกษาในเขตกรุงเทพมหานคร|first=Supakan|last=Sucharit|work=Silpakorn University|trans-title=The study of religious beliefs and iconography of the sacred images "Ben Tou Gong" in Bangkok}}</ref><ref name=ciye/>
There are many myths that tell of his origins, for example, it is believed that he was a frontline warrior of commander [[Zheng He]], then he traveled to [[Southeast Asia]] with Zheng He. While some stories said that he moved to [[Luzon island]], some records mentioned that he died there, while some did not mention about that.<ref name=ciye/>
It is possible that he was a symbol or representative of the first Chinese immigrants to Southeast Asia. The Chinese immigrants likely chose to worship a deity close to them as a [[tutelar]].<ref name=ciye>{{cite web|url=https://program.thaipbs.or.th/SpiritofAsia/episodes/86643|title=INTER-CULTURAL FAITH|date=2022-05-08|accessdate=2022-05-11|work=Thai PBS|author=Spirit of Asia}}</ref>
In Thailand, there are shrines of Pun Tao Kong spread throughout the capital [[Bangkok]], and in various cities such as [[Khon Kaen]] or [[Samut Sakhon]]. His idols often wore military uniforms or were old men.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.visitsk.org/?p=10891|title=ศาลเจ้าปุนเถ้ากง|language=thai|trans-title=Pun Tao Kong Shrine|work=Visitsk.org}}</ref> While some shrines may use the image of [[Vishnu]] as Pun Tao Kong.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.matichon.co.th/education/religious-cultural/news_3164080|language=thai|date=2022-02-05|accessdate=2022-05-12|work=Matichon|title=เหนือความงามคือจิตวิญญาณ 'ศาลเจ้าจีน' ในเมืองไทย มรดกโพ้นทะเลสู่ยุคร่วมสมัย|trans-title=Beyond beauty is the spirit of ‘Chinese shrines’ in Thailand, an overseas heritage to the contemporary era}}</ref>
Pun Tao Kong is usually worshiped among the [[Teochew people]], there are some in the [[Hoklo]]. While the [[Hainanese]] and [[Hakka people]] do not have this belief at all. And it is said that he is the Chinese god with the largest number of shrines in Bangkok.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/sanjeen2014/posts/1600666013525204/|date=2015-05-02|accessdate=2022-05-13|language=thai|title=#ปุนเถ่ากง เทพเจ้าแห่งชาวจีน|trans-title=#Pun Tao Kong god of Chinese people|author=จำหน่ายศาลตี่จู้เอี้ย ปลีก-ส่ง By ศาลเจ้าจีน ไทยแลนด์ ออนไลน์|work=Facebook}}</ref>
According to Somchai Kwangthongpanich, an expert on [[Sinology]]. Evidence of the oldest Pun Thao Kong shrine in Thailand, it has existed since the [[Ayutthaya period]] (more than 250 years). In those days, there were many Pun Tao Kong shrines in Ayutthaya in Chinese communities like Yan Nai Kai Market or [[Khlong Suan Phlu|Pak Nam Mae Bia]] (present-day in Ho Rattanachai Sub-District, [[Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya District]]).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://siamrath.co.th/n/23558|work=Siamrath|date=2017-09-17|accessdate=2022-05-12|language=thai|title="ปุนเถ้ากง-ตี้จูเอี๊ย" เทพผู้คุ้มครองบ้าน-ชุมชนชาวจีนโพ้นทะเล|trans-title=“Pun Tao Kong-Tudigong” home tutelary deities - overseas Chinese community}}</ref>
However, the largest and one of the oldest shrines of him is on [[Song Wat Road]] in [[Bangkok's Chinatown|Chinatown area]]. In the olden days, when people began to build Pun Tao Gong shrines at other places, they would ask for [[incense]] from here.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://touristbangkok.com/chinese-temples-shrines/lao-pun-tao-kong-shrine/|title=Lao Pun Tao Kong Shrine|work=Tourist Bangkok}}</ref><ref name=ciye/>
Sometimes Pun Tao Kong is known as '''Pun Tao Ma''' ({{zh|本頭媽}}; [[pinyin]]: ''Běn tóu mā'') a tutelar goddess. The shrines of Pun Tao Ma also spread in different places like Pun Tao Kong, sometimes both of them were worshiped together.
==See also== *[[Tudigong]]
==References== {{reflist}} [[category:Chinese gods]] [[category:Tutelary deities]] [[category:Chinese diaspora in Thailand]] [[Category:Chinese diaspora in Southeast Asia]] [[category:Chinese-Thai culture]]