The 10 + 4 Categories of Beings

In Tian Ningan, or Dragonborn belief, there are 10 categories of beings that exist, plus a group of an additional 4 entities that exist outside this system.
The 10 categories of beings can be further broken down into 2 groups of 5: immortals, and mortals, with each class of being thought to be imbued with a combination of 2 different elements (the 4 fundamental elements being earth, fire, air, and water). Of the 2, the immortals (xiān) are by far the most important.
Xiān
Beginning with the xiān, these are beings of extreme importance within dragonborn religion. Except for the guǐxiān, the xiān are believed to be beings of great virtue who commune with nature on behalf of mortal creatures.
Note that there is a hierarchy of importance here, as only 2 of the 5 types of immortals are beings who have attained moral perfection, what is called chúndù (“purity”), and technically not all of them are actually immortal. Thus, of these 5, only 2 are the types of xiān venerated by the dragonborn for their ability to act as mediators between mortals and nature. The 5 types of xiān are: tiānxiān, shénxiān, dìxiān, rénxiān, and guǐxiān.
Tiānxiān ("Celestial Immortal") – Tiānxiān are immortals who achieved chúndù while still living. So virtuous, so morally perfect are the tiānxiān that the world and the forces of nature will converge around them and sweep them up to protect them from being somehow tainted by sin later in life.
Often, it is said how the person is taken away will denote what type of tiānxiān they will become: dìqiúxiān (earth) will be suddenly swallowed up by the earth, huǒxiān (fire) will be engulfed in a pillar of heavenly fire, fēngxiān (air) will be picked up by the winds and carried away into the sky, and shuǐxiān (water) will be swept away by a great wave.
In all cases, the person’s material body dissolves and they become almost unified with nature. Though they remain in this world, they are immaterial. It is as though they are halfway between life and death, existing but undying. It is said to be a peaceful existence of unrivaled bliss, and the feeling of oneness with the world. It is this nature, of being in between mortality and nièpán, that allows them to commune with nature on behalf of mortals.
Like monks, the tiānxiān will not leave the world until all other mortals have achieved nièpán, liberation from lúnhuí, the endless cycle of life, death, and rebirth. The difference of course being that, while monks remain in lúnhuí, the tiānxiān do not.
A rather important note here is that, typically, it is believed that only a monk or a dragon can ever become a tiānxiān, for only they are blessed with the capacity to live a life of such perfect virtue that it is even possible. This is why rebirth as a monk or dragon is considered to be the greatest rebirth possible.
Shénxiān ("Spirit Immortal") – Shénxiān are immortals who achieved chúndù after or upon their death. In stories, these are most often either people who die in the act of doing something incredibly virtuous and noble, or monks who pass away after having led a life of near-perfect virtue.
In both cases, this death occurs usually after having led an already extremely—though not perfectly—virtuous life (this also makes them great for stories with a redemption theme). It is said that the ascendence of a shénxiān will be marked by an elemental miracle during their funeral in accordance with one of the 4 elements.
This miracle will also indicate the element with which the new shénxiān will be associated. The four types of shénxiān are dìqiúxiān (earth), huǒxiān (fire), fēngxiān (air), and shuǐxiān (water).
It is said that when one goes to bury the body of one who is to become a dìqiúxiān, they will find the grave has dug itself during the night, or that all traces of the grave disappear soon after the funeral is complete. No scavenging creature or insect will defile the flesh and, if one were to dig the grave back up, they would find no body inside.
It is said that when one goes to burn the body of one who is to become a huǒxiān, the flames will burn in a thousand different colours, or it will suddenly rise as a great column of fire that pierces the heavens, or the pyre will burn for a great period of time on a seemingly insufficient amount of fuel (indeed, some dragonborn fire monasteries will be built around the pyres of a huǒxiān they claim have been burning for centuries or longer).
It is said that when one goes to expose the body of one who is to become a fēngxiān, the air will be perfectly still and smell sweetly of flowers. The body will not rot but stay perfectly pristine for days (usually 16, as this is a sacred number). The birds will not tear at the flesh, nor gnaw at the bones, but will safeguard it from all injury or injustice, and either they or the wind itself will lift the body into the sky.
It is said that when one goes to submerge the body of one who is to become a shuǐxiān, the waters may open up to allow the body easy passage to its depths. Fish and other creatures will not bite at the remains but, as with carrion birds and fēngxiān, will protect it from harm. When one goes to retrieve the bones later, they will find nothing. In some stories, the body will even turn into water as it is being submerged.
An important note here is that, unlike tiānxiān, it is considered possible for people other than monks or dragons to become shénxiān.
Dìxiān ("Earthly Immortal") – Dìxiān is simply a different word for tiānkanzen, dragons. To be more precise ryū is the yin word for dragons that is used by women. Dìxiān is the yang word that is used by men. Monks may use either word, or they poetically use the combined yin-yang term tiānkanzen (from the yin term "heaven," and the yang term "perfect").
Dragons, or dìxiān, are believed to be those who have—over the course of numerous lives—come so close to chúndù, so close to being of perfect virtue, that they achieve immortality after their deaths. They are granted rebirth as a dragon, a near-perfect, ageless creature, immune to disease. Though, this immortality is not perfect, as even dragons require sustenance and shelter, and can be killed (in a sense) by mortal hands. In many cases, dragons are believed (or even known) to have knowledge of these past lives either from birth or from having achieved enlightenment as a dragon.
Though not quite in the same way as xiān, dragons are venerated by the dragonborn as wise and noble elders, sages, the ultimate sources of knowledge. Dragonborn villages that reside nearby to a dragon (or have even been built up around a dragon, as has been known to happen) will often bring it gifts of food and other offerings. They will often be consulted on important matters, as the village seeks their wisdom and advice.
But do not be mistaken, this is not worship. The dragonborn raise no prayers to dragons, nor do they believe them to be gods. It is veneration, in much the same way one venerates their ancestors or the xiān. There is a world of difference between the two.
Rénxiān ("Human Immortal") – As a quick note, the word rén is often translated by humans as “human,” as in the races of man, but that isn’t quite accurate. Rather, rén refers more to humankind-ness, or what we might call humanity. It is the quality of a person that separates us as "people" from animals, insects, or plants. The connections we have to others and the place we have in society in relation to those around us are the most important aspects of rén.
There are technically two types of rénxiān. The first is a person (a mortal possessed of rén) who has attained immortality through some external means without either achieving chúndù or becoming guǐxiān. Typically, this means magic. Elixirs that extend one’s life indefinitely are the most famous in stories and legends, but there are also spells and other magics said to make one immortal.
However, it is said this can also be done through diet (in particular, by not eating meat or grains as all mortals do, but instead consuming things like pine resin and the morning dew). Regardless, these types of immortals are called dān rénxiān (“elixir rénxiān”).
The second type of rénxiān is a person who has achieved complete mastery over their own internal qì, the animating energy that exists within all things. Most commonly, this occurs through meditation and contemplation, and in stories they are typically priests.
This mastery over qì is said to grant a person many powers, in addition to their immortality. They can use their breath to close wounds, heal poisons and diseases, calm wild animals, cause water to flow backwards, extinguish great fires, and even breathe without using their nose or mouth. These types of immortals are called qì rénxiān.
An important quality of rénxiān is that, like dìxiān, they are not technically immortal. They still require food, water, and shelter, and they can be killed like most other mortals (albeit with great difficulty). They are merely immortal in the sense that they do not age, nor do they succumb to disease or illness.
Guǐxiān ("Ghost Immortal") – Guǐxiān are the most hated and loathsome, not just of immortals, but of all creatures. So vile are they that the yang word guǐxiān is only considered appropriate for use by monks. Lay men and women alike use the yin word imawashī, meaning “hated abomination.” There is no mixed yin-yang word for the creatures, as yin-yang words are considered beautiful and sacred.
Guǐxiān are those that have, much like dān rénxiān, discovered a means of extending their life by consuming the life force—the qì—of others. Such creatures include vampires, as well as certain forms of necromancers, liches, ghouls, demons, and cannibals. By continuously devouring the qì of others, they extend their own lives indefinitely, thus rendering them immortal. What makes this especially vile is that it is believed that it is a being’s qì that is reborn over and over in the cycle of lúnhuí.
Thus, consuming the qì of another causes them to be removed from that cycle via unnatural, horrible means. It is a violation of the dào—the fundamental way and order of the cosmos and of all things—not just of qì, but of the cycle of lúnhuí itself. It is the greatest affront to nature imaginable, a truly loathsome abomination, indeed.
It is said that to be consumed by a guǐxiān is to be subjected to an eternity of torment and suffering, as ones qì struggles for freedom, but is shackled, restrained, denied rebirth and the pursuit of its dào, denied return to the cycle of lúnhuí, and fed upon by the guǐxiān. Neither living, nor dead, nor immortal, one exists in a tortuous in-between state that seems unending.
There is hope for such people, as it is believed that all the qì consumed by a guǐxiān is released upon its death. This is where the bùzìrán ryōshi (“hunter(s) of the unnatural”) come in. The bùzìrán ryōshi are those who have taken it upon themselves to hunt down and destroy with great prejudice all that which violates the dào and nature (which naturally includes, but is not limited to, guǐxiān).
Though it may be tempting to think of the bùzìrán ryōshi as an order, like a noble order of knights, this is not the case. As the name implies, it is merely an occupation much like any other.
They are hunters with a specific quarry and, much like hunters, will often operate in groups to increase safety and chances of success. The only difference is that their quarry tends by its very nature to be much more dangerous that that of a typical hunter.
But there is no underlying noble order, no grandmaster who commands all bùzìrán ryōshi, no initiation into the profession. Just as one can pick up a bow and decide to become a hunter, so too can one decide to become a bùzìrán ryōshi (though the latter often takes much more dedication and training).
Fánxiǔ
We can now move on to the (much simpler) category of mortals, or fánxiǔ (lit. “[those who] will age/rot/decay,”). As a side note, the word xiǔ on its own also refers to the concept of impermanence, that all things will inevitably decay and pass away. Fánxiǔ is not the same thing as a mortal, as the word mortal encompasses plants while fánxiǔ refers only to sentient creatures. The word for non-sentient living things is huó (lit. "alive").
This means there are three overlapping and increasingly specific types of mortals: huó, which is all living things; fánxiǔ, which is all living things that are sentient (e.g., animals, insects, people, etc and rén, which is a quality ascribed to living things that are sapient—in other words, people (rén is both the adjective and the noun, with the plural form being rénmen).
There are 5 categories of fánxiǔ, into which creatures are organized based on physical characteristics: hairless, hairy, scaly, winged/feathery, and crawling/swarming.
Hairless – Hairless generally refers to creatures that have neither hair nor scales. This includes creatures like snails, slugs, frogs, eels, and worms. Depending on who you ask, this category may also encompass shellfish. Crabs, lobsters, shrimp, etc. Some people develop some pretty strong opinions on the subject, in fact.
Hairy – Hairy generally refers to creatures that have hair or fur, either long or short, mostly mammals. This includes creatures like cats, dogs, monkeys, horses, goats, pigs, cows, elephants, etc. It also encompasses most of the humanoid races, like humans, dwarves, elves, gnomes, halflings, etc.
Scaly – Scaly generally refers to creatures that have scales, mostly reptiles and fish. This includes creatures like lizards, snakes, most fish, turtles, tortoises, pangolins, alligators, etc. It also encompasses a few humanoid races, like the dragonborn themselves, lizardfolk, kobolds, and tortles.
Winged/Feathery – Winged, or feathery, generally refers to creatures that exhibit non-magical powered flight (i.e., distinct from unpowered flight, such as the gliding of a “flying” squirrel, or the magical flight of creatures like fairies or other magical beasts, or the high jump of a flying fish) but are not insects either. This category consists exclusively of bats, birds, and aarakocra.
Crawling/Swarming – Crawling, or swarming, generally refers to all insects. Ants, flies, spiders, centipedes, grasshoppers, bees, wasps, dragonflies, beetles, butterflies, moths, mantids, termites, etc. Depending on who you ask, this category may also encompass shellfish; crabs, lobsters, shrimp, etc. Some people develop some pretty strong opinions on the subject, in fact.
The Sì Líng Hóu
There are 4 beings who exist that do not fit into any of the above 10 categories. These are the Four Spirit Monkeys, or the Sì Líng Hóu. Each one is possessed of incredible power and is neither truly mortal nor immortal. They exist within nature, yet are above it, with powers that allow them to flagrantly violate and distort the laws of nature and even the dào itself to an extent.
For this reason, the term is sometimes translated as the Four Divine or Demon Monkeys, yet neither of these terms are quite accurate either. For the Four Spirit Monkeys are not gods, nor are they the sort of malevolent entities one would associate with the word demon. They are not prayed to or venerated, but neither are they feared or hated; neither cursed, nor blessed, merely acknowledged.
The word “spirit” can also be confusing, as it may convey the idea that they are ghosts or a similar type of spiritual immaterial being, which is not quite true.
The word líng (靈) can also be translated as “spiritual potency/power,” such as the power of a deity or other magical creature (including the magic of mortals) to affect the world. This is not a bad translation, as it transmits the core idea that they are very powerful beings and not much else that could lead to confusion. Each of the Four Spirit Monkeys is associated with, and said to be comprised entirely of the pure qì of one element in the traditional dual combinations.
Líng Míngdàn Hóu ("The Wise Stone Monkey") – The Wise Stone Monkey, or the Intelligent Stone Monkey is the king of all monkeys (the 3 other Spirit Monkeys excluded). He is 4-times immortal, and can alter his form and size at will. He recognises the seasons, discerns all the advantages of earth, and can alter the courses of the stars and their constellations. The Wise Stone Monkey is also the only one of the Four Spirit Monkeys who has a definite gender (male) and can also go by a different name, Sun Wukong. His qì is composed of fire-fire.
Chì'kāomǎ Hóu ("The Red-Buttocked Baboon") – The Red-Buttocked Baboon has knowledge of yin and yang, and of the one true cosmic dào. It has knowledge of all mortal affairs, and the ability to go into or out of anywhere and can lengthen its life and avoid death. Its qì is composed of water-water.
Tōng Bì Yuánhóu ("The Long-Armed Gibbon") – The Long-Armed Gibbon can seize the sun and moon, and shorten and raise mountains. It can distinguish what is auspicious and what is inauspicious, and can manipulate the planets, the earth, and the stars. Its qì is composed of earth-earth.
Liù'ěr Míhóu ("The Six-Eared Macaque") – The Six-Eared Macaque is a nearly omniscient being that can hear things from across the world, and discern the fundamental principles of reality. It has knowledge of past and future, and understands all creatures. Its qì is composed of air-air.