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A Tudigong is a kind of Chinese tutelary deity of a specific location. There are several Tudigongs corresponding to different geographical locations and sometimes multiple ones will be venerated together in certain regions. They are tutelary deities of locations and the human communities who inhabit it in Chinese folk religion, Buddhism, Confucianism, and Taoism. They are portrayed as old men with long beards. The definitive characteristic of Tudigongs is that they are limited to their specific geographical locations. The Tudigong of one location is not the Tudigong of another location They are considered to be among the lowest ranked divinities, just below City Gods, and above landlord gods. Often, a specific person who did a great service to their local community will be seen as becoming a Tudigong after their death. When people move from one location to another, they will say goodbye to their local Tudigong and worship the one of the new location The deities are considered to have a kind of appointed position like an alderman, with different deities being appointed to different areas. Houtu is the overlord of all the Tudigongs, Sheji, Shan Shen, City Gods, and landlord gods worldwide.