[2] They are tutelary (i.e. guardian or patron) deities of locations and the human communities who inhabit it in Chinese folk religion, Buddhism, Confucianism, and Taoism.

'Lord of the Land') or Tudishen (土地神; 'God of the Land'), also known simply as Tudi (土地; 'land', 'soil') and translated as Lord of the Earth,[4] Other names of the god include:[9] Extended titles of the god include: Commoners often call their local Tudigong "grandfather" (yeye), which reflects the close relationship with the common people.

[11] It is a combination of deity (示) and soil (土), meaning "god of the land"[15] Sheshen are associated with soil and grain (shèjì, 社稷), with both sometimes being personified as husband and wife[16][17] Tudigong means Tu (earth), Di, Gong (grandfather/duke) Sacrifices to Sheshen transitioned to sacrifices to Tudigong[16] The earliest known sheshen was Gou Long [zh], a son of Gonggong who was appointed as a god of the soil by Zhuanxu.

[3] Ranked beneath City Gods, the Tudigongs have been very popular among villagers as the grassroot deities since the 14th century during the Ming dynasty.

Some scholars speculate that this change came because of an imperial edict, because it is reported that the Hongwu Emperor of the Ming dynasty was born in a Tudigong shrine.

In the countryside, they are sometimes given wives, Tǔdìpó (土地婆 "Grandmother of the Soil and the Ground"), placed next to them on the altar.

[19] Tudigong temples are common across China, Tibet, Taiwan, Macau and Hong Kong.

They are also traditionally worshipped before the burial of deceased persons to thank him for using his land to return their bodies to the earth[3] It is reported that the Hongwu Emperor of the Ming dynasty was born in a Tudigong shrine.