Zhao Gongming was a character from the classic Ming Dynasty novel 'Fengshen Yanyi'. Zhao Gongming was a good friend of General Wen Zhong; also known as Grand Tutor Wen; who served King Zhou of Shang. Zhao Gongming was described as being a Taoist hermit with magical powers; and agreed to help King Zhou fight against King Wu and the Zhou army due to his close friendship with Wen Zhong.

Despite knowing that King Zhou was a cruel and tyrannical ruler; Zhao Gongming continued to fight for him; wielding various magical weapons and supernatural powers to decimate his rivals. He was so powerful that even the legendary sage Jiang Ziya concluded that he could not beat him; therefore turning to black magic instead. He enlisted the help of a Taoist sorcerer by the name of Lu Ya; who made an effigy of Zhao Gongming and then struck him down through a dark ritual; thus ending the threat of Zhao Gongming.

At the end of the novel; when Jiang Ziya began deifying various heroes and generals who had fought in the last years of the Shang Dynasty; he acknowledge Zhao Gongming's bravery and valour; uplifting him to a god of wealth and fortune; becoming an embodiment of the god Caishen.