Gnome is also one of the best-known gods in Taoist fairy
tales. As local numens, though they have no high position, they are the
commonest worshiped gods. The fanes built for them used to be
everywhere.
Gnomes usually appear as an old couple, the
male one is called Gnome Grandpa, and the female one is called Gnome Grandma.
The adoration to the gnomes actually came from the ancient adoration to the
soil. Afterwards, this natural adoration began to turn anthropomorphized, and
some real characters started to play these roles, and were called Gnomes.
There are countless gnomes in China, so that few have their names known. The
fanes built for them are often very small, which are called Village God Temple,
in which an old couple is enshrined. In the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), the
worship for them became thriving and was introduced to other nationalities.
In China, there were grand festival gatherings per year in the past to fete
this god. Subsequently, these gatherings, which evolved into the most typical
phenomenon -- temple fair, form a tradition.