Because of his character as the "patron saint" of the locality, Earth Lord's form varied according to requirements. The eminent Tang dynasty writer Han Yu was posthumously venerated as Earth Lord of the Hanlin Imperial Academy, and the famous Song dynasty general Yue Fei similarly became Earth Lord to the Lin'an Imperial College.
因為地方守護神的性格，連唐朝的大文豪韓愈也當了翰林院所祭拜的土地公；而宋朝名將岳飛則做過臨安太學的土地公。