黑白无常，原来是两个因为一把伞死掉的好朋友

Black and White Impermanence are two underworld runners who catch souls, one dressed in white and one in black; the one in white is tall, the one in black is short. The white one is called Xie Bi'an, and the black one is called Fan Wujiu.

According to folk legend, they were once good friends and ordinary people in life. They agreed to meet under a bridge on a rainy day.

That day, a heavy rain fell from the sky. Xie Bi'an arrived first, looked at the weather, and said, "I'll go back and get an umbrella; you wait here." He had just left when a flash flood struck, and the water rose all at once. Fan Wujiu kept his promise and refused to leave; he was swept away by the water and drowned.

Xie Bi'an returned with his umbrella, saw the water under the bridge, saw his friend's body, and was overcome with grief. He hanged himself under the bridge.

After they both died, they were taken into the underworld together. Because they kept their faith, they were sent to serve as soul-reaping messengers. So in portraits, White Impermanence has a deathly pale face, wears all white, a tall hat on his head inscribed with "See Wealth at First Sight," and sticks out a long tongue; Black Impermanence has a black face, wears all black, and his hat is inscribed with "Peace under Heaven."

The names of the two also fit the story: the white one is called "Bi'an," meaning "certainly safe;" the black one is called "Wujiu," meaning "no hope of rescue." In some places, people call them "Seventh Lord" and "Eighth Lord," because Xie Bi'an is tall and ranks seventh, while Fan Wujiu is short and ranks eighth.

In the City God temples of Fujian and Taiwan, statues of the two stand on either side of the City God. In Taiwan, during the annual welcoming of the gods, someone dresses as the tall Seventh Lord and Eighth Lord and walks at the very front of the procession, swaying back and forth to clear the way. Every year in the seventh lunar month, someone brings them cigarettes and wine at the temple, as it is said they enjoy a smoke and a drink.

#Folklore #网络转载