Fengdu Ghost City: The 'Kings' of the Underworld Were Originally Two Immortal Cultivators

In Fengdu, Chongqing, there is a mountain called Mingshan, covered in temples, known as the 'Ghost City.' The first place upon entering is the 'Gate of Ghosts,' followed by the Naihe Bridge, the Yellow Springs Road, the Home-Watching Terrace, and the Hall of King Yama. Along the whole way, everything is related to the netherworld.

There is a legend about the origin of this Ghost City: during the Han Dynasty, two men, named Yin Changsheng and Wang Fangping, cultivated the Tao and became immortals on this mountain. Their surnames combined, 'Yin' and 'Wang,' were later spread by word of mouth until they became 'Yin Wang,' meaning 'King of the Underworld.'

Thus, in folk legends, Fengdu gradually became the entrance to the Underworld. Taoism originally had 'Fengdu Luoshan,' the dwelling place of ghosts and gods, said to be in the north. After the Tang and Song dynasties, people associated it with Mingshan in Fengdu, giving rise to the 'Emperor of Fengdu,' who governs all ghosts in the mortal world. In the early Republic of China, the county name was changed from 'Fengdu' (with the ear-radical) to 'Fengdu,' removing the right-hand ear-radical, reportedly so that it would no longer be called the 'Ghost City.'

Now, in the scenic area, you can see all kinds of Underworld scenes: ghost soldiers, judges, oil cauldrons, many of which were built later. Tourists in the scenic area must cross the Naihe Bridge, pass through the Gate of Ghosts, and walk the entire route before they can be said to have 'toured the Underworld.'

Many people come every year, some as tourists, some to burn incense for deceased relatives. Because of the Three Gorges reservoir, the old county seat moved to the other side of the river in the 2000s, but Mingshan remains, and the river water at the foot of the mountain has risen.

#Ghosts #网络转载 #重庆