09.08.2013 Views

CHINESE SUPERSTITIONS - University of Oregon

CHINESE SUPERSTITIONS - University of Oregon

CHINESE SUPERSTITIONS - University of Oregon

SHOW MORE
SHOW LESS

Create successful ePaper yourself

Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.

— 251 —<br />

the battle was soon won. He was accordingly reborn as Fama, the<br />

principal King <strong>of</strong> Hell, while his generals and his whole army<br />

became his assistant rulers, jailors and executioners (1). His sister<br />

Yami controls all the female culprits, as he exclusively deals with<br />

the male sex (2).<br />

Yama, as King <strong>of</strong> Hades, lives in a splendid palace (3),<br />

served by a multitude <strong>of</strong> demon-lictors. His life, however,<br />

and is<br />

is not<br />

one <strong>of</strong> unmixed happiness. Three times every twenty-four hours, a<br />

band <strong>of</strong> devils seize him, and pour down his throat a stream <strong>of</strong><br />

molten copper, thus causing him excruciating pain (4). His <strong>of</strong>ficers<br />

and followers are similarly treated in punishment<br />

<strong>of</strong> their former<br />

crimes. They will, however, be finally saved, and it is said, attain<br />

even the bliss <strong>of</strong> Buddhahood (5).<br />

Another legend <strong>of</strong> purely Chinese origin<br />

states that the famous<br />

Kiang Tze-ya || -^ 5f (6), Chief Councillor to Wen-wang ^ 3T£,<br />

appointed as ruler <strong>of</strong> Hades Hwang Fei-hu jif ffe j^, one <strong>of</strong> the<br />

Generals <strong>of</strong> Chow-wang |gj 3£, who fell in the battle, after having<br />

sworn allegiance to the new dynasty <strong>of</strong> Chow jj§).<br />

All these rulers and assistants, though <strong>of</strong> Buddhist origin, are<br />

according to present-day popular tradition, subject to the Pearly<br />

(1) Eitel. Sanscrit-Chinese Dictionary, p. 173 (Yama).— Johnston. Bud-<br />

dhist China, p. 195-196. - Getty. The Gods <strong>of</strong> Northern Buddhism, p. 135.<br />

(2) They are called the "Royal Pair", Cluvang-wctng |g 3E. Eitel.<br />

Sanscrit-Chinese Dictionary, p. 173. -Getty. The Gods <strong>of</strong> Northern Buddhism,<br />

p. 137.— Johnston. Buddhist China, p. 197.<br />

(3) His palace, made <strong>of</strong> copper and iron, is at the extremity <strong>of</strong> the earth,<br />

southward, and floating on the waters. Getty. The Gods <strong>of</strong> Northern Bud-<br />

dhism, p. 135.<br />

(4) Waddell. The Buddhism <strong>of</strong> Tibet, p. 90. — Eitel. Sanscrit-Chinese<br />

Dictionary, p. 173.<br />

(5) Johnston. Buddhist China, p. 197.— Eitel. Sanscrit-Chinese Diction-<br />

ary, p. 173. -Getty. The Gods <strong>of</strong> Northern Buddhism, p. 136.<br />

432.<br />

(6) Kiang Tze-ya # -f- ^. See Chinese Superstitions. Vol. IV. p. 428-

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!