Fengdu, the “City of Ghosts, China

Fengdu, the “City of Ghosts, China

 

Fengdu, the “City of Ghosts,” is situated about 110 mile (170 kilometers) downstream from Chongqing Municipality on the north bank of the Yangtze River. It attracts tourists from all over China to know about Chinese ghost culture and the afterlife. Visitors are constantly reminded in that place that good is rewarded with good, and evil is rewarded with torturous, and also to see what the Chinese would call a “model of hell.” Fengdu became known as Ghost City in the Tang Dynasty (618-907) when two Imperial court officials married and settled on Ming Mountain to practice Taoist teachings. The couples’ surnames combined Yin and Wang “King of Hell” in Chinese. They supposedly became immortals. Thus was born Fengdu City of Ghosts –

There are many statues of ghosts and of devils in the temples which describe the after-life where people who disobey ancient Chinese morals are punished in every horrifying ways. We can see for example Big Demon Ghost – Fengdu – is one of the Big Ghosts guarding the steps leading up to the Pass to Hell

 In the Chinese faith of the afterlife, the person who died must undergo three important tests to enter the netherworld. These tests are taken at three different places – 

Nothing-To-Be-Done-Bridge (the 'Bridge of Helplessness')

Ghost Torturing Pass 

the Tianzi (son of heaven) Palace.

These three locations are among many attractions in this scenic area.

 Nothing-To-Be-Done-Bridge (the 'Bridge of Helplessness')

This stone bridge was built during the Ming Dynasty and is a test for Good and Evil. It has three arches and only the middle one is used for testing people. There are different protocols for crossing the bridge depending on sex, age, marital status. At the bridge demons allow or forbid passage. The good are allowed to pass while the evil will be pushed to the water below. This is now done as a tourist attraction and performers characterized as demons momentarily stop tourists on the bridge but finally allow them across.

Ghost Torturing Pass  

In that place they present themselves for judgment before Yama, King of Hell. In this area there are large sculptures of demons.

The Tianzi (son of heaven) Palace. 

That test is done at the entrance to Tianzi Palace where the dead must stand on a certain stone on one foot for three minutes. According to legend a virtuous person will be able to do it while an evil person will fail and be condemned to hell. Tianzi Palace is the largest and oldest building and it is three hundred years old.

 A more recent addition is the Last Glance to Home Tower (also called Home Viewing Pavilion) which was built in 1985 and is placed where according to legend the dead could have one last look towards their home and families.