Castle of Ghosts

Over the course of time, King Shadow came to be known as King of the Shadowy Land or the Kingdom of the Dead. Then a much more popular name was given to Mount Fengdu — Guei cheng (鬼城) or the Castle of Ghosts.

In the beginning, the castle had only six palaces within its walls. Four palaces were added after Buddhism had spread across China during the Epoch of Division Between North and South (南北廟: 420-589). The addition was prompted by the introduction of the concept of Hell through Buddhism. As a result, a series of structures that appear like those in Hell was constructed at Fengdu. Among them were a Nai-he qiao (奈何橋), or a bridge to Hell where those supposed to cross it used to ask what to do (nai-he) next, a Guei-men guan (鬼門關) or Ghost-gate checkpoint, Yin-yang jie (陰陽界) or Shadow-light world, east and west underworlds, and temples of city gods.

The ten palaces are where the ten princes under Bei yin da di (北陰大帝), or North Shadow Great Emperor reside and work. The ten are Princes Qinguang (秦廣), Chujiang (楚江), Songdi (宋帝), Wuguan (五官), Yanlo (閰羅), Biencheng, Daishan (泰山), Dushi (都市), Pingdeng (平等) and Lunhui (輪迴). Two of them have Buddhist origins. They are Yanlo, known as Yama in Sanskrit, rules the underworld, and Lunhui, which is a Chinese translation of samsara, or the transmigration of souls or reincarnation.

The most revered or feared prince is Yama, the first man to die according to the Rig-Veda, one of the oldest scriptures in Hinduism. After death, Yama was burned on the funeral pyre and then became the god of the dead, as well as the judge and ruler of the departed. The Aryans used to address Yama as the one who “found a place” for them “to dwell in,” and wanted to meet him who has the merit of free and ordered acts, in highest heaven. They wished to “leave sin and evil” with Yama and “seek anew a dwelling,” where they, “bright with glory, wear another body.” The Buddhists accept Yama just like the believers in Hinduism.

Yama in China was first placed at the top of the ten princes. He was demoted to the fifth, because he showed too much sympathy to the dead who actually did not deserve much lenience. But his name and palace are synonymous with Pluto and Hades in Greek mythology. At the mention of Hell, Chinese think of Yama and the palace of Yama.

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