Ghosts and Gods

Author: Yue Juanjuan
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-01-01
Features: Chinese ghost and god legends include primal myths, Taoist immortal tales, and Buddhist stories. They originally belonged to different systems but have been fully integrated through a long development process. The fusion of Buddhism and Taoism is particularly significant. Taoism emphasizes health preservation, focusing on personal happiness, while Buddhism also advocates individual cultivation but its concepts of karma and rebirth naturally align with Chinese society's views on good and evil, as well as moral ethics. This directly influenced Taoist immortals to become more active, no longer just playing chess or alchemy all day. In their leisure time, they took on various roles to bring blessings to the world. As for the world of ghosts, it was essentially created by Buddhism. The (Black and White Constantly Present), (Bull-Headed and Horse-Faced), (Eighteen Layers of Hell), and (Reincarnation) are all Buddhist doctrines, yet they have deeply rooted in people's minds.