Category: Chinese mythology
-
Langgan 琅玕 is the ancient Chinese name of a gemstone which remains an enigma in the history of mineralogy; it has been identified, variously, as blue-green malachite, blue coral, white coral, whitish chalcedony, red spinel, and red jade
It is also the name of a mythological langgan tree of immortality found in the western paradise of Kunlun Mountain, and the name of the classic waidan alchemical elixir of immortality langgan huadan 琅玕華丹 “Elixir Efflorescence of Langgan”. Waidan, translated as ‘external alchemy‘ or ‘external elixir‘, is the early branch of Chinese alchemy that focuses upon compounding elixirs of immortality by heating minerals, metals, and other natural substances…
-
In Chinese alchemy, elixir poisoning refers to the toxic effects from elixirs of immortality that contained metals and minerals such as mercury and arsenic
In Chinese alchemy, elixir poisoning refers to the toxic effects from elixirs of immortality that contained metals and minerals such as mercury and arsenic. The official Twenty-Four Histories record numerous Chinese emperors, nobles, and officials who died from taking elixirs to prolong their lifespans. The first emperor to die from elixir poisoning was likely Qin Shi Huang (d. 210 BCE) and the last was the Yongzheng Emperor (d. 1735 CE). Despite common knowledge…
-
Gu: The Venomous Vortex of Ancient Chinese Sorcery
Here is another that may make your skin crawl and your blood run cold! Welcome to the world of Gu, the sinister sorcery that turns creepy crawlies into catastrophic curses! Picture, if you dare, a jar teeming with nature’s most venomous vermin – centipedes, snakes, and scorpions, oh my! But this is no petting zoo,…
-
Youdu is the capital of Hell in Chinese mythology
Youdu (幽都) in Chinese mythology is the capital of Hell, or Diyu. Among the various other geographic features believed of Diyu, the capital city has been thought to be named Youdu. It is generally conceived as being similar to a typical Chinese capital city, such as Chang’an, but surrounded with and pervaded with darkness. Name “You” (幽) in Chinese means…
-
Gate of the Ghosts
The Gate of the Ghosts (simplified: 鬼门关; traditional: 鬼門關), or Devil’s Gate, Demon Gate, known as Guimen guan in Chinese, is a pass in the Underworld in Chinese mythology. The gate is a pailou (also known as a paifang, a traditional style of Chinese architectural arch or gateway structure) with the words “Gate of the Ghosts” written on the horizontal plaque. Legend has it that on their way to the Ghost Country, the…
-
Diyu (‘earth prison’) is the realm of the dead in Chinese mythology
Diyu (simplified Chinese: 地狱; traditional Chinese: 地獄; pinyin: dìyù; lit. ‘earth prison’) is the realm of the dead or “hell” in Chinese mythology. It is loosely based on a combination of the Buddhist concept of Naraka, traditional Chinese beliefs about the afterlife, and a variety of popular expansions and reinterpretations of these two traditions. The concept parallels purgatory in certain Christian denomininations. Diyu is typically depicted as a…
