If you say that it is too much to talk about life in
underworld; as we are still ignorant of
our present life and that there are many things to explore. Ha! Don’t worry, it
is not usual that everyone will attain enlightenment this life; we probably
will end up in the underworld anyway. By the way, have you heard of ‘underworld
journey’ (观落阴)? Well,
when the time comes, I will bring everyone to journey ‘down under’.
Basically Taoists believe the underworld life styles are
similar to our present life style: the township, houses even up to the extent
of the facial features and the way of speaking are the same. What makes the
difference is that the ghostly bodies are formed by ‘chi’ (气) and they are not solid as we human. That also
explains why ghosts can transform their shapes and features.
In the underworld, when ghosts sleep; their shape will
disperse; and when they awake, their shape will gradually formed. Ghosts
consume by smelling and hence gaseous substances are their best foods. If we
offer them cold dish, then they will not be able to consume the dish. The
bodies of ghosts are very fragile unlike the human counterparts; they will
disintegrate in breeze and under the sunlight as well.
It is believed that ghosts’ food, house, utensils etc. are
transformed by ‘chi’. Perhaps by burning joss papers, paper car and houses, our
ghostly relatives can indeed benefit from our deeds? Maybe what has been depicted
in Chinese ghost stories that some fortunate or unfortunate folks unwarily ventured
into ghostly realms and visited beautiful mansions, but the place transformed
into graveyards on daybreaks are founded after all.
I was told that the ghosts that dwell in the underworld
seldom return to our world; those spirits that roam in our human world are
earthbound and they have no way of go into underworld. Old folks believe that
it is during the 7th month of Lunar Calendar that the underworld
folks are permitted to come to surface as if our humanly holiday season.
Whatever case that may be, we will need plenty of ‘money’ in
the underworld as with our humanly world. There is a saying that goes: ‘money
is everything!’ That also explains why a Taoist will need to burn a large
quantity of hell money during the journey to underworld ritual.
Are you still curious about underworld? Why not follow me to
travel underworld once? If we burn a mansion for us now, when we kick our
buckets; there is no fear of house price hike in the underworld. Do you believe
it or not? Hahaha…
Related link in Chinese:
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