The Religions of Chan-la, Part II

by Jeff Crook
February 1, 2001

Here beginneth the second in a two-part series on the religions of Chan-la. Like the other articles in The Book of the East Wind, this article explains things as they existed immediately before the return of the dark sun Zhi. Qigung:The Ring of Fire begins just a few days after the cataclysm and the wars that destroy everything that was once Chan-la. The first characters will begin the game from this base. As the game progresses and changes are revealed, some of this information may fall by the wayside, or be altered.

This article outlines the roles of the various religions involved in the great war in heaven between the dark sun Zhi and his celestial siblings. These, along with the racial gods of the Xao and the Fong, are the greater gods of the world, the ones whose goals and purposes have greatest affect in large ongoing plot of the battle between the gods that has so devastated the world of Chan-la.

The Eight Emperors of Heaven

The main gods of Chan-la are known as the Eight Emperors of Heaven. They are the most popular gods of the realm. The Eight Emperors are Bodah, Hing, Eru, Kirien, Quin Quan, Li Chan, and Tien and Tan. The Eight Emperors of Heaven have been the primary deities of the Chan since ancient times, although seven of these were first worshipped by the Xao. Li Chan is a purely Chan deity. Proper reverence and worship of the gods bring blessings, health, and fertility to their followers. Neglect of ones gods can have the reverse effect.


Bodah

Bodah is known as the god who became man. He wanders the hills, living as one with nature. He is the teacher of man, and much of the arts of civilization and natural sciences are ascribed to him in his book The Hand of Bodah, said to have been written by the Jade Emperor. It is said that man was given fire by Bodah, that he taught man the Kanji characters which allowed him to record history, that he taught man how to plant, grow, and harvest grains, and how to tame the wild ox and elephant to his needs.

Bodah is very much a god of peace and tranquillity, but it was also he who first struggled with the Dark Sun Zhi. Bodah is the punisher of demons and the tamer of the wild dragons. His voice is said to be both melodious and frightening, for his songs soothe the fearful, while his shout drives demons back to their hells.

In Shangxao, Bodah is represents as a tall grim ascetic with sharp Xao features. But in the north, he appears as a small and rotund but vigorous male, with a round laughing face.

Symbol : Bodah's symbol is the open hand holding the spark of fire. He is also represented by the ink brush used to write, as well as the yoked ox.

Cosmology : Bodah is represented in the heavens by the gray moon Bodah-lo, also called the Gray Wanderer because its course does not follow the axis of the sky like the other moons. Where they follow one behind the other in a straight line across the sky, Bodah-lo is first to their left, then to their right, now ahead, now behind.

Major Temples and Shrines : The great temple of Bodah is the main Lohan monastery in Shiquan province. Located two-thirds of the way up the forested slope of Mount Fukien, the temple is one of the holiest places in all Chan-la. At the summit, there is also a large shrine manned by dedicated priests. The path up Mount Fukien, past the Lohan temple and onward to the sacred shrine, is a principle destination for pilgrims. Mount Fukien is one of the eight sacred mountains of Shiquan province. The other major temples of Bodah are located in Kangdao, Shinzing, Bonjun, and Gozun Sai, as well as sacred Mount Tien in Tien Shan province.

Shrines to Bodah are found almost everywhere, from mountaintops to ocean shores. There is even a shrine built upon a sacred stone in the midst of the Wa River. Most shrines are not manned, though most have a caretaker who usually volunteers to keep the shrine clean and to make regular offerings.

Priests : The Bodahn priests are usually drawn from Lohan monasteries, but not always. The church of Bodah is, for the most part, separate from Lohan, or more accurately Lohan is a part of the church of Bodah, the way the Jesuits are a part of the Roman Catholic church. True priests of Bodah, but not necessarily Lohan priests, should have the religion skill in addition to their other skills. Priests are also seen as educators and teachers, and so are often called upon to train scholars.

Priests of Bodah wear a variety of robes, from the gold robes of a Lohan abbot to the blue robes of a professor. The robe of a Lohan monk is adorned with the symbol of the open hand with fire, while professors usually bear the ink brush symbol upon their robes. Temple priests often wear robes of brown with the symbol of the yoked ox.

Holy Days : The 25th day of the 12th month is Bodah day. Since Bodah was a giver of gifts to man, this day is celebrated by the giving of gifts to others. Much status and social importance is placed on the extravagance of the gifts given. There are many other minor holy days, some notable ones being the 1st day of the 4th month - celebrated as the Cherry Blossom Festival, and the 1st day of the 11th month - celebrated as the Day of 10,000 Fires, the day when peasants burn their fields after the harvest.


Hing

Hing is the greatest cloud dragon, violet-scaled and ivory horned. He aided the gods in their battle with the other Children of the Tao, but in the fight he was blinded by the titan Bohgrendren. Hing is said to reside in the Elder Caverns of Mount Quo in Shiquan Province. His breath is darkness, his mountain surrounded by perpetual storms. He is the force of justice in the world, his servants deliver punishment in the form of lightning bolts from the clouds. He is also the bringer of rains to the parched tao. Wherever he goes, clouds follow. Sometimes the mountain shakes with his anger.

As the deliverer of justice, Hing is neither good nor evil. His main concern is that justice is served. As such, he is often called upon to deliver doom to murderers and thieves. He is a favorite god of the Kang, second only to Li Chan. In battle, they often employ a maneuver called Hing Uncoils His Tail, in which a circular formation of warriors uncoils from the rear like the tail of a dragon, sweeping out to strike the flank of their enemy while musket men engage the foe from the front.

Symbol : The coiled dragon is Hing's symbol.

Cosmology : Hing is represented in the heavens by the black moon Hing-lo. However, of the eight immortals, only Hing is said to reside permanently in his mountain.

Major Temples and Shrines : The most important temple of Hing is built at the entrance to the Elder Caverns of Mount Quo, one of the eight sacred mountains of Shiquan province. His other most important temples are found in Di Lap Po, and on Mount Tien, where it is said the titan Bohgrendren remains imprisoned. However, his temples and shrines may be found in most villages and cities, usually near the Courts of Law, but also near major city gates.

Priests : Hing's priests are a curious lot. They are by far the most warlike of all priests, but they do not blend well with the militaristic priests of Li Chan. Priests of Hing often consider themselves above or even outside the law, as their duties often force them to bring justice against those protected by the government. But for the most part, the Courts of Law appreciate and even utilize the priests of Hing, often hiring them as bounty hunters.

When in their temples, priests of Hing wear black robes embroidered with the coiling dragon. When their duties take them outside the temple, priests try to blend with the local population. Therefore, in addition to the religion skill, priests of Hing are often advised to take skill in tracking and disguise.

Holy Days : Hing's holy days are the 3rd day of the 3rd month, which is called the Day of Chimes, and the 28th day of the 12th month, the eve of the New Year, which is also called the Day of Accounting. On New Year's Day, his priests perform the Blind Dragon Dance.


Eru

Eru appears as a great fat horribly bloated many-eyed spider. He was an Ancient who chose to support the gods in the first War of the Children of the Tao. For his help, he was given great powers. He sees all, knows all. He is the god of prophecy and government. It is said that he can count the grains of sand on the beach with a single glance. As such, he is neither good nor evil. Instead, he is mostly concerned with the orderly operation of all things. He is also seen as the protector of the family, of tradition, and of social duties. His great book is The Balance of the Middle Way, a classic on the art of governing. Scholars also study his important treatise, the Book of the East Wind, which deals with history and divination.

Symbol : Eru is most often represented as himself - a great fat spider. His other symbols include the diviner's rods, the square, and a sealed scroll.

Cosmology : Eru is represented in the heavens by the green moon Eru-lo. Sages speculate that Eru-lo is a world much like the tao, but that it is covered with forests which never know winter.

Major Temples and Shrines : The most ancient temple of Eru is built in the cleft peak of Mount Jun in Shiquan province, but the most important temple is within the Imperial Palace at Kangdao. This temple complex includes approximately 1,000 government buildings, including storehouses, warehouses, and armories. All major cities in the empire have at least one major temple of Eru, and every government building contains a shrine to the spider god. The temple on Mount Tien is the most famous oracle in the empire.

Priests : Priests of Eru also serve as government officials, judges, and tax collectors. They should have the religion skill in addition to all their other skills. Priests of Eru wear brown judge's robes adorned with the Scrolls of Law symbol.

Holy Days : The seventh day of every week is a holy day, as is the 14th day of the 9th month - Harvest Day - and New Years Day.


Kirien

Kirien is the demon god of bones. He appears as a skeleton dressed in elaborate armor, or in robes of purest white. He is the god of the dead and the afterlife. When a person dies, he goes before Kirien to be judged. Kirien weighs the person's good deeds against his sins, delivers his judgment, and prescribes punishment. No man, not even a god, may appeal the judgment of Kirien. Sages believe that only a very few Great Souls have been judged pure enough to escape the cycle of Life, Death, Punishment, and Rebirth by passing directly into the Blissful Realm where the gods abide.

After judgment, the soul is turned over to the demons of hell to suffer its punishment. Special sinners are sent to special hells, like the Hell for Those Who Sold Their Children into Slavery, or the Hell for Those Who Desecrate Tombs. After spending its time in hell, the soul is released to Quin Quan for comforting and reincarnation.

Symbol : Kirien has many appropriate symbols. Most deal with some aspect of death, punishment, or the afterlife. As the gatekeeper of hell, his symbol is a great key, but as the judge of souls, his symbol is a scale of adamantine in which he weighs a person's deeds. His other symbols are the vulture, the dung beetle, and the skull.

Cosmology : Kirien is represented in the heavens by the bone-white moon Kirien-lo. It is the brightest moon in the sky.

Major Temples and Shrines : There are but two major temples of Kirien. The most important temple is atop Mount Chua, one of the eight sacred mountains of Shiquan. The other is found in the holy city of Gozun Sai, near the cave from which the Shang River emerges. This cave is said to be an entrance to the hells. Most towns and villages have, at the very least, a shrine to Kirien, usually to be found near its cemetery. It is said there once was a massive temple of Kirien in Shidao, the city swallowed by the Wa River. Legends state that the priests of Kirien had discovered the immortality pill, and that they had built up a great store of them in their temple before it was consumed by the river.

Priests : Priests of Kirien officiate at all funeral ceremonies. Curiously enough, they also preside over the naming of children. But the primary duty of Kirien's priests is making sure that the cycle of Life, Death, Punishment, and Rebirth continues. Those who defy any part of the cycle are punished by the priests of Kirien. Whether a man unjustly ends the life of another, or he seeks to extend his own life beyond his allotted number of years, the priests of Kirien are sure respond. However, they are also the hunters of ghosts, vampires, and other undead, for these creatures in their lust or hatred seek to remain with the living and so avoid their punishment in hell. But perhaps the most fearsome duty of the priest of Kirien is the freeing of souls from hell. Sometimes demons are not willing to surrender a soul once its duration of punishment is complete. Priests of Kirien sometimes have to enter the hells to deliver Kirien's demands to recalcitrant demons.

Priests of Kirien wear robes of purest white, often accompanied by a silver death mask. They are often seen wearing a massive key on a chain of silver, or bearing a silver scale. They are by far the most mystical of all priests, and in addition to the religion skill many priests study Pei Shi and Feng Shui.

Holy Days : The Day of the Dead, which is the 28th day of the 10th month, is the only day holy to Kirien.


Quin Quan

Sometimes Quin Quan appears as a demonic temptress, sometimes as a beautiful robust mother-figure, sometimes a virile well-endowed man. She is the goddess of fertility and prosperity as well as rebirth and reincarnation. She is by far the most popular of all the gods, for her interests are the most immediate to the average man or woman. People pray to her for healthy children, for healing, for wealth, and for deliverance from the suffering of hunger, thirst, or childlessness. She oversees the bounty of the tao, and so is the patron of farmers, foresters, herdsmen, and fishermen.

Quin Quan is also the goddess who receives the cleansed souls from hell. She gives them comfort and clothes them in new flesh, sending them forth to be reborn in the world.

Symbols : Quin Quan's symbols are the golden ring, signifying both the cycle of life and the bond of marriage, the egg of fertility, and the cat.

Cosmology : Quin Quan is represented in the heavens by the golden moon Pang-lo. This moon is considered by poets the most beautiful of the eight moons, and it is also the largest. Sages speculate that the moon is made of purest gold, others say that it is a great globe of the honey of immortality.

Major Temples and Shrines : The most important temple of Quin Quan is located on Mount Niembo, the smallest of the eight sacred mountains of Shiquan. Every large city in the empire contains at least one temple to her, some boast several. Most villages also have a temple dedicated to Quin Quan, or at the very least a major shrine. Farmers also build small shrines to this god near their fields, and herders build them on hilltops and beside springs.

Temples of Quin Quan are noted for their cats. These beasts are sacred to the goddess, and so they enjoy special protection within the temple. Because of this, temples in small towns often double as grain repositories, as the native population of cats helps protect stores from rats and mice.

Priests : As the most popular god, Quin Quan enjoys the services of more priests than any other god. No village can call itself a village until it has attracted a priest or priestess to watch over its people and farms. Quin Quan's priests fill every imaginable spiritual and mundane role in Chan-la, from weatherworker to healer to village elder.

Priests wear the traditional pale violet robes so long associated with Quin Quan. The robe is often adorned with the symbol of the golden ring. Most keep cats and are followed by cats wherever they go.

Holy Days : Because Quin Quan is the most popular of the eight immortals and fills more spiritual roles in the lives of the people, she has more holy days than any other god. The 25th day of the 3rd month is her most sacred day, being the Day of Green Shoots. Other important days are the 21st day of the 6th month, which is called Rice Wine Day, for on this day the previous year's vintage of rice wine is opened and tasted. Curiously enough, the Day of Green Shoots falls approximately nine months after Rice Wine Day, and a large proportion of Chan-la children are born on or about this day. The 28th day of the 2nd month is Hearth Day, when hearths are cleaned of ashes in preparation of the coming spring; this is also a traditional soap-making day. The 12th day of the 8th month is Lotus Flower Day, and the 3rd day of the 5th month is the Festival of Lanterns. Finally, the 19th day of the 11th month is Turning Day, a day celebrated by the turning of things in preparation for winter. Bedding is turned and aired, blankets are turned, rugs brought outside and shaken out. Even compost heaps are turned and hay is gathered and piled into ricks. In rural areas, the traditional roles of men and women are turned, as married women gather at the inn to drink and carouse while the men clean the supper dishes and put the children to bed.


Tien and Tan

These two deities represent the positive and negative forces of nature. Tien is the representation of the feminine, creative, positive force. Tan is the male, destructive, negative force. They exist in constant opposition, perfectly balanced. Tien is a small, beautiful woman often depicted wearing long flowing robes of pale blue silk. Tan is huge and monstrous, a demonic figure usually depicted naked in all his magnificent and grotesque ugliness.

Symbols : Tien is often represented as a golden fish, while Tan is a black fish. Within the confines of a circle, they coil about each other; this symbol is called the Jen Pang. At other times, Tien is symbolized by the dove, and Tan by the wild boar.

Cosmology : Tien-lo is blue as glacial ice, Tan-lo brown as earth and scarred with craters. As these two moons traverse the sky, they orbit one another perfectly.

Major Temples and Shrines : These two gods are never found separate, so their temples are always dedicated to both. Their main temple is located in a valley between Mount Xu and Mount Yi in Shiquan province. But despite the fact that most people revere Tien and Tan symbolically within their homes, usually by placing the Jen Pang above the door, there are very few temples or shrines dedicated to these two gods. They are the least accessible of the eight immortals, the most aloof, and the most difficult to understand, and so attract the smallest number of worshippers. The most likely place to find a temple or shrine to these deities is within the confines of a Lohan monastery.

Priests : There are never very many priests of Tien and Tan, and these seem to have little to do with society in general. Most spend the majority of their lives as hermits, living alone and contemplating the mysteries of the universe. As such, they are regarded as wise men and sometimes sought for guidance or answers to questions. Those temples and shrines that do exist are most often ministered by priests of the other eight immortals, especially by priests of Bodah, Quin Quan, and Kirien.

Holy Days : There are no holy days associated with these gods.


Li Chan

Li Chan is the man who became a god. He was a hero of ancient pre-conquest times when the Chan were still nomadic raiders of the Xao. Li Chan lived a legendary life of high adventure which culminated with his uniting the barbarian tribes into the Chan nation. It is said that he did not die, but that at a very great age he climbed sacred Mount Lowar (Moon Water) and found there the temple built for him by the gods themselves.

Li Chan appears in two guises - the superb warrior and the venerable sage. As the superb warrior, he is young and strong, bearing a great sword and girded in armor. As the venerable sage, Li Chan is ancient and gray-haired with a long gray beard.

Symbols : The main symbol of Li Chan is the red moon. He is also represented by the horse.

Cosmology : Li Chan is represented in the heavens by Bahg-lo, the red moon.

Major Temples and Shrines : The most important temple of Li Chan stands at the summit of Mount Lowar. Legends say that the temple was built by the gods themselves when they granted immortality to Li Chan. However, scholars know that the temple originally belonged to another god whose name has since been lost (see below). When the Chan defeated the Xao, they replaced this unknown god with Li Chan. It is said that this forgotten god was a god of magic. All other temples belonging to the forgotten god were rededicated to Li Chan.

Since the arrival of the Fong, Li Chan has fallen out of favor. His shrines, which once could be found at all military fortresses and bases of the Kang, have been replaced by shrines to Gesh, Eru, Hing, and the emperor. However, on the island of Chandao, Li Chan is revered above all other gods.

Priests : Priests of Li Chan live a precarious existence. Though tolerated by the Fong government because suppression of the temple of Li Chan would surely cause full-scale revolt among the Chan, the priests of Chan-la are distrusted and assumed to be allied with the rebels. In truth, many are. Priests of Li Chan train in all the arts of war, but they also study diplomacy and politics, history and prophecy. Though warriors, they are revered as historians, and the greatest libraries of Chan-la are to be found in Li Chan temples.

Holy Days : Li Chan's one holy day has been suppressed by the Fong emperor. It is the celebration of the victory at Kangdao in 1551XE. The date celebrated falls on the 11th day of the 3rd month - Victory Day - though many scholars argue that this date was usurped from the god of magic whom Li Chan supplanted. On Chandao, Victory Day festivities last an entire week.

The Racial Gods of Xao and Fong

Gesh

Gesh is the creator goddess worshipped by the Fong. She is most often depicted as a horse. Her myths state that she suckled the first man when he emerged, a mewling babe, from the sacred cave at Gozun Sai. In time, she mated with him, and the product of their union were the first horses. But man stole her children and tamed them to his needs, and so he must continually pay homage to Gesh and appease her for his effrontery. She brings prosperity and wealth to those who honor her and her children.

Gesh is both an earth mother goddess and a warrior goddess. As an earth mother, she competes with Quin Quan for worshippers, but Quin Quan is by far more popular. Of late, Gesh has taken on the role of warrior goddess to a great extent, supplanting Li Chan in many places.

Symbols : Gesh is often symbolized by the horse.

Cosmology : Gesh is represented in the heavens by a bright star which burns without flickering and wanders the heavens on its own course, much like the Fong nomads of old. This star is called Geshkado.

Major Temples and Shrines : The main temple of Gesh is located in within the imperial city of Kangdao. Most of her other temples are found east of Kangdao, in Tien Shan and Hwonuar provinces. Otherwise, worship of this purely Fong deity is limited to the larger cities, in temples built near government buildings and the shrines of the emperor. There is a small temple of Gesh, newly built, in Gozun Sai.
Those Fong who maintain the old nomadic lifestyle keep shrines of Gesh in their tents. Shrines are also built on remote hilltops or beside streams and lakes.

Priests : Worship of Gesh remains a religion of totems and talismans, so her priests are shamans. They employ various mind-altering drugs in their rituals, and sometimes animals and even children are sacrificed and burned on pyres. Rural priests dress in animal skins and decorate their flesh with tattoos, but temple priests have adopted formal robes similar to those worn by priests of the Eight Emperors of Heaven.

Holy Days : The most holy day of Gesh is New Years Day. On this day, fireworks are used to drive off evil spirits while fermented mare's milk is drunk in great quantities.


Indramahatra

This is the main god worshipped by the Xao. She appears as a great silk worm living at the center of the tao, sleeping until the end times. Sometimes she is shown as the tao itself. She is the child of Mahatra, a moth god who laid the egg that is Indramahatra and wrapped her in the cocoon of the tao before continuing on her celestial journey across the stars. Indramahatra is said to wander the dreamworld, where she brings visions and wisdom to the worthy. Mahatra is revered, but not worshipped as Indramahatra is worshipped.

Symbol : The moth emerging from its cocoon is the most popular symbol of Indramahatra. It is a symbol of the end times, when the goddess will be born and the world destroyed. The worthy will ride her back to the stars to found new worlds, just as Mahatra left the Eight Emperors of Heaven to guard Indramahatra and establish the present world.

Cosmology : Indramahatra resides in the earth and so has no representation in the sky. Mahatra is represented by a two-tailed comet which appears in the sky every 88 years.

Major Temples and Shrines : The most important temple of Indramahatra is located in the holy city of Gozun Sai, at the cave from which the Shang River flows. Most other cities and villages in Shangxao boast temples to Indramahatra, and her shrines are to be found almost everywhere along her sacred river. There is also a temple in Emshi in Wapo province. However, no other provinces have temples to the goddess.

Priests : Indramahatra's priest serve the Xao in much the same way Quin Quan's priests serve the Chan. They fill a multitude of roles, from fortuneteller to minister to veterinarian. Priests of the goddess wear rainbow-hued robes of silk.

Holy Days : Indramahatra's holy days fall on the equinoxes and solstices - the 21st day of the 3rd, 6th, 9th, and 12th months.


The Forgotten God

Most scholars agree that Li Chan replaced a god in the heavenly heirarchy, but the name of the god, his powers, and spheres of influence have largely been forgotten. The Xao claim that he was a god of Pei Shi magic, and indeed many traditional Pei Shi sorcerers wear a type of robe which has been called the bahglo (red moon) robe since time immemorial. It is said that the mysterious and powerful magicians who still reside deep within the Shang Jungle remember the name of this god and that they still worship him, but no record or eyewitness of their rites has ever been recorded.


The Emperor Cult

The Emperor is treated as a god upon earth, for he is the heir of Li Chan. The Fong emperor usurped the title of Son of Heaven, while the exiled Chan emperor continues his claims to his birthright of divinity. Although not worshipped in the traditional sense of the word, both emperors are revered and respected above all other people.

Symbol : The emperor's main symbol is the phoenix throne. Both emperors have a phoenix throne; one is in the Imperial Palace of Kangdao, the other at the Imperial Fortress of Chandao. The other symbol of the emperor is the red moon Lichan-lo, which is also the symbol of the Kang.

Cosmology : The emperor is not represented in the heavens.

Major Temples and Shrines : Although not worshipped in the strictest sense of the word, the emperor is revered in temples and shrines. He is considered to be the Son of Heaven, the literal son of Li Chan. In Chan-la, all public shrines dedicated to the emperor represent the Fong emperor. On Chandao, the Chan emperor is represented. The largest temple dedicated to the emperor is located inside the Imperial Palace in Kangdao.

All government buildings contain a shrine of some sort dedicated to the emperor. In addition, those wishing to curry favor with the government often set up small shrines in their homes and places of business. All inns are required by law to present an appropriate imperial shrine. Chan rebels carry a small shrine with them wherever they go. This shrine is a locket of the Wu Emperor which is worn against the skin beneath the clothing.

Worshipping the emperor has no immediate game benefits other than not having your head lopped off for refusing to bow to his imperial majesty.

Priests : Imperial priests are also government officials. Their primary duties include the distribution of the imperial code of law and the collection and maintenance of governmental stores of grain. Priests wear state robes and hats adorned with the symbol of the red moon rising over the phoenix throne.

Holy Days : No matter when he was born, the emperor's birthday is celebrated on New Years Day.


The Dark Sun Zhi

The dark sun Zhi was the seventh born of the Children of the Tao. He is a mysterious being who visits the tao every 2,222 years, bringing destruction and doom and war in the heavens. In ancient days, the Xao worshipped Zhi and made alliances with him. Even today, there are cults of Zhi to be found, working to welcome him when he returns. Of late, they have grown in popularity, but as yet there is no formal religion or established temples for this dark being.

Note: This last statement is an example of famous last words.

Next week, I will begin to describe in greater detail a small part of the range of character types that you can play in Qigung. These archetypes are merely outlines, almost stereotypes, upon which you can build.