Basic explanation

The Santu River, the name of the river of the underworld. It is also known as the Burial Head River, the Crossing River, the Mise River, and the Santu River. Legend has it that the "Three Ways River" is the dividing line between the world of life and the world of death. Because the flow of water is divided into three types: slow, normal, and rapid according to the behavior of the deceased during his lifetime, it is called the "three paths".

Explain in detail

Historical origins

According to the Chinese and Japanese Buddhist circles, after death, people should cross this river. According to the "Ten Kings Sutra of the Origin of the Heart of the Bodhisattva of Jizo" that has been circulated in the Chinese and Japanese Buddhist circles, this river is located on the way from the first Qinguang King Hall to the second Chujiang King Hall, and there are Mise with different degrees of urgency, namely the Shanshui Se, the river abyss, and the bridge crossing. Between the 7th and 27th days after death, a person will be involved in different types of karma depending on the severity of his sin. There is a big tree in front of the official hall, the name of the collar tree, and there are two ghosts on the tree, who take the clothes of the deceased and hang them on the branches, and judge the severity of the deceased's sins by the height of the drooping branches, and then send them to the royal hall. For example, the ode to Wenyun of the sutra (swastika 150·770b)..'Twenty-seven dead people crossed the Nai River, thousands of teams waded through the river waves, (omitted) no clothes and cold forced themselves, and the evil eyes of the ghosts showed sharp teeth. ’

The theory of the Three Ways River was first seen in the "Ten Kings Sutra", and he did not mention it. However, the "Golden Light Sutra" Volume 2 "Four Heavenly Kings" contains: "It is the sutra that can dry up the rivers of hell, hungry ghosts, and animals." The Jizo Honwan Sutra also says that there are three great seas on the way to hell. In addition, the seventh volume of the "Dharma Recitation Sutra" says that there is a river in hell, called Tataroni, which is extremely deep, the waves are fast, and it is very terrifying. The heart of the mud fish in the river of love is in and out.

In addition, in the Hindu theory of hell, there is also a river of the same name, and the river is full of blood and bones, etc., and the stench is embarrassing, or in the middle of this world and hell, or as a part of hell. There was an old woman by the river who took off her sinner's clothes, and an old man took her clothes and hung them on a branch, and the branches hung down to varying degrees depending on the severity of the sin. This statement is similar to that of the Ten Kings Sutra. [1]

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Cross the Santu River

Just as life and death can only be crossed by reincarnation, there is only one way to cross the "Santu River", that is, the ferry boat on the "Santu River", and there is no other way. However, the ferry has to pay a fare, and souls who have no travel expenses will not be able to board the ferry, and even if they do, they will be thrown into the "Santu River" by the boatmen. Those souls who are unable to cross the river are driven by the desire for reincarnation and will wade across the river, but the water of the "Santu River" is not only not buoyant, but also has a poison that can corrode the soul. Those souls who go into the water will never have a chance to go ashore, and can only become water ghosts in the "Santu River". The pain of never being able to be reborn and the bone-chilling waters of the river make those water spirits jealous of other souls who still have the hope of reincarnation. As long as a soul falls into the water, they will rush to it, pull it to the bottom of the river, and become water ghosts like them.

According to the Japanese "Tale of Genji", it was said that after a woman died, she would cross the Santu River, and there were three Tu with different shades in the river, depending on the good and evil in her life. The first man helped him. It is commonly said that after the death of a woman, before crossing the Santu River (fire, blood, and knife), she is led by the man who first had a good relationship.

It is said that the fare for crossing the Santu River is 6 wenga, and the family crest of the Sanada family in Japan is both this and represents the determination of the Sanada family to fight to the death on the battlefield. It is said that when a person dies, he puts the money in a coffin and buries it together, so that he can use it to cross the river after death.

The flower of the three-way river

The other side of the flower, the tenderness of the devil. Legend has it that the flower that voluntarily threw herself into hell was sent back by the demons, but she still wandered on the Yellow Spring Road, and the demons couldn't bear it, so they agreed to let her open on this road to give guidance and comfort to the souls who left the human world.

Flowers on the other side, flowers bloom on the other side, you can't see the leaves when the flowers bloom, you can't see the flowers when there are leaves, the flowers and leaves don't see each other, and the life is wrong. Legend has it that this flower is the flower of the underworld, and its fragrance has magical powers and can evoke memories during life. The flowers on the other side bloom during the autumn period, which is very punctual, so it is called the flowers of the other side. According to legend, this flower only blooms in Huangquan and is the only scenery on Huangquan Road. It is also known as the "Fire Road" because of its red fire, and it is also the only scenery and color on this long Huangquan Road. And man walked on the guidance of this flower to the hell of the underworld.

This flower is a Manju Sawa flower, and the red flower is also known as the other side flower, also known as the Red Spider Lily. It is known as "the grass is not seen, and the flowers are not seen". In Japan, it is called マンジュシャゲ, pronounced Manju Sawa and the flower language is "separation/sadness/inauspiciousness/the beauty of death".

According to legend, this flower only blooms in the Yellow Spring, and it is generally believed to be the flower that only blooms on the side of the Santu River in the underworld, on the other side of the Lethe River. The flowers are as bright red as blood, paving the road to hell, and they have flowers and no leaves, and they are the only flowers in the underworld. Floral legends have magical powers that evoke memories of the deceased. On the Huangquan Road, a large number of flowers bloomed, from a distance it looks like a carpet paved with blood, and because it is as red as fire, it is known as the "Fire Road", and it is also the only scenery and color on the long Huangquan Road. When the soul crosses the Lethe River, it forgets all the things that were in the past, and everything that was once left on the other side, and the deceased steps on the guidance of this flower to lead to the hell of the underworld.

"Santu River" and "Lethe River"

Legend 1

"Santu River" and "Lechuan River" are the same river, known as "Santu River" in foreign countries, and "Lechuan (River)" in China.

Legend 2

Lechuan is one of the longest tributaries that flows into the Santu River.

Lethe River

Legend has it that after a person dies, he has to pass through the Ghost Gate, pass through Huangquan Road, and between Huangquan Road and Hades, he is divided by the "Lechuan River". The water of the "Lethe River" is blood-yellow, and it is full of lonely souls and wild ghosts that cannot be reincarnated, full of insects and snakes, and the fishy wind blows in the face.

Nai Ho Bridge

Legend has it that people are reincarnated from life to life. The end of this life is but the beginning of the next. People who live in the cycle of life and life cannot have the memory of their past lives, just because everyone will drink Meng Po soup on the Nai He Bridge before they are reincarnated. Therefore, when walking on the Nai Ho Bridge, it is the time when a person finally has the memory of this life. At this moment, many people are still clinging to the unfulfilled wishes of their previous lives, but they deeply understand that these wishes will not be realized in the end, so they will let out a long sigh. This is also the reason why this bridge connecting the reincarnations of various generations is named Nai He Bridge.

Legend has it that in Fengdu Ghost Mansion, through the mountain gate is the Daxiong Palace, there is a stone arch bridge in front of the hall called the Nai He Bridge, and the stone pond under the bridge is the blood river pool. The east of this bridge is the Jizo Palace, and the west is the Blood River General Palace, and it is said that the Nai River is the first pass that the ghost has to pass.

Meng Po soup

"According to legend", there is a road called Huangquan Road, there is a river called Lechuan, there is a bridge on the river called Nai He Bridge, there is an earthen platform called Wangxiang Terrace, there is an old woman selling Meng Po soup by the side of Wangxiang Terrace, there is a stone called Sansheng Stone by the Lethe River, Meng Po soup makes you forget everything, Sansheng Stone records your past and present life, we walk across the Nai He Bridge, look at the last look at the world on Wangxiang Terrace, drink a cup of Lethe River boiled." There is no fate in this life", so why force it?

"Meng Po Soup" is an ancient Chinese legend, which is recorded in an ancient book of Lan Zi's family. In that legend, people are reincarnated from life to life. The end of this life is but the beginning of the next. People who live in the cycle of life and life cannot have the memory of their past lives, just because everyone will drink Meng Po soup on the Nai He Bridge before they are reincarnated. Therefore, when walking on the Nai Ho Bridge, it is the time when a person finally has the memory of this life. At this moment, many people are still clinging to the unfulfilled wishes of their previous lives, but they deeply understand that these wishes will not be realized in the end, so they will let out a long sigh. This is also the reason why this bridge connecting the reincarnations of various generations is named Nai He Bridge.

Three-life stone

After a person dies, walk through Huangquan Road, and when you arrive at Nai He Bridge, you will see the Sansheng Stone. It has been standing by the Nai He Bridge, looking at the people in the red dust who are ready to drink Meng Po soup and be reincarnated.

Legend has it that the Sansheng Stone can reflect the appearance of a person's previous life. The causes of the past life, the fruit of this life, the reincarnation of fate, and the origin and extinction of the fate are all heavily engraved on the three-life stone.

Huangquan Road

For thousands of years, it has witnessed the pain and joy, sorrow and joy, laughter and tears of all living beings. The debts that should be repaid, the feelings that should be repaid, before the Sansheng Stone, a write-off.

In China, legend has it that after death, the black and white impermanence of the underworld will capture the souls of the people and take them to the underworld to be judged by the chief judge of the underworld, King Yama, to decide that they will ascend to heaven and become immortals. or reincarnate as a human being; Or go to the eighteenth layer of hell to suffer. The soul of a person has to walk a long way and pass many hurdles to report to the underworld. Huangquan Road is a general term for these passes and journeys; The other is to refer specifically to one of the roads called Huangquan Road.

Some people believe that people will die when they reach their yang life, this is a normal death, and people who die normally must first pass through the ghost gate, and after this pass, people's souls will become ghosts, and then Huangquan Road, which is the road to lead. On Huangquan Road, there are fiery red flowers. The flower is generally believed to be the flower that grows along the Santu River. Next, you have to cross the Lechuan River, Nai He Bridge, cross the Sansheng Stone, drink Meng Po soup and so on.