Fengdu Ghost City

Fengdu Ghost City (simplified Chinese: 丰都鬼城; traditional Chinese: 豐都鬼城; pinyin: Fēngdū Guǐ Chéng, originally 酆都鬼城[1]) is a large complex of shrines, temples and monasteries dedicated to the afterlife located on the Ming mountain,[2] in Fengdu County, Chongqing municipality, China.

[3] It is situated about 170 kilometres (110 mi) downstream from Chongqing on the north bank of the Yangtze River.

The city consists of buildings, structures, dioramas, and statues related to Diyu and Naraka, concepts from Chinese mythology and Buddhism that signify the underworld or hell.

[2] According to legend, Fengdu got its name of Ghost City during the Eastern Han dynasty, when two imperial officials, Yin Changsheng and Wang Fangping, came to Ming Mountain to practice Taoism and in the process became immortals.

[2] The combination of their names, Yinwang, means "King of Hell" and that was the beginning of the site's focus on the underworld.

[2] The third test is done at the entrance to Tianzi Palace where the dead must stand on a certain stone on one foot for three minutes.

The gate to Youdu (right to left: 幽都 ), the capital of Diyu .
Statue of the "wreath-eating ghost" ( 食蔓鬼 ). In legend, this ghost was a girl who adorned herself with flower wreaths she stole from statues of the Buddha. After she died, as punishment, she was not allowed to feast on food offerings from living people and could only feed on flower wreaths.