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Kshitigarbha, sometimes spelt Ksitigarbha, is a bodhisattva mainly worshipped in East Asian and Theravada Buddhism, and is often depicted as a monk with a halo around his shaved head. His name may translate to 'Earth Treasury' or 'Earth Matrix', and is renowned for his vow to instruct all beings in the six worlds between the death of Gautama Buddha and the ascendance of Maitreya, as well as his oath to not achieve Buddhahood until all hells are emptied.<br/><br/> Thus, Kshitigarbha is often associated with hell and as the bodhisattva of hell-beings. He is also the guardian of children and patrod deity for deceased children and aborted fetuses in Japanese culture, where he is known by the name Jizo or Ojizo-sama. In Thailand and Laos, a <i>bhikkhu</i> named Phra Malai is often associated with Kshitigarbha due to their similar qualities, where he descends to Hell to teach and comfort the suffering hell-beings.
In East Asian mythology, Yama is a <i>dharmapala</i> (wrathful god) and King of Hell. It is his duty to judge the dead and rule over the various hells and purgatories, presiding over the cycle of <i>samsara</i> (cyclic, circuitous change). Yama has spread from being a Hindu god to finding roles in Buddhism as well as in Chinese, Korean and Japanese mythology.<br/><br/> Yama's role in Theravada Buddhism is vague and not well defined, though he is still a caretaker of hell and the dead. He judges those who die to determine if they are to be reborn to earth, to the heavens or to the hells. Sometimes there are more than one Yama, each presiding over one of the distinct hells. In Tibetan Buddhism, Yama is seen as a guardian of spiritual practice, and regarded with horror for his role in the cycle of death and rebirth.<br/><br/> In Chinese mythology, and similar stories in Korea and Japan, he is primarily known as either Yanluo or King Yan, and is the god of death and overseer of the Ten Kings of Hell. He is portrayed as a large man with bulging eyes, a long beard and a scowling red face. He is both ruler and judge of the underworld, and is always found alongside his two guardians, Ox-Head and Horse-Face. Those spirits who do good are rewarded, while those who have sinned are punished and tortured.
In East Asian mythology, Yama is a <i>dharmapala</i> (wrathful god) and King of Hell. It is his duty to judge the dead and rule over the various hells and purgatories, presiding over the cycle of <i>samsara</i> (cyclic, circuitous change). Yama has spread from being a Hindu god to finding roles in Buddhism as well as in Chinese, Korean and Japanese mythology.<br/><br/> Yama's role in Theravada Buddhism is vague and not well defined, though he is still a caretaker of hell and the dead. He judges those who die to determine if they are to be reborn to earth, to the heavens or to the hells. Sometimes there are more than one Yama, each presiding over one of the distinct hells. In Tibetan Buddhism, Yama is seen as a guardian of spiritual practice, and regarded with horror for his role in the cycle of death and rebirth.<br/><br/> In Chinese mythology, and similar stories in Korea and Japan, he is primarily known as either Yanluo or King Yan, and is the god of death and overseer of the Ten Kings of Hell. He is portrayed as a large man with bulging eyes, a long beard and a scowling red face. He is both ruler and judge of the underworld, and is always found alongside his two guardians, Ox-Head and Horse-Face. Those spirits who do good are rewarded, while those who have sinned are punished and tortured.
The Chinese Civil War was a conflict in China fought between forces loyal to the Kuomintang (KMT)-led government of the Republic of China, and forces loyal to the Communist Party of China (CPC). The war began in August 1927, with Chiang Kai-Shek's Northern Expedition, and essentially ended when major active battles ceased in 1950.<br/><br/> The conflict eventually resulted in two de facto states, the Republic of China (ROC) in Taiwan and the People's Republic of China (PRC) in mainland China, both officially claiming to be the legitimate government of China.
Shigeru Aoki (1882-1911) was a Japanese painter famed for his combining of Japanese mythology and legends with the Western-style art movement that could be found in some late 19th and early 20th century Japanese paintings.<br/><br/> Aoki was born into an ex-samurai household in northern Kyushu. He left his home in 1899 to pursue artistic studies in Tokyo, and soon began to accumulate critical acclaim for his artwork and its use of Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood techniques mixed with Kojiki themes. He died in March 1911 from tuberculosis, aged only 28.
Wat Buak Khrok Luang, located in Ban Buak Khrok Luang Moo 1, Chiang Mai – Sankamphaeng Road, Chiang Mai, is a small and typically northern Thai Buddhist temple. It is believed to have been founded in the 15th century during the time of the independent Lan Na Kingdom (1292-1558), and was extensively restored during the reign of Chao Kaew Naowarat (r.1911-1939), the last King of Chiang Mai.<br/><br/> The temple is chiefly noteworthy for its main viharn, which is purely Lan Na in inspiration, with a four-tiered roof and elegant naga balustrade entrance. The most remarkable aspect of the viharn is its extensive mural paintings, dating from around 1835 during the reign of Chao Phuttawong (r.1826-1846), the fourth ruler of the Chiang Mai Thipchang Dynasty. The murals, which are northern Thai in style with clear elements of Shan State and Konbaung Dynasty Burmese influence, are among the best in northern Thailand. They feature the jataka stories, past lives of the Buddha, and are interspersed with vernacular scenes from everyday early 19th century northern Thai life.
Chijang Posal (Korean version of Ksitigarbha) as Supreme Lord of the Underworld. Ksitigarbha is a bodhisattva primarily revered in East Asian Buddhism, usually depicted as a Buddhist monk in the Orient. The name may be translated as 'Earth Treasury'. Ksitigarbha is known for his vow to take responsibility for the instruction of all beings in the six worlds between the death of Gautama (Sakyamuni) Buddha and the rise of Maitreya Buddha, as well as his vow not to achieve Buddhahood until all hells are emptied. He is therefore often regarded as the bodhisattva of hell beings, as well as the guardian of children and patron deity of deceased children and aborted foetuses in Japanese culture. Usually depicted as a monk with a nimbus around his shaved head, he carries a staff to force open the gates of hell and a wish-fulfilling jewel to light up the darkness.
The Mogao Caves, or Mogao Grottoes (Chinese: mò gāo kū), also known as the Caves of the Thousand Buddhas and Dunhuang Caves, form a system of 492 temples 25 km (15.5 miles) southeast of the center of Dunhuang, an oasis strategically located at a religious and cultural crossroads on the Silk Road, in Gansu province, China.<br/><br/> The caves contain some of the finest examples of Buddhist art spanning a period of 1,000 years. The first caves were dug out 366 AD as places of Buddhist meditation and worship. The Mogao Caves are the best known of the Chinese Buddhist grottoes and, along with Longmen Grottoes and Yungang Grottoes, are one of the three famous ancient sculptural sites of China. The caves also have famous wall paintings.
Hell bank notes are a form of joss paper printed to resemble modern bank notes. Hell bank notes are not an official currency or legal tender anywhere in this world. They are intended to be burnt in Chinese ancestor veneration. Hell bank notes are known for their large denominations, ranging from $10,000 to several billions, and usually bear an image of the Jade Emperor, the presiding monarch of heaven in Daoism, with his signature (romanized as Yu Wong, or Yuk Wong) and the signature of Yanluo, King of Hell. There is usually an image of the Bank of Hell on the back of the bill.
Hell bank notes are a form of joss paper printed to resemble modern bank notes. Hell bank notes are not an official currency or legal tender anywhere in this world. They are intended to be burnt in Chinese ancestor veneration. Hell bank notes are known for their large denominations, ranging from $10,000 to several billions, and usually bear an image of the Jade Emperor, the presiding monarch of heaven in Daoism, with his signature (romanized as Yu Wong, or Yuk Wong) and the signature of Yanluo, King of Hell. There is usually an image of the Bank of Hell on the back of the bill.