Shi Gandang (Chinese: 石敢当; pinyin: Shígǎndāng) is a Chinese god and the protector of the home. He was originally a spirit sent down from Mount Tai by Bixia Yuanjun to protect ordinary people from evil spirits.[1][2]
Statue of Shi Gandang at Mount Tai
As part of cultural tradition, there will also often be Taishan Shi Gandang stones set up near buildings and other places, in order to protect those places from evil spirits. These are not to be confused with spirit tablets.[3]
Legendedit
A very strong and brave woodcutter named Shi Gandang lived on Mount Tai. He was taught martial arts and magic by an old Taoist. One day a demon came to the rich man Wang Yuanwai's house and put his daughter into a coma. Many Taoists used charms and incantations to exorcize the demon but to no avail. Wang Yuanwai sent out a bulletin to be posted all around the region. Wang offered half his family's wealth as a reward. In addition, if the person who saved his daughter was a young, unmarried man, he could marry the daughter. Shi Gandang saw the notice and decided to give it a try. Shi asked Wang to prepare a magic sword and a set of tight-fitting clothes, while he wrote out a charm. He pasted the charm over the door to the daughter's room. At dusk Shi put on the clothes, and grasping the sword, he went into the daughter's room. At the third watch, there was a fierce wind, and the demon arrived. He laughingly tore down the charm and burst into the room. Shi yelled out "What demon dares to enter? Taishan Shi Gandang is here!" The demon turned and fled back to his cave. Wang gave half of his wealth to Shi. Shi and Miss Wang were married, and Shi moved into the Wang household.[4]
The demon was so frightened he dared not leave his cave for over a month. Eventually, he ventured out again and cast a spell over someone in another village. The villagers heard of Shi Gandang and sent someone to ask him to come. Shi set off to the village. Before Shi arrived, the demon heard of his coming and fled. The villagers were elated. But soon the demon appeared in another village. Shi went there, scared off the demon, but then the demon went elsewhere. This went on for a year. Shi returned home for the New Year's. His wife asked how he was doing, and he explained. She suggested a means of avoiding all his running around. "Why doesn't every village put up an inscription with your name? When the goblin sees the plaque, it won't dare enter the village." This idea worked, and word soon spread until all villages had a stone inscription with the five characters "Taishan Shi Gandang". By learning martial arts and magic within the sacred precincts of Mount Tai, Shi Gandang gains an advantage over other Taoists, who fail to control the goblin. The God of Mount Tai's role as a judge or king in the underworld gives him control over creatures such as the demon in the story. Thus, Shi Gandang, drawing on the God of Mount Tai's authority in the underworld, can quell the demon.[5][2]
^Press, Beijing Foreign Language (September 2012). Chinese Auspicious Culture. Asiapac Books Pte Ltd. ISBN978-981-229-642-9.
^ abDott, Brian Russell; Dott, Brian R. (2004). Identity Reflections: Pilgrimages to Mount Tai in Late Imperial China. Harvard University Asia Center. ISBN978-0-674-01653-8.
gandang, chinese, 石敢当, pinyin, shígǎndāng, chinese, protector, home, originally, spirit, sent, down, from, mount, bixia, yuanjun, protect, ordinary, people, from, evil, spirits, statue, mount, taias, part, cultural, tradition, there, will, also, often, taishan. Shi Gandang Chinese 石敢当 pinyin Shigǎndang is a Chinese god and the protector of the home He was originally a spirit sent down from Mount Tai by Bixia Yuanjun to protect ordinary people from evil spirits 1 2 Statue of Shi Gandang at Mount TaiAs part of cultural tradition there will also often be Taishan Shi Gandang stones set up near buildings and other places in order to protect those places from evil spirits These are not to be confused with spirit tablets 3 Legend editA very strong and brave woodcutter named Shi Gandang lived on Mount Tai He was taught martial arts and magic by an old Taoist One day a demon came to the rich man Wang Yuanwai s house and put his daughter into a coma Many Taoists used charms and incantations to exorcize the demon but to no avail Wang Yuanwai sent out a bulletin to be posted all around the region Wang offered half his family s wealth as a reward In addition if the person who saved his daughter was a young unmarried man he could marry the daughter Shi Gandang saw the notice and decided to give it a try Shi asked Wang to prepare a magic sword and a set of tight fitting clothes while he wrote out a charm He pasted the charm over the door to the daughter s room At dusk Shi put on the clothes and grasping the sword he went into the daughter s room At the third watch there was a fierce wind and the demon arrived He laughingly tore down the charm and burst into the room Shi yelled out What demon dares to enter Taishan Shi Gandang is here The demon turned and fled back to his cave Wang gave half of his wealth to Shi Shi and Miss Wang were married and Shi moved into the Wang household 4 The demon was so frightened he dared not leave his cave for over a month Eventually he ventured out again and cast a spell over someone in another village The villagers heard of Shi Gandang and sent someone to ask him to come Shi set off to the village Before Shi arrived the demon heard of his coming and fled The villagers were elated But soon the demon appeared in another village Shi went there scared off the demon but then the demon went elsewhere This went on for a year Shi returned home for the New Year s His wife asked how he was doing and he explained She suggested a means of avoiding all his running around Why doesn t every village put up an inscription with your name When the goblin sees the plaque it won t dare enter the village This idea worked and word soon spread until all villages had a stone inscription with the five characters Taishan Shi Gandang By learning martial arts and magic within the sacred precincts of Mount Tai Shi Gandang gains an advantage over other Taoists who fail to control the goblin The God of Mount Tai s role as a judge or king in the underworld gives him control over creatures such as the demon in the story Thus Shi Gandang drawing on the God of Mount Tai s authority in the underworld can quell the demon 5 2 See also editChinese folk religion Chinese spiritual world concepts ShigandangReferences edit Press Beijing Foreign Language September 2012 Chinese Auspicious Culture Asiapac Books Pte Ltd ISBN 978 981 229 642 9 a b Dott Brian Russell Dott Brian R 2004 Identity Reflections Pilgrimages to Mount Tai in Late Imperial China Harvard University Asia Center ISBN 978 0 674 01653 8 北京胡同旅游手冊 中国旅游出版社 2001 ISBN 978 7 5032 1771 5 中华民俗文化 中华禁忌 in Chinese Beijing Book Co Inc December 2006 ISBN 978 7 999099 63 5 石敢当 in Chinese 农村读物出版社 1965 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Shi Gandang amp oldid 1147174834, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
