A few hours sail down the Changjiang (Yangtze) River by tourist ship from Chongqing brings tourists to Fengdu, "Ghost City," an area with a history of over 1,000 years.
During the long years of feudal society, people superstitiously believed that people who had done evil would die and go to hell. Hell's ruler and king, Satan, would sentence them according to their wrongdoings before they died. Likewise, Fengdu was said to be a kind of hell. According to documents and relics, the legend was begun more than 1,000 years ago at the time of the Tang Dynasty (618-907). Calling Fengdu the "Ghost City" became more popular in the Ming (1368- 1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties. Temples for offering sacrifices to the thousands of painted statues of ghosts, gods and Bodhisattvas reached as many as 75.
After 1979, the local government renovated and reconstructed the original temples on a large scale, returning the "Ghost City" to its original looks and transforming it into a famous tourist spot for domestic and foreign tourists.
Through the "Gate of Hell," the gate tower to "Ghost City," people can go to "Hell Government." A more than 10-metre-high Satan sits erect in the hall together with various folklore ghosts, monsters and officials that flank him on both sides. At the rear of the palace is the chamber of horrors where ghostly guards mete out such torture as snake-biting, sawing off limbs, crushing bodies, walking on a stack of knives and throwing people into a cauldron of boiling oil. The painted statues of ghosts and monsters all have fierce, life-like faces that appear even more ghastly and horrifying under coloured lights. The "Ghost City" with its long history has a group of temples unparalleled in China.
Fengdu, however, not only has its famous "Ghost City," but also its scenic spots. It lies at the confluence of the Changjiang River and its tributary the Wujiang River. On the banks of the Wujiang River are continuous rolling mountains covered with luxuriant bamboos, trees and mountain flowers. The peaks are beautiful but dangerous and the river water of a deep green colour. Pleasure boats and wooden boats often sail down the river.
Since 1988, a five-day "Ghost City" temple fair has been held in April each year. At the festival, folk customs attract both tourists and local traders to the grand gathering.
At last year's temple fair, over 300,000 people came for sightseeing and businesses. Among them were over 1,600 tourists from Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan and foreign countries. During the festival, a variety of folk art and sports performances were held. Tourists also take part in shooting, horse racing, boating, outdoor barbecues, camping and other activities.
By Han Baocheng