Today’s shore excursion left at 7:50 AM for China’s ancient Fengdu Town, known in English as the Ghost Village.  Chinese mythology says that when people die, their souls travel to Fengdu where it is decided whether they will go to heaven or be tortured in hell in the time before their next reincarnation. 

There is only one place for several ships to dock at the Town, so three of the cruise liners formed a chain connecting to the dock.  This meant that we had to climb from ramps across two other ships before we reached the shore.   From there one ascends several hundred stone steps to reach the Town, although for those who want to cop out there is a ski lift which goes most of the way. 

The port at Fengdu Town

Like all the ancient architecture we’ve seen, every element has associated symbology.  Every temple has a threshold, and stepping upon it is considered to be as offensive as standing upon the shoulders of its deity.  Threshold heights are proportional to the importance of the temple.  Every entrance also has three doorways, two smaller ones on the wings and a larger in the center.  The rightmost door is for entering and the leftmost is for leaving.  The center one is reserved for Chinese spirits on their way to be judged.  Women are supposed to stay on the right side and men on the left, a tradition that carries through even to the location of restrooms in restaurants.  Along the walkway to the temple of the King of the Underworld, one passes the three tests to which souls are subjected, and which even the living can attempt.  For instance, one test requires one to cross a stone bridge without having it collapse (as it supposedly will under the wicked).  Another is to run up a particular flight of steps with ones eyes closed and breath held, and without looking behind.  The third is to balance on a stone with one leg for three seconds while reading the words inscribed on the side of a temple. Another test unrelated to the three is used by wives to determine the truthfulness of their husbands.  A 400 lb., half-spherical stone sits in a pit shaped like a lemon juicer.  If the husband can balance the stone on the pillar in the center of the juicer, he is telling the truth.  There is only one person who can do this on a regular basis, and he has been practicing for about a decade.  He operates a shop right next to the stone and will demonstrate his skill as long as he is promised tips afterwards.  The trick is to roll the stone around the groove in the pit to build up its momentum, but we leaned firsthand that this is much harder than it looks. 

The temple for the King of the Underworld is the most grand of all in Fengdu, and in addition to his giant statue, features a scene of clay figures demonstrating the torture methods used on evil souls. 

Some of Fengdu Town’s ancient art

Once back on the boat we spent the afternoon and evening relaxing, and a few of us learned how to play mahjong from one of the cruise ship staff.  Dinner was prefaced by the Captain’s cocktail party, which had sweet wine and snacks.  After dinner the staff put on a show of mostly dancing, with a little Tai Chi thrown in.  They selected members of the audience to participate in a few events, such as a beer speed drinking contest (through a straw) and musical chairs. 

By evening the ship had docked in the Fuling district of Chongqing for the night, and before bed we enjoyed watching the city from the fourth deck while sipping beers.  All the structures of Fuling look brand new for a reason.  Just a few years ago, before the Three Gorges Dam, the District was located in an area that is afterwards submerged under the Yangtze.  Fuling was relocated to the higher ground on which it now stands.  A stadium much like the Bryce Jordan Center was located just next to our dock, and the techno music and flashing lights emanating from its exterior suggested some sort of Saturday night dance.  Fireworks also graced the evening from time to time.  We saw several shows in the distance from neighboring regions in addition to those of Fuling itself. 

These balloons are lifted by the heat of a candle at their base and I think are used to make wishes.  Someone gifted Xinli with one, but we never managed to get it off the ground.  It dropped immediately into the Yangtze.  Others we saw floating about the sky over the River were more successful.  

Location: Fuling, Chongqing, China