How to break through the dimensional wall and look at the Indian myth behind Shengzhuan？

CLAMP is a well-known and best-selling comic writer in Japan. This is a creative group composed of many cartoonists and script writers. Since 1989, when they first published a long serial in a special comic magazine, by the beginning of 2017, their total book sales had exceeded 100 million copies in Japan.

Their success even broke through the secondary wall, which triggered a sensational "shanzhai wenqi case" in China society.

This "shanzhai" which has been called for 14 years is called "Fantasy City". In 2016, the author Jing M.Guo invested 300 million yuan to put it on the TV screen. And the "original work" that took Jing M.Guo to the first peak of his career was called "The Legend of the Sacred". It happened to be the first successful best-selling cartoon of the CLAMP group in 1989.

The cover of the Japanese version of Shengzhuan

The most successful part of this legendary Japanese comic book, and the most criticized part of Jing M.Guo, is its huge world outlook and fatalistic theme.

In fact, this theme is not original, but the re-creation of ancient Indian mythology by CLAMP’s script writer Nanase Ohkawa.

However, unlike his predecessor saint seiya, Nanase Ohkawa not only borrowed the freshness brought by the exoticism of foreign mythology, but also went deep into the philosophy of Indian mythology.

The decorative illustrations in The Legend of God are influenced by alphonse mucha, the representative of Art Nouveau Movement.

Another highlight of The Sage is Zhuanli’s painting style. Enchanting character lines, complicated details, mural-like gorgeous scenes, with a strong atmosphere of Central Asian religious paintings.

Due to Nanase Ohkawa’s faithful and accurate mastery of Indian legends, the image of the gods in The Sage is almost a CLAMP-style painting.

If the images of gods in Dunhuang murals are people’s imagination of religious figures at that time, the Indian gods described by CLAMP can also be called modern people’s popular understanding of ancient religious figures.

The world of the gods

Because Chinese is used to understanding Indian culture by translating Buddhist classics into Chinese, he mistakenly thinks that the main gods involved in the Sage of Indra, Hag, etc. are the gods in Buddhist classics.

The description of the image and relationship of the gods in Shengzhuan mainly comes from Indian mythology, not the dharma protector in Buddhism.

The English subtitle of Shengzhuan is RgVeda, that is, Rigveda (one of the four sets of Vedas in India), which is the oldest literary work in India. It appeared around the 10th century BC, 500 years before the birth of Buddhism.

The new Cave 1 of Kumutula Grottoes in Kikuz, Xinjiang, with one Buddha and one bodhisattva (5th century AD) on display in Chengdu Museum. The features, hairstyles and clothes of the characters retain the ancient Indian Gandhara style.

However, the philosophy of Indian mythology is fatalistic, emphasizing the advantages and avoiding the evils.

Although the protagonists in the Sage also have their own destinies, the theme is to pursue their own destiny. This anti-fatalism concept is consistent with Buddhism. It also shows that Nanase Ohkawa did not completely follow the thought of Indian mythology, but added some philosophical ideas of himself or the later period of mankind.

Asura (Asuras)

The protagonist of The Legend of God, the child of former asura king, is a man and a woman, and is the core figure of prophecy with cruel fate.

Asura is the general name of a kind of gods, and it is an early Hindu god who appeared in Rigveda.

In the early days of Vedic mythology, Asura was as good as Indra and other gods. In the late Indian mythology, Asura degenerated into "non-heaven" ("foreign countries call God heaven" in Jin Guang Ming Jing Shu) or "monty" and became the enemy of other heavens.

Since then, the two sides have had endless wars. These wars have been going on for thousands of years, involving all beings in the three worlds, and "almost become the whole content of the chronicle of heaven." After the battle with the gods failed, Asura was driven from heaven to live in the underground world.

Asura and his father asura king after awakening. Asura was divided into good and evil in The Sage. When Asura fully awakens, he will lose his humanity and become a bloodthirsty god of killing.

Although there are stories in Vedic mythological classics that the gods fought against the heavenly demons, these evil spirits are not completely evil incarnations like the demons in other religions.

Indian mythology does not tend to be dualism of good and evil, but pantheism in which both good and evil are contained in a higher unity.

Therefore, Asura is not without wisdom or ignorance of the Dharma. The contempt for Asura in the later Hindu classics is mainly that they "can’t distinguish desire from self-control", "have no purity and morality" and "are jealous and proud".

The top of Cave 249 of Dunhuang Mogao Grottoes, Asura.

After the emergence of Buddhism, Asura was absorbed as the Buddha’s protector and became the god of war among the eight sects. All later generations also often call the battlefield "Xiuluo Field".

Yaksa

The protagonist of The Sage, one of the six stars in Asura’s fate prediction, the King of the Hag clan, accompanied young Asura to crusade against Indra. Have a half-brother Luo Cha.

Hag, also translated as medicine fork, was originally a symbol of fertility in ancient Indian mythology. It was a demigod who could eat people with great power.

In Indian mythology, the king of the hag clan is Gepilo. Gupiro is also the Hindu god of wealth, one of the "protectors of the world", and is in charge of the north.

Luo Cha, the younger brother of Hag in The Sage.

When the hag was introduced into China, it was mistaken for an evil ghost who eats people and harms people, or a ghost who was tortured in hell.

In fact, in Indian mythology, the real evil spirit is Luo Cha. Luo Cha appeared in Rigveda, which is synonymous with "abomination" and "barbarism" and often changed his image to do evil.

In the later Indian mythology, Hag and Luo Cha became brothers, both of whom were born by Brahma, the god of creation. But the hag kept his place, Luo Cha wild at heart.

Asura’s hag guarding his childhood in The Sage.

After being absorbed by Buddhism, Hag became one of the eight sects.

The hag who guards the Dharma often appears as a guard and belongs to the family of Vishamenton in the north. According to the "Peacock King Mantra Sutra", after conversion, the hag "always follows the monks who support Buddhism", and only requires all beings who are practicing the Dharma, and the hag will guard them wholeheartedly.

Cave 19 in Yulin Cave, Dunhuang, Hag and the Southern King (Middle Tang Dynasty).

Sakra-Devanam-Indra

Also known as Indra.

The protagonist of The Sage hides the secret Lord of the gods. Asura, hag, etc. The object of public crusade.

Indra (formerly known as Indra) is one of the oldest deities in Indian mythology, and also the main god of India’s initial deity system, the king of the gods in Rigveda.

Nearly a quarter of the poems in Rigveda praise his deeds. At first, he was even named as the creator and destroyer of all things. Later, his creation function weakened and he became a god of war. He is the bane of Asura, and was once called Asura, the butcher of Asura.

Indra-Tian ate asura king of the previous generation in The Sage, and gained his prophetic ability. In Indian mythology, Taibai Venus, a priest of the Asura clan, had the power to bring back the dead, and unknowingly ate Yunfa, the son of the priest of the God. Finally, Taibai Venus transferred her strength to Yunfa, which revived Yunfa in her belly and finally burst out.

Vedic religion was originally based on the worship of natural forces. Indra, as the god of thunderstorm, is the most powerful, so her position is superior to other heavens.

However, in the later period of Indian mythology, Indra’s image gradually faded and was constantly defeated, and her image became obscene and fell into a second-class god. In modern Hinduism, it has been less revered.

Shezhi

Indra’s wife is Saci. Shezhi, a descendant of Asura’s powerful family, was rescued by Indra. Shezhi’s father was furious with his daughter’s decision and was killed by Indra when he cursed Indra.

Thor in Cave 285 of Mogao Grottoes in Dunhuang. In Vedic poetry, Indra is the god of thunder and rain and a symbol of fertility.

At the beginning of the rise of Buddhism, there were no gods, and Indra and Brahma, the two leading gods in Brahmanism, were first introduced. The name of Indra came from when he was incorporated into Buddhism, and he was given an honorific title and became Indra, who was later translated into Indra.

Manjusri Change in Cave 159 of Dunhuang Mogao Grottoes (Middle Tang Dynasty). The picture on the right shows the lower part of Manjusri Change, which protects Indra and looks like an ancient emperor.

After converting to Buddhism, Indra was honored as the king of Mount Sumi for thirty-three days, and became the head of the four heavenly kings and eight sects. It often appears in Buddhist murals as a waiter of the Buddha.

Liu xing lai hui

Rig Veda, the subtitle of Shengzhuan, is the oldest literary work in India. It, together with the other three Vedic collections, is called four collections, which is the origin of Hinduism and Buddhism.

Most of the gods in Buddhist classics come from Brahmanism in India, and even the characters in ancient Indian Vedic mythology.

According to Taixian Kimura’s History of Indian Philosophy and Religion, "Buddhism, especially Brahma, Indra, Nihilitian (thirty-three days) and Vishmenta, are converts, and mountain gods, tree gods and ghosts and gods are also included".

Part of the Illustration of Sakyamuni Duobao in Cave 4 of Yulin Cave in Dunhuang (Yuan Dynasty). The figure modeling of this painting shows the characteristics of Tibetan, Nepalese and Indian painting styles. Delicate in painting, it is an excellent work in the late period of Dunhuang Buddhist murals.

Before Buddhism, India did not have the habit of making statues of gods. After Buddhism came into being, many stories of gods and buddhas were depicted for the purpose of popularizing the law and spreading it. The ancient Indian gods in Buddhism, with the spread of Buddhism, entered the murals of the Central Plains grottoes from the Silk Road.

In 1989, CLAMP painted Hindu gods into his debut novel "The Story of the Holy Spirit". The original Indian mythology and some later Buddhist ideas have shaped a magnificent world view for this best-selling long cartoon.

Relying on the religious painting style, they made a modern description of these ancient gods. These paintings cross the barriers of time and language, and meet the imagination of the ancients about religion thousands of years ago to form a wonderful picture.

Sudarsana (Sudarsana)

CLAMP’s Good View of the City

In the Vedas, the world is divided into three realms: heaven, space and earth, and the three realms mentioned in the later Buddhist cosmology also come from this.

In Buddhist scriptures, gods such as Indra, Asura and Hag were active in these three realms long before Buddhism appeared.

In The Legend of the Sage, the city of Asura is a reflection of each other under the city of Shanjian. In Indian mythology, Asura was banished from heaven to the underworld. Asura’s castles in the underground world are equally magnificent, replacing the brilliance of the sun and the moon with gems.

In the middle of this world is Mi lu shan (Mount Sumi), and there are countless worlds around it. The empty boundary from the ground up is divided into countless layers. The higher the level, the higher the realm.

Indra, the head of the gods, lived on the third day, also known as the kingdom of heaven. His city is located in the middle of the kingdom of heaven, and it is called Amoropoti. After Indra was absorbed by Buddhism, the city was called Shanjian City. All gods, demigods, immortals and virtuous mortals can appear before the Emperor Indra here.

Soma (soma)

Sumo, one of the six stars in Shengzhuan, was destroyed by Indra. Embark against Indra with Asura.

In Indian mythology, there are thirty-three deities in the three realms, namely, twelve Attitudes, eleven rudra, eight old ladies and double stable boy, which are collectively called "thirty-three days" (namely, devas). Indra (Indra) is the Lord of the Thirty-three Days, and Sumo belongs to one of the Eight Pofus.

In early Vedic mythology, Sumo was originally a creeping weed. The wine made from this plant is sealed as a sacred drink. Sumo symbolizes immortality, and drinkers can live forever. When a grand sacrifice is held, sumo wine will be offered.

Some of the most beautiful passages in Vedic poetry are dedicated to this wine, and this wine is personified. In Indian mythology, the famous Asura and the gods joined forces to "stir the milk sea" and look for the nectar of eternal life, which is Sumo.

Sumo and Ganlu Powang in Shengzhuan, in which Sumo is a female image.

In the later period of Vedic mythology, Sumo evolved into the moon god (male). At the full moon, it will be filled with sumo wine. Then the moon in Buddhism is also called Sumo or Sumo deva.

Nagaraja, the Dragon King

The Dragon King in the Sage, one of the six stars. Asura’s friend.

Naga is a family of snake gods widely believed in India. It has a self-healing immortal body and is worshipped as the god in charge of life and death.

In the battle of heaven, naga was sometimes on the side of the gods and sometimes on the opposite side. They live in the underground like Asura.

Cave 36 of Dunhuang Mogao Grottoes, part of the Dragon King’s ritual Buddha map (Five Dynasties). In the mural, the dragon king holds an offer and offers bottles on the plate. Dragon son, dragon girl and hag followed them, galloping on the turbulent sea.

After witnessing the Buddha’s liberation, he converted to Buddhism, and was called "Dragon Crowd", as one of the eight sects. Their natural enemy is Garuda, a goldfinch.

Garuda (Garuda)

King Garullo, one of the six stars, whose sister was killed by Indra.

Garuda, also known as Dapeng Golden Winged Bird, originated from the worship of birds and snakes in the early Indus Valley. In Rigveda, there are also "gorgeous birds with wonderful wings that shine on the earth."

The name of Garuda first appeared in the masterpieces Ramayana and Mahabharata in the epic period of Indian mythology. According to Mahabharata, Garuda and Naga are half-brothers. But his mother lost gambling and became the slave of Naga’s mother. In order to save his mother, Garuda went to the Heavenly Palace and stole Sumo wine from Indra (Indra), saving his mother and becoming Naga’s natural enemy forever.

After the Hindu gods were merged by Buddhism, Garuda became one of the eight sects of the protector. In Tibetan Buddhism, Garuda is the Lord of the sky and the king of birds.

Biography of Jia Ling Pin Jia（Kalnvirika）And my sister Garuda.

Jialingpingjia comes from Indian mythology, a kind of bird with beautiful voice, which lives in the snow-capped mountains (Himalayas). It has "seven sound holes in its mouth, each of which can emit different sounds" and its life span is as long as one thousand years. Indians regard Kalingpa as a god of music and consider it the father of music.

Jialingpinjia in Cave 285 of Mogao Grottoes in Dunhuang

Later, he was absorbed by Buddhism as a deity, and was given the name of Jialingpinga. He was born in the bliss world, and his image was mainly human children, retaining his wings. Zhou Weizhou, an archaeologist, thinks that the image of the winged god of Kaling Pinga may be related to Cupid, the western god of love.

Gandharva

"The Legend of the Gods", one of the six stars, is also the successor of the Eastern Kingdom. A musician of Indra.

Ganlu Shiva, Hag, Goddess, etc. are demigods in Indian mythology.

According to the description in Rigveda, Ganlu woman lives in heaven, is associated with the sun, prepares sumo for the gods, and is the guardian of sumo wine. In the late period of Vedic mythology, Ganlvpo became a general term for musicians, and played music for the gods during feasts, which was called "Jilotte".

The Godmother in The Sage. The flying posture that Ganlv often uses is the style that CLAMP loves.

In the late Vedas, there are more than 6,000 descriptions of dry-turned-women. These dry women are skilled in medical skills, and good women are also called "fragrance seekers" The city of the sky where Gan Yipo lives is called a mirage, but it is an ominous sign. When travelers see these castles, it means disaster or even death is coming.

New Cave 1 of Kizil Grottoes in Kikuz, Xinjiang, flying in the sky (about 7th century AD).

The wife of Gan Lu Po is an Abu Salo family, a dancer in heaven, and also known as the goddess. In Indian mythology, these beautiful goddesses were used by Indra as a weapon against ascetics. Abu Salo, the heavenly daughter, is also one of the embryonic forms of flying in Dunhuang.

Four Heavenly Kings

In Indian mythology, Indra was divided into eight directions, and there were eight kings who protected the world. This concept was absorbed by Buddhism, and it became the four heavenly kings of East, South, West and North, or the four donkey kong.

The Four Heavenly Kings in The Legend of God

The east holds the country and the sky, and the Buddhist scriptures are the god of joy, and the attendants are Ganlu Shiva.

The west is wide-eyed, which was originally one of the names of Shiva. In Buddhism, as the head of the Dragon, Tianlong is his attendant.

The south grows up and is dominated by the little devil. Generally holding a sword means cutting off ignorance and evil with wisdom.

Cave 15, Yulin Cave, Dunhuang, King of the North (Middle Tang Dynasty). Holding the pagoda in your hand is a sign of being more knowledgeable.

Among the four heavenly kings, Vishnu, the most famous heavenly king in the north, has the highest status. During the Hindu period, Vishnu was the guardian of the north and the head of the hag, also known as Gepiluo. Because Hag is the guardian of the underground treasure, he is also known as the king of wealth. There is also the image of "King Tota" among the people in China.

Rigveda was born in the early stage of ancient human civilization. Although it is mixed with myths, spells and religious ceremonies, the archaeological community believes that it is also a book that records the early history of India. Asura’s "depravity" is also considered to be the process of tribal struggle in the Indus Valley at that time.

It’s just that history has always been written by winners, and Asura has become the protagonist of the tragedy. However, Asura in literature, in the imagination of later generations, expressed people’s voices in a thousand ways.

Cover News-Huaxi Dushi Bao reporter He Yuyu

(The Buddhist murals in this article are all from the exhibit of Dunhuang Silk Road in Chengdu Museum. Source: Indian Myth by Yang Yishuang, The Story of Mahabharata by Raja gopala and Charlie, The Exploration of Indian Gods by Ma Weiguang, The History of Hinduism and Buddhism Volume I by Charles Elliot).