According to the Daoist Canon , the "Black Wuchang" and "White Wuchang" are the Escort Demons or Reapers, of the Underworld. They are responsible for picking up the ghostly spirits of the dead and transporting them to Hell. , the Black Wuchang Spirit is known as General Fan Wu-jiu, or "The Black Guard of Impermanence" is short and fat, and the Wu call him "Ba-Ye" (8th Master)." The White Wuchang Spirit is known as General Xie Bian, or "The White Guard of Impermanence"He is tall and skinny, and he is called "Qi-Ye" (7th Master)." The legend is as follows, both of these men were guards in ancient china. During a prisoner transfer, they lost the prisoner, so they decided to split up to search for him.
They planned to meet later under a large stone bridge. However, it was raining extremely hard, and the river was rising. The guard Fan Wujiu was waiting under the bridge for a long time and dared not leave. Eventually, Fan was drowned when the flood came suddenly upon the land. When Xie arrived at the bridge and saw that his friend Fan was dead, he killed himself by hanging. Afterwards, the Heavenly Emperor saw that they were both loyal to their duties and towards each other. Therefore, The Jade Emperor appointed both of them as Spirit Escorts of the dead. In Taoist myth and legend,to become a member of the court Hell was an honor and unlike in the west,to serve in hell was a good thing and brought great merit to your family.
The Black Guard of Impermanence has a fearsome countenance and inscribed on his hat are the words "Death visits those who meet me." He is in charge of hunting down the vile and diabolical spirits,those who harm children and disrespect their family line.
The White Guard of Impermanence has a kind and friendly air about him. Written on his headgear are the words "Fortune greets those who meet me." He guides the spirits of Honorable people to the Underworld. Sometimes people even revere him as the God of Fortune. The black and white colors of the Wuchang Escorts are representations of the "Yin" and "Yang" energetic forces within the spirit of man.
The reason why both Yin and Yang Guardians are used as escorts at the time of death, is because the human body contains a Yang Soul (known as a Hun) and a Yin Soul (known as a Po).
The Hun is the individual's spirit that can leave the physical body and travel within the various realms, while the human lives within the physical realm. The Hun is connected and influenced by spirits of the celestial realm and are responsible for spirit travel, dream magic, and spiritually "feeding" the individual's Original Spirit and Eternal Soul with inspiration and energy.
The Po is the individual's spirit-soul that "sticks" or clings to the physical body. The Po is connected and influenced by the spirits of the terrestrial realm, and are responsible for animal instinct and survival (i.e., fighting and reproduction), and for "feeding" the individual's Acquired Spirit (ego).
When an individual dies, both Wuchang come to escort the spirit of the dead. One Wuchang is responsible for picking up and escorting the Hun, while the other is responsible for' dispersing' the Po within the individual's dead body, by absorbing it. Then, the departed spirit is transported into Hell.Just like on the Left Hand Path, the energies of Yin and Yang constantly need to be balanced. Therefore, because a man consists of a Yin Spirit and Yang Soul, when he dies, the White Wuchang, which represents Yang, would pickup his Yin Spirit (the Yang is attracted to the Yin force); while the Black Wuchang, which represents Yin, would disperse the Yang Soul in the body (the Yin absorbs/ attracts the Yang force).
Because a woman consists of a Yang Spirit and a Yin Soul, when she dies, the Black Wuchang, which represents Yin, would pickup her Yang Spirit (the Yin is attracted to the Yang force); while the White Wuchang, which represents Yang, would disperse the Yin Soul in the body (the Yang absorbs/ attracts the Yin force). This cosmology has a deep understanding of light and dark,I for one plan on a very intense study and contemplative look in the next few months,taken from the point of view of a Left Hand Path Wizard with a love for Sinology like myself.... Copyrite 2015 Vincent Piazza
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