Freaky Fengdu Ghost City – WTF China?!? (34 Photos)

April 16th, 2011 Permalink

Most folks have seen some totally freaky things coming out of Japan, bizarre game shows or festivals, and people are like WTF Japan? Well how about WTF China??? Fengdu Ghost City: This place was once ancient temples, but now has become a tacky amusement park. Instead of Mickey Mouse and happy stuff, visitors move closer and closer until visiting Hell. WTF China?!? Fengdu, the “City of Ghosts,” is situated at the northern end of the Yangtze River. It attracts tourists from all over China to learn about Chinese ghost culture and the afterlife. Visitors are constantly reminded here that good is rewarded with good, and evil is rewarded with terrifying and torturous evil. [34 WTF Freaky Photos]

Fengdu Temple

Fengdu Ghost City is about 110 mile (170 kilometers) downstream from Chongqing Municipality on the north bank of the Yangtze River in the People’s Republic of China. Fengu Ghost City is a tourist attraction featured along a Yangtze cruise. Fengdu Ghost City is a place to learn about Chinese ghost culture, the afterlife, and to see what the Chinese would call a “model of hell.” Fengdu became known as Ghost City in the Tang Dynasty (618-907) when two Imperial court officials married and settled on Ming Mountain to practice Taoist teachings. The couples’ surnames combined, Yin and Wang, sounded like “King of Hell” in Chinese. They supposedly became immortals. Thus was born Fengdu City of Ghosts – the hell theme and ghosts culture stuck. This photo is of cool Ghost City architecture and a freaky scene on the roof. Photo #1 by Tennessee Wanderer

Fengdu ghost town - Samsung hundred children in the house roof

During the Tang Dynasty, a temple was erected on Ming Mountain that depicted life in hell. It displayed demonic images and torture devices, reflecting the idea that good people will be treated well in the afterlife and that bad people will be punished by going to hell. Notice that this photo is of the same temple in Fengdu Ghost City as the first picture, but this is a close-up of details on the roof. Google Translator seemed to fail many times, saying the title of this photo is, “Fengdu ghost town – Samsung hundred children in the house roof.” Photo #2 by DDTai



Fengdu Ghost City is lined with bizarre statues which lead up to “hell.” I’d be willing to guess that Google Translate didn’t do this statue justice — “Man eating a ghost.” That’s not what it looks like to me. A better translation might be Ghost Girl? Photo #3 by Gisling

Fengdu ghost town - Bai Wuchang solely on 'Towards Xiao then good' There are so warm and cap 'you come'

A little research in the Chinese vision of the afterlife showed that ghosts of the dead must undergo three major tests to enter the “netherworld.” These tests have been turned into three of the many attractions in Ghost City. These attraction locations are called – Nothing-To-Be-Done-Bridge, Ghost Torturing Pass, and the Tianzi Son of Heaven Palace. The photographer titled this, “Fengdu ghost town – Bai Wuchang solely on ‘Towards Xiao then good’ There are so warm and cap ‘you come’.” More WTF at Fengdu. Photo #4 by DDTai

Fengdu - on cruise - on the way to Fengdu Ghost City

Taken during a cruise to Fengdu Ghost City. Up on the hill, in a foggy setting perfect for ghosts, is the massive Devil Hotel. I’m not sure if that is a “pet name,” but officially the giant face is called The Ghost King. It holds a Guinness World Record title as the biggest sculpture ever carved on rock. It stands 138 meters (415 feet) tall and about 217 meters (711 feet) wide, so that The Ghost King can be seen from all around the city. Photo #5 by Britrob

Demon for bad boys at Fengdu Ghost City

Demon for bad boys at Fengdu Ghost City. The photographer wrote, “In the ghost city of Fengdu, they have devil statues for different vices. This one is what happens to boys who don’t behave themselves.” WTF China? What kind of ancient ghosts and devils do you have to represent what happens after “bad” people die? Photo #6 by Matt Ryall

Bridge to Hell - Modoribashi

This is Modoribashi at Fengdu Ghost City. Modoribashi means the Bridge to Hell. An attraction called “Nothing-To-Be-Done-Bridge” connects the real world with the nether world. It’s a testing point for good and evil. According to legend, the bridge has three identical stone arches. The middle arch is where people are tested, but there are many different protocols for crossing the bridge – all depending on age, gender, and marital status. Under the Nothing-To-Be-Done-Bridge are square-shaped pools of water. Virtuous people pass over the bridge without problems, but evil people will supposedly fall into the pools below. When visitors are about to leave, they are encouraged to pass the other two arches called the golden and silver bridges. According to local superstition, this will bring people good fortune. Photo #7 by Gisling

At Fengdu - Chinese Realm of the Dead

At Fengdu Ghost City – Chinese Realm of the Dead. Another attraction is “The Ghost Torturing Pass.” It is the second test before entry into the nether world and it’s said that it is the place where the dead report to the Yama, the King of Hell, for judgment. In front of The Ghost Torturing Pass structure, there are 18 different scary sculptures of ferocious demons. Notice the heavy coat of dust? Kinda surprised that the person in charge of knocking off the layer of scum isn’t afraid of going to Chinese hell. Photo #8 by Maximovich Nikolay

Fengdu ghost town - the house of stone steps into the Son of Heaven, there are black and white impermanence folklore messenger of good and evil in the Soul

Fengdu ghost town – the house of stone steps into the Son of Heaven. There are black and white impermanence folklore messenger of good and evil in the Soul. This is a pretty freaky place. Photo #9 by DDTai

Hell and its bureaucrats at Fengdu Ghost City

Hell and its bureaucrats at Fengdu Ghost City. Why are there bureaucrats in Chinese hell? Because to the Chinese, the social structure in the hell will be exactly like it is in this world. In hell, a spirit would go through an entire bureaucracy to get the final sentence. Pure spirits would be rewarded and the sinful ones would be severely tortured. Different tortures would be given for different sins. This Ghost City amusement park, which was once real temples, display instruments of torture and a wide range of demons to “vividly depict the Chinese people’s imagination of Hell.” Photo #10 by Chiva Congelado

China - Fengdu The City of Ghosts

Fengdu Ghost City – “The City of Ghosts” . . . a cheesy, tacky weirdness all about hell and full of “terrifying” dusty demons to dole out punishment to the wicked. Photo #11 by Rafael (Rafa http://www.micamara.es)

Hell at Fengdu Ghost City

Welcome to hell at Fengdu Ghost City. There are many statues of ghosts and of devils in the temples which describe the after-life where people who disobey ancient Chinese morals are punished in every horrifying ways. Photo #12 by Chiva Congelado

The photographer wrote and Google translated this pic to say, “Fengdu ghost town – although the eighth layer of hell judge the role of criminal law is punishing the evil is not the same place.” Just more WTF kind of bizarro hell trip amusement park is this, China? Photo #13 by DDTai

Fengdu ghost town - West Hell Siege peeling pestle pound iron pan weighing said cut sawing eye make up by cutting the heart and the magic potion kneel

Again, we are in “hell.” The photographer tagged this photo, according to Google Translate, with: “Fengdu ghost town – West Hell Siege peeling pestle pound iron pan weighing said cut sawing eye make up by cutting the heart and the magic potion kneel.” Indeed the language barrier and translations only add to the WTF freakishness. Photo #14 by DDTai

Google translated this pic to say, “Fengdu ghost town – famous eighteen layers of hell what the hell sub-display approach in handling a wide range What goes around comes around.” Photo #15 by DDTai

Punishment and reincarnation

“Punishment and reincarnation.” Photo #16 by Chiva Congelado

WTF China - Hell at Fengdu Ghost City

WTF China – Hell at Fengdu Ghost City. Photo #17 by Chiva Congelado

Ghost of Lust at Fengdu Ghost City

This is the “Ghost of Lust.” Photo #18 by Gisling

Big Demon Ghost - Fengdu - Another of the Big Ghosts guarding the steps leading up to the Pass to Hell

Big Demon Ghost – Fengdu – Another of the Big Ghosts guarding the steps leading up to the Pass to Hell. Photo #19 by Terry Feuerborn

Fengdu - Drunkard - Ghosts lining the way to hell

Fengdu – Drunkard – Ghosts lining the way to hell. Photo #20 by Gisling

Fengdu Ghost City Wuyun Tower

Fengdu Ghost City Wuyun Tower. This pagoda is at the top of Mt. Mingshan. It is visible from the Yangtze River. Photo #21 by Terry Feuerborn

China - Ghost City

China – Ghost City of Fengdu is a very disturbing place. This is another ghostly statue leading to hell. Photo #22 by Rafael (Rafa http://www.micamara.es)

Fengdu Ghost Town - Emperor Temple is a ghost town in the heart of the oldest part of the construction area's largest and best preserved one

Fengdu Ghost Town – Emperor Temple is a ghost town in the heart of the oldest part of the construction area. This temple is the largest and best preserved. Photo #23 by Rafael (Rafa http://www.micamara.es)

Fengdu The City of Ghosts China

Fengdu The City of Ghosts China. Photo #24 by Rafael (Rafa http://www.micamara.es)

Yasha ghost

Yasha ghost. Photo #25 by Gisling

Riding over Fengdu Ghost City

Had enough of the bizarreness? You can escape the amusement park by riding over Fengdu Ghost City Photo #26 by Gisling

Fengdu – The Chinese Realm of the Dead the devil's hotel on hill

Not too sure what this means, but the photographer wrote (with the “help” of Google translate) Fengdu ghost town – “one of Taoism 72 fairyland.” Photo #27 by DDTai

Rope bridge in the old Chinese ghost town Fengdu

Rope bridge in the old Chinese ghost town Fengdu. Photo #28 by !eberhard

Fengdu – The Chinese Realm of the Dead the devil's hotel on hill

Fengdu – The Chinese Realm of the Dead. Is that really the devil’s hotel on hill? Is this a family attraction? Unlike a visit to Disney World, where kids will have happy dreams, taking kids to Fengdu Ghost City – full of demons and ghosts and hell – might cause nightmares? Photo #29 by Maximovich Nikolay

Fengdu ghost town square

Fengdu City of Ghosts “town square.” Photo #30 by DDTai

Fengdu Ghost City Pagoda

Fengdu Ghost City Pagoda. Photo #32 by Gisling

Freaky China Torturer at Fengdu City of Ghosts

Freaky China Torturer at Fengdu City of Ghosts. Photo #33 by Wilson Loo

Fengdu Devil Hotel built into the mountain at Ghost City

Fengdu Ghost City, a one-of-a-kind bizarre and freaky attraction full of ghosts, demons, and depictions of hell. Quite the family fun amusement park. WTF China? Photo #34 by Andrew Horne



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