雖然這篇帝釋天喬峰鄉民發文沒有被收入到精華區:在帝釋天喬峰這個話題中,我們另外找到其它相關的精選爆讚文章
在 帝釋天喬峰產品中有22篇Facebook貼文,粉絲數超過0的網紅,也在其Facebook貼文中提到, 《型男飛行日誌》在九月時從Netflix中被下架了。 這部在2009上映的片,以其劇情、角色、導演與剪輯手法的出色,得到了很多獎項的提名,雖然最終沒有囊括甚至橫掃獎座,但各方給予的好評其實沒有減損它的厚度。 而這部電影在電視台上播過很多次,我卻沒有去看,因為片商的片名實在取的很雷,看起來這部片只...
同時也有2部Youtube影片,追蹤數超過3萬的網紅XXY_Animal of Vision,也在其Youtube影片中提到,00:00:00 開場引言 00:03:03 贊助我們 00:05:33 1. 吳孟達不敵病魔逝世 享壽70歲 00:10:05 2. 派拉蒙檔期再度更動《噤界2 》提前上映 00:15:23 3. 第 78 屆金球獎得獎名單揭曉 00:40:55 4. 凱文費吉訪談提及漫威電影宇宙籌備現況,《死侍...
帝釋天喬峰 在 王昱翔®不小王子 Instagram 的最佳貼文
2021-09-03 22:39:38
✨金庸先生離開的第三年,我們的愛從未衰退 . #江湖夜雨讀金庸 . 時間醞釀金庸的偉大,也映照它的閃耀 . 在我的文化潛意識裡,每個人家裡書房的書櫃最上一層,都應該安放著一套精裝版的金庸全集。讀或不讀無所謂,供奉起來即可,就像家裡安個文昌帝君,保家裡的文化氣質長存 . 而且小孩們不知道為什麼,通常放...
帝釋天喬峰 在 放映雞x放電影 Instagram 的最佳解答
2021-07-11 10:09:32
愚人節!一年中最快樂的節日又到了👻你騙騙我我騙騙你,捉弄彼此再相視而笑,然而精緻的騙局就像好的懸疑電影一樣珍貴,必須用完美步調演繹縝密劇本,才能在緊張刺激之外開發觀眾大腦極限,讓我們恍然大悟後忍不住想再被騙個幾次!本篇將介紹劇情轉折神來一筆、觀影體驗極佳,讓人驚艷而不是驚嚇的懸疑電影,因此不會包含以...
帝釋天喬峰 在 XXY Instagram 的最佳解答
2021-03-14 03:38:02
【梗你報新聞】2021-MAR. WEEK 1 國內外影視新聞一週總整回顧 ▶ 收看本篇YouTube版本:https://youtu.be/b_xEcm_88mU ▶ 收聽本篇PODCAST版本:https://open.firstory.me/story/ckm4c25zn631f08079...
-
帝釋天喬峰 在 XXY_Animal of Vision Youtube 的精選貼文
2021-03-11 22:00:1300:00:00 開場引言
00:03:03 贊助我們
00:05:33 1. 吳孟達不敵病魔逝世 享壽70歲
00:10:05 2. 派拉蒙檔期再度更動《噤界2 》提前上映
00:15:23 3. 第 78 屆金球獎得獎名單揭曉
00:40:55 4. 凱文費吉訪談提及漫威電影宇宙籌備現況,《死侍》R級只是特例?
00:57:21 5. 傳台灣大哥大奪下Disney+代理權,有望暑假前後登台?
01:03:19 6. 雷費雪再度指控華納高層種族歧視
01:08:49 7. 華納兄弟再推真人、卡通結合電影「凱蒂貓」躍上大銀幕
01:13:59 8. 《雷神索爾:愛與雷霆》片場照流出,阿斯嘉劇場再度回歸
01:19:35 9. 派大星首度獨挑大樑!《海綿寶寶》衍生動畫影集《派大星秀》計畫中
本頻道為提供觀眾們更好的觀看環境,並無開啟廣告營利
想要贊助我們持續創作,可透過以下管道直接贊助:
📣 XXY @方格子:https://vocus.cc/user/@XXY2018
📣 XXY @Firstory:https://open.firstory.me/user/xxymovie
【梗你報新聞】2021-MAR. WEEK 1 國內外影視新聞一週總整回顧
▶ 收看本篇YouTube版本:https://youtu.be/b_xEcm_88mU
▶ 收聽本篇PODCAST版本:https://open.firstory.me/story/ckm4c25zn631f08079l9748xm
▶ 【方格子】新聞圖文整理:https://vocus.cc/@XXY2018/60499338fd8978000103c4f0
.
1. 吳孟達不敵病魔逝世 享壽70歲
香港知名演員 吳孟達,與2月27日下午因肝癌病逝於香港仁安醫院,享壽70歲;吳孟達出生於1952年1月2日福建廈門,五歲時移居香港,22歲時畢業於無線電視藝員訓練班,展開他在香港演藝圈的演員生涯。他曾憑著《天若有情》拿下香港電影金像獎最佳男配角,並與港星周星馳合作過多部喜劇電影,2010年後多半於中國發展。
.
2. 派拉蒙檔期再度更動《噤界2 》提前上映
派拉蒙影業在上月宣佈旗下 Paramount+ 串流平台上線後,似乎已為下半年的多部強檔電影佈局;不過上週環球影業宣佈,原訂排定5月28日上映的《玩命關頭9》將延後至6月25日(將與索尼《猛毒2》撞期);原定7月3日上映的《小小兵2》則延後至明年7月1日上映;而《噤界2》則是敲定提前至5月28日於串流院線同步發行。
.
3. 第 78 屆金球獎得獎名單揭曉
上週採東西兩岸連線、遠距頒獎的第78屆金球獎頒獎典禮順利落幕;電影戲劇類最佳影片由女導演趙婷所執導的《游牧人生》獲得,主演《芭樂特電影續集》的偕星 薩夏拜倫柯恩則抱回了音喜類影帝頭銜;至於電視獎項則是由Netflix的話題影集《王冠》包辦最佳影集、最佳女配角、最佳男女主角等四項大獎,成為本屆電視類獎項的大贏家。
.
4. 凱文費吉訪談提及漫威電影宇宙籌備現況,《死侍》R級只是特例?
漫威影業總裁 凱文費吉在上週出席美國電視評論家協會記者會中,提到了不少有關漫威電影宇宙的未來發展。他表示,目前除了《死侍》外,並沒有其他R級作品的規劃;這似乎也意味著同樣處於開發階段的《刀鋒戰士》,仍是以PG-13規格製作。但凱文費吉也提到,若是因為分級原因而阻礙或限制開發,未來仍有可調整的彈性空間。
.
5. 傳台灣大哥大奪下Disney+代理權,有望暑假前後登台?
去年12月獨家報導Disney+正與台灣三大電信龍頭接洽消息的【工商時報】,上週再度爆料台灣大哥大已奪下Disney+獨家代理權,並有望在南韓、香港等地上架前的暑假前後登台;但此消息並未被迪士尼官方證實。值得注意的是,台灣大哥大旗下已有myVideo、凱擘等串流平台,若消息屬實,台灣大哥大拓展串流平台事業將再創高峰。
.
6. 雷費雪再度指控華納高層種族歧視
前陣子才公開自己被華納炒魷魚的「鋼骨」雷費雪,上週再次爆料直指喬斯溫登的種族歧視言論,大刀剪掉多位黑人演員的戲分,並在會議上多次使用歧視性用語,讓他無法接受;他表示,當時他在片場被要求將「鋼骨」一角詮釋成鐘樓怪人,還甚至「為了凸顯鋼骨陰莖存在感」而重拍。面對雷費雪再度開砲,華納目前尚未有任何回應。
.
7. 華納兄弟再推真人、卡通結合電影「凱蒂貓」躍上大銀幕
近期推出《湯姆貓與傑利鼠》的華納兄弟,其真人結合卡通的電影風格廣受外界好評;隨著今年另一部類似風格的《怪物奇兵2》上映在即,上週華納更透過【Deadline】發表聲明,宣佈將著手開發日本三麗鷗「凱蒂貓」的真人化電影,並邀請執導過多部動畫電影的珍妮佛克伊以及松田里歐擔任共同導演,《噪反》編劇琳賽畢爾執筆劇本。
.
8. 《雷神索爾:愛與雷霆》片場照流出,阿斯嘉劇場再度回歸
上週有媒體在澳洲直擊《雷神索爾:愛與雷霆》片場,重現了《雷神索爾:諸神黃昏》的阿斯嘉小劇場,並推測在第四集中將會重現第三集的搞笑橋段;在小劇場裡飾演假洛基的麥特戴蒙、假索爾的路克漢斯沃、假奧丁的山姆尼爾全數回歸,飾演假海拉的演員則是找來知名喜劇女演員 瑪麗莎麥卡錫助陣;看來這將會是電影中一場有趣且有看頭的橋段。
.
9. 派大星首度獨挑大樑!《海綿寶寶》衍生動畫影集《派大星秀》計畫中
【尼克頻道】在上週宣佈正式預訂《海綿寶寶》衍生動畫影集《派大星秀》,預計推出13集,並於2021年暑假首播;動畫總裁 拉姆西安內拖表示,這次粉絲將會看到以派大星為主體的情境喜劇,《海綿寶寶》內的熟悉角色也將回歸登場,故事也會深入比奇堡以及派大星的家人,讓世界各地的粉絲更了解這個在《海綿寶寶》中受歡迎的角色故事。
.
.
.
不知道看到這些影視新聞,你有什麼想法呢?
歡迎留言與我們討論唷!
新聞編輯:Jericho
新聞提供:影劇好有梗、Sceen Fandom
**************
歡迎加入【有梗電影俱樂部】,不錯過任何電影資訊或線上線下活動喔!
臉書社團(需回答問題審核):https://www.facebook.com/groups/viewpointmovieclub/
Telegram群組:https://t.me/viewpointmovieclub2
別忘了追蹤XXY的電影相關文字、影像、聲音創作唷!
📣 https://linktr.ee/XXY_filmcrtics
#新聞 #電影 #影視 #梗你報新聞 -
帝釋天喬峰 在 Marc TV Youtube 的精選貼文
2018-02-10 19:30:01《獨孤天下》VS《獨孤皇后》兩部劇的看點在哪裡│安以軒 徐正溪反派表現亮眼
在2018年的伊始可以說並沒有像去年的《三生三世》那樣迎來萬眾矚目的開年大戲,也許很多網友們都在劇荒吧!近日,終於傳來了好消息:大型古裝宮廷劇《獨孤天下》將在2月21日以網劇的形式播出。其實在今年有很多古裝劇都選擇了以網劇的形式來播出,包括前不久才剛剛開播的:新版《尋秦記》和《櫃中美人》等等。
《獨孤天下》是由胡冰卿、張丹峰、安以軒領銜主演,胡冰卿將在劇中飾演女主獨孤伽羅,張丹峰飾演隋文帝楊堅,而安以軒將會出演獨孤伽羅的姐姐獨孤般若。主演陣容不論是在顏值上還是演技上都很令人期待。
《獨孤天下》是以朝野動盪不安的南北朝時期為背景,北周賢臣獨孤信因“獨孤天下”的預言而讓其膝下的三個女兒獨孤般若、獨孤曼陀、獨孤伽羅備受世人矚目。三姐妹一步步從名門閨秀蛻變成王者女人的故事。
這部劇最大的看點:可以說是獨孤家三姐妹為了權勢和地位之爭而互撕的戲碼了。
值得一提的是:安以軒將會在劇中挑戰出演一個為求皇后之位而不惜拋棄愛情的大反派,不知安以軒演起壞女人會帶給我們怎樣的驚喜呢?
說到這部《獨孤天下》,就不得不提一下同樣也是在今年即將上映的由陳喬恩和陳曉主演的《獨孤皇后》了。
兩部劇不僅在題材上很相似,在主演陣容上也是不分伯仲。《獨孤皇后》除了兩位主演陳喬恩和陳曉外,參演該劇的還有戚跡和海陸。同樣的歷史背景,同樣的歷史人物,不知道大家更期待誰的詮釋呢?誰又是你心目中的獨孤伽羅呢?
Music: www.bensound.com
帝釋天喬峰 在 Facebook 的最讚貼文
《型男飛行日誌》在九月時從Netflix中被下架了。
這部在2009上映的片,以其劇情、角色、導演與剪輯手法的出色,得到了很多獎項的提名,雖然最終沒有囊括甚至橫掃獎座,但各方給予的好評其實沒有減損它的厚度。
而這部電影在電視台上播過很多次,我卻沒有去看,因為片商的片名實在取的很雷,看起來這部片只是主角耍帥的內容.......好吧,主角確實很帥。
這部片原來的名稱叫做"Up in the Air",中國直譯為《在雲端》,算是貼切;香港則翻譯《寡佬飛行日記》,"寡佬"指得是喪妻的鰥夫,孤獨的老人,後來引申為單身不娶的男人,所以這樣取名是很貼切的。
但台灣片商卻膚淺的緊,見到主角喬治克隆尼是帥哥,又在天上飛來飛去,所以很直觀的叫做《型男飛行日誌》;你說他錯嗎? 好像也沒錯,主角是型男也在空中飛來飛去,但在這種片名裡面我們無法藉以引起對這部片的興趣(除非只要是型男就可以的....)
相反的,原名《Shallow Hal》(庸俗或膚淺的霍爾)的那部電影我們翻譯為《情人眼裡出西施》還相對貼切一點。(中國直譯《庸人哈爾》、香港直譯《豬兜有情人》)
總之,我當時乍看《型男飛行日誌》這個名稱,還以為是在講一個帥哥(機長)飛來飛去找豔遇之類的電影........(但這部片有內涵多了)
之所以我能發現他的內涵,還是基於某些社團人推薦的,看了那個推薦跟幾張裡面的劇照對白,我抱著嘗試的態度,在下架前點開看了。
--------------
當下只覺得這部片確實很有內涵(女主角薇拉·法蜜嘉在片中背面全裸又大露測乳的那一幕更是美的驚心動魄,有線電視台絕對會剪掉的那種......),但在事後細細回想,這部片中"暗合"著很多哲理。
我為何說是"暗合",而非"暗藏"呢?
因為很多時候,編劇的人只是想呈現自己很有創意的想法,卻不知在無意之間將很多哲理一起融入劇情中,然後被不同思想背景的人看到後,基於各花入各眼的情況下,演者無意、觀者有心的發出了這些體會感想。
(例如,一部西方宗教片其中的一些道理,會讓東方宗教的思想者覺得兩者有異曲同工之妙的領會。)
有些時候,是編劇會刻意的將某些巧思放在電影裡面,用彩蛋的方式來致敬、伏筆,或是單純的揭示未來續集可能的走向。
(例如,皮克斯工作坊、迪士尼影業中的數字、角色或色彩的隱喻;漫威系列中以往必定出場.....但以後不會再有的老人家--史丹李;或是漫威的彩蛋系列。)
但更多的時候,是編者作者根本就沒有那些想法,只想呈現自己的劇本,但是粉絲就腦補起來了,將一堆根本不在作者創作設想之中的元素,硬是加在裡面,然後可能還會大讚編劇或導演天縱英明,把這麼多堪稱典範的元素不著痕跡的加在裡面,還好自己心細眼尖、博學多聞,才能把這其中的隱藏伏筆一一看懂挑出.......
例如,很多人把周星馳的《功夫》捧上了天,說裡面蘊含了多少上乘的攝影技巧、多少心理學學說、多少編劇電影學說、多少"後現代主義"、"存在主義"云云........不可否認,周星馳是個電影天才,喜劇表現的能力不在話下,也有過很多驚人的經典作品。
但我甚至不確定他本人對"存在主義"、"後現代主義"這類的哲學議題所知多少??又是否能熟捻到可以把這些理論完整的融入一個特效功夫喜劇電影之中??
我總以為,要評論一個人,不是只看個案(一個電影一個作品),而是要看通案(一直以來的作品水準)。
就比如說,看到一個人用小石頭打到40公尺以外的東西,我們會覺得他準;但是真的準,還是矇的,那就再遞給他十個小石頭,如果10能中8,那我就會相信他是真準。
又譬如說,近年來導演 克里斯多福 · 諾蘭,當年的《記憶拼圖》(2000)是很好的作品,但他是不是一個好導演,就要從他之後的作品來看了。
之後從《針鋒相對》(2002)、《蝙蝠俠:開戰時刻》(2005)、《頂尖對決》(2006)、《黑暗騎士》(2008)、《全面啟動》(2010)、《黑暗騎士:黎明昇起》(2012)、《星際效應》(2014)、《敦克爾克大行動》(2017),一直到最近的《TENET天能》(2020),都無一不是精彩作品,所知所聞太少、專注力不購的人,甚至連看都看不懂........
#那我們就可以說他是一個很優秀的說故事人了。
而以這種角度回來看周星馳。毫無疑問,從1990年開始,他的作品拉開了一個時代的序幕,一直到1995年間這些作品在電視、電影、票房跟文化影響力上都有巨大影響,這段時間的他毫無疑問是個偉大的喜劇演員。但我個人覺得從96年的《鹿鼎大帝》、《食神》開始,他演繹故事的方式開始定型,其他轉變卻讓人有"不如從前"的感覺,而那恰好卻是他跳脫演員身分後的一個轉折。
他的第一個編導作品是《凌凌漆大戰金鎗客》,這也是一個很有趣的作品,也取得很大的成功;但96年的《鹿鼎大帝》、《食神》也都是他編導的作品,他的風格開始從這裡改變。
之後的《喜劇之王》風格就很不同了;但幾年後他贏來了一個大成功《少林足球》,後來的《功夫》更是把他推上了巔峰,界線畫到這裡,我會覺得他也是成功的導演。
但後面的作品就開始毀譽參半,然後開始毀多於譽了.......到後來,很多支持他的,已經"只是"影迷(看的是一個信仰);出來的作品也早已經不像過去演員時代那樣搞笑與劇情並重、表演跟詮釋都佳的--能夠輾壓同時期作品了。
所以把他後期的作品一連串看起來,我不認為部分人對《功夫》一片的極佳讚譽,就是他一貫的編導實力;若是有人說《少林足球》、《功夫》是"偶有佳作"中的那個佳作,我還真無法反駁他。
從這裡回頭看,你說他是否真的如某些影片中說他能將各種攝影技巧、哲學主義理論融入作品中云云的話,我真的會覺得那只是影迷自我投入、對號入座的解讀。
或許,那些被認為是他刻意為之的高明手法,只是對號入座的結果;不然後面的作品怎麼又沒有這麼高明跟富有哲理了?
--------------
而之所以會讓我有這種發想的原因,其實只是一路看下來的體會跟反向思考,但直到有一天,讓我看見了一則新聞,才讓我這個想法落了實槌。
還記得2019年由瓦昆·菲尼克斯主演的那個神作---《小丑》嗎?
對我來說,那確實是不可多得的上乘佳作,但只要是神作就會有人追捧,有人追捧就會有人吹捧;當少部分的人一看又看再看下,憑著火眼金睛來說出裡面有多少隱藏巧思、導演演員致敬,又挖掘出多少隱藏彩蛋時,導演陶迪 菲利浦斯卻在公開的訪問中直言 : 「我不做彩蛋的,任何人在我電影中指出的彩蛋都是個錯誤。」
這巴掌,其實抽的超響。
也說明了,我的某些想法可能真的發生,只是各種美麗的誤會粉飾了影迷、陰謀論者、抱大腿者與導演、演員、編劇之間那些沒有明說的界線。
------------------
這讓我想起我高中畢業打工的一個趣事。
某一天,我跟同事伊果(eagle)在聊天時聽他說了一個故事。
伊果說他有一天跟吉米(Jimmy)在廚房倚牆聊天時,忽然覺得眼角一動,兩人都瞥見有一隻大隻的德國蟑螂在兩人之間的牆壁上爬動,就在兩人大驚正要閃避之際,忽然一隻手拍了上來,蟑螂登時爆漿慘死。
兩人一看,出手的人正是傑瑞(Jerry)。
只見傑瑞徒手趴死蟑螂後依然面不改色,卻也是不發一語的走到一旁的水槽洗手,伊果跟吉米兩人目睹此事,又看到傑瑞的雲淡風輕,便相當欽佩的走向水槽。
伊果開口(用台語)說 : 「喔~乾!! 你魄力這麼好啊! 這麼大隻蟑螂,你直接一巴掌打死! 實在有夠猛的!!!」
哪想到傑瑞一邊拿擦手紙抹乾手上的水珠,依舊面無表情的回答 : 「沒有啦! 我剛剛是想說用手拍在蟑螂旁邊的牆上,好嚇一嚇那隻蟑螂;結果手舉起來,蟑螂就嚇到了,但是逃跑的方向剛好是自己拍下去的地方....................」
我真心認為,很多神作被吹捧的那麼厲害,大抵上就像這種誤會一樣的美麗。
.
.
.
#其實我是要講本貼文第一句的那部電影
#哪裡知道講到後來就歪樓了
#你們應該習慣了啦
每週一、三、五的晚上10點半,一起看、一起想、有瞌睡蟲一起養。
====
如果文章能合胃口,請記得按讚、分享、追蹤、搶先看。
#設搶先看的步驟請看這裡 : https://www.facebook.com/GeeChungYo/posts/2253325874890594
#如何將內文跟連結一起分享的步驟請看這裡 : https://www.facebook.com/GeeChungYo/posts/2522891261267386
https://today.line.me/tw/v2/article/kMEenw
帝釋天喬峰 在 Facebook 的精選貼文
【讓小說再次偉大?】
寫作真的是件殘忍的事情啊
真的
不知道為何昨天又有人跟我聊到「創作顛峰」的話題,一時有感🤣🤣
對啊,儘管我目前自己好像還有些很薄弱的信心
但是
那也僅止於如此短暫的此時此刻而已
還是覺得很可能我某天一覺醒來就江郎才盡了
到底還能撐多久呢?
怕.jpg
‧
這裡貼一下今年三月印刻雜誌封面專輯
我與駱以軍老師的長對談
真的是長對談
名副其實,非常長
有1.5萬字左右
我找了其中大概最輕鬆有趣的一回合貼在這裡
提到有次2006年
機緣巧合,駱以軍開車載我從南投回台北
路上塞車
所以我們就尷尬又歡快又激情(?)地在車上「共處」數小時的事情
(剛寫完時,我曾開玩笑地想把這次對談命名為「讓小說再次偉大」🤣🤣🤣)
‧
然後週六晚上8點有個中國的直播活動
(應該是類似podcast)
如圖
有興趣聽我聊一下生物龐克的朋友們可以自己掃QR扣
────
駱以軍:
我記得十幾年前(搞不好十七、八年前),有一次我去南投一個文學營演講,你也去了,我回程台北時,你搭我便車。如今回想,我那時也才不到四十歲,所以你也不到三十歲?更早些時我就認定,你們那一輩的頂尖天才,一個童偉格、一個你、一個甘耀明。這和後來的文學地位無關,我就是只讀到你們二十多歲時第一本小說時的,一種同為練武者,對這年輕作者,他初展露的某些極特殊的眼球轉速,或濾光的方式,或奇怪為何他為特別定格某一幅畫面。
這是我作為武痴內心真的驚嘆。當時你搭我的車,年輕的你非常害羞沉默。其實我好像後來變成一個哈啦大叔,但那時碰到純質的小說天才,我會有一種怕碰碎玻璃器皿的笨拙。天知道那次台中到台北的高速公路大塞車,我們的車好像緩慢在車陣困了五個小時嗎?天啊那對我是和一個劍氣在身的下一代頂尖小說家,我們在封閉車內共處五小時!
我連年輕跟同輩哥們在PUB喝酒亂屁小說、電影,也沒那麼長時間。而且那時我(愁苦於自己那麼窮,然後妻小,一籌莫展),你(愁苦於家人還不接受你放棄醫學系,改要寫小說),我們都並沒那麼多的人世閱歷,哪怕如今如果這樣場景我們還可說些自己遇上的倒楣事,但那時我超焦慮。
我後來才認識童偉格,啊啊那更是你發動漫天唬爛忍術,他都可以一句話不說就只傻笑的悶葫蘆。
不過那一次困在高速公路上,發生了一件奇妙的事,拯救了我焦慮的那五小時,我問起你「最喜歡的世界小說家」。
說真話,我覺得我自己那樣真的很幼稚,但我記得我年輕初遇黃錦樹、董啟章、童偉格時,都會很白痴問這問題,甚至會問「你心目中的第一到第五名」?真的很白痴,但如今想來真美好。因為這些人也會出現同樣崇敬、嚴格內心排名的表情,真的認真和我說起來。卡夫卡、波赫士、馬奎斯、杜斯妥也夫斯基、納博科夫、大江,這些人一定跑不掉的。偉格很意外對我提到巴加斯.略薩,錦樹則對我展開那時我根本不認識的奈波爾。
這幾年,有次我遇見黃崇凱,我和他說到波拉尼奧,簡直像在說喬丹那樣的迷醉。
我記得你對我說起符傲思的《魔法師》,然後我們也歡快激情的說著艾瑞斯‧梅鐸的《大海,大海》。
天啊,那可是那時我內心的兩大天書!極品!啟發之理想大小說的某種「城堡設計圖」啊!我沒有和任何人提過(後來才有在文章中提過)。
對我而言,我們兩個像是對了「通關密碼」,為何那其中的設計、展開、愛之瘋狂、高藝術修養之人,但卻搞了個莎士比亞《暴風雨》的現代演劇。我們講得超嗨,完全忘了之前的拘謹、張力。就像兩個天才棋手在大聊哪一年世界西洋棋大賽,哪一局經典然後白方哪一手下錯,黑方在哪一手如何做局,那真是聊的暢意、兩眼發光。
當然之後,我們其實隔幾年遇見,某些對談活動,某些和其他創作者的咖啡屋聚會。但好像不再能復返,那樣我們相較都年輕,然後像高手拿劍晃幾下探對方內力的傻瓜行為。
但我心中留了個念想,想有機會再聽你說說。
‧
伊格言:
你提到多年前這件事(準確地說是二○○六年十二月;因為我清楚記得前晚天氣極冷,我在南投文藝營住宿處小房間電視上看到陳菊以極小票數差首次擊敗黃俊英當選高雄市長。換言之,那時《噬夢人》也還在我腦子裡還沒被寫出來呢),我讀得熱淚盈眶。
是啊,如你所言,那多麼「傻瓜行為」,純淨而真誠無比──並無特別私交,但同樣懷抱著對小說這藝術行當的虔誠之心的兩個瘋魔者(是啊,不瘋魔,不成活)的彼此試探,擺好了架式過招;然而同時又信服於對方的虔誠與深情,心知肚明因而有種知音的相濡以沫。那是多麼美好的時刻。而確實也正如你所說──那樣的時刻如何可能?連你(以軍老師!)和你的同輩們聊小說,也不太可能一聊五小時啊。黑暗的北上高速公路上黑暗的車裡,有時車行順暢,路燈的橘色燈光霧氣般間歇性侵入車內;有時路面擁堵成為大型停車場,舉目所及所有車輛方盒子共同陷落於一個被按下了暫停鍵的虛擬夢境中。
而後我們竟然就這樣聊小說聊了五個小時!誇張點說,出之以〈二階堂雅紀虛擬偶像詐騙事件〉主角葉月春奈之語:一切豈非近乎神蹟?
所以「上帝」是什麼?「神」是什麼?我們何德何能,何其幸且不幸,與那樣既徒勞無功又煙花般燦爛的命運相遇?
我想到的是,在無神論者佛洛依德那裡,那是人類用以抵禦恐懼的心靈幻覺(《圖騰與禁忌》、《一種幻覺的未來》);在另一位無神論者馬克思那裡,那是統治階級用以麻痺人民的鴉片。而如今重新思索這不可思議的提問,如果一如馬克思與佛洛依德所說,「神」純粹是人類心靈的創造物,那麼我會問的是:在何種時刻,在「智人」此一物種的心靈中,恐懼誕生了,神也因此而誕生了?
尼安德塔人的心中有神嗎?黑猩猩們的心中有神嗎?虎鯨、狗或貓的心中有牠們自己的神嗎?
我必得如此提問,因為我無法無視於數世紀以來人類的智識進展與文明跳躍。那是達爾文的凝視,《盲眼鐘錶匠》的洞見,丹尼爾‧丹內特等一眾心智哲學家手術刀般鋒利的思索,凱文‧凱利的的空照視野,甚至再加上伊隆‧馬斯克等夢想家的狂想與實踐。
法國作家韋勒貝克在《誰殺了韋勒貝克》中虛構了一幅藝術家傑德‧馬丹的成名畫作,題為「比爾蓋茲和賈伯斯討論電腦資訊的未來」(韋勒貝克的描述是,畫幅中,北加州燦爛的夕照下,正向生命終點快速趨近的賈伯斯眼中燃燒著深沉的火焰,「不只是預言者、先知的火焰,也是儒勒‧凡爾納筆下描述的發明者的火焰」)──
而在我們這個時代,毫無疑問我們該凝視的是「伊隆‧馬斯克與哥德爾虛擬視訊會議」或「凱文‧凱利、理查‧道金斯與教宗聖方濟各針鋒相對」。
我懷疑,在小說的世界裡,「神」與「鬼」或許都是命運的代稱(幾年前我寫過一篇談及普利摩‧李維的小文章,題為「鬼是命運的隱喻」)。
《魔法師》的作者符傲思並未迴避此一大題,在序言中,他明白表示,《魔法師》最初的原名叫「上帝遊戲」。是,我個人以為,符傲思在討論的確實就是「命運」;而小說主角于爾夫的遭遇無非是一部微縮膠卷化的個人心靈史──必須說明的是,此處的「個人心靈史」並不僅是小說情節中的角色個人心靈,而毋寧隱喻著整部人類文明之智識啟蒙流變的歷史。
在我看來,符傲思與《大海,大海》的艾瑞絲‧梅鐸(Iris Murdoch)、《基地三部曲》的艾西莫夫,以及韋勒貝克等人是同一類小說家
(當然了,或許可以再加上《三體》、《阿特拉斯聳聳肩》),他們思索的是整個文明過去的脈絡與未來的去向。
「我是誰?我從哪裡來?我到哪裡去?」的個人哲學三問,在此或已化為烈焰煙塵中的「文明三問」:「文明是什麼?文明從哪裡來?人類文明終將往何處去?」。我以為,這或許就是最「大」的小說了。
小說還能有多「大」?是以,就此一角度而言,或許我可暫且心虛地回答你半開玩笑的提問──你提到,你很想聽我唬爛看看「愛的量子力學論」。
當然了,我沒有直接回答的能力,但或許恰恰有一趣事可供參照:在《噬夢人》的幾十則註解中,有一則我簡稱為「方程式測定儀」的註解──我假想未來有位名叫森山和正的日本教授發現了關於「愛」或「靈魂」的物理學證據。
事實上,此刻,二〇二一年科學家們所掌握的弦論已然推測,我們身處其間的世界並非僅只我們所習以為常的四維時空,而是另有七個細小的維度踡曲於其中;是以,宇宙並非四維時空,而是以共十一維的形式存在。而小說中森山和正教授的理論則論證了,類似「靈魂」、「意識」、「生命」與「愛」,甚至「詛咒」這樣我們此刻以數學或物理無法證實的「東西」,都實存於那感官不可見的七個細小維度中。
《噬夢人》成書於二○一○年;而其後數年,英國大導諾蘭就釋出了他的《星際效應》(*Interstellar*),在電影中拋出類似設想:「愛」就在第五維度裡。我有時演講時提到此事,不無得意,開玩笑地說我與諾蘭大約是英雄所見略同吧(笑)。
當然了,這在《噬夢人》中僅是一支線,而在《星際效應》中則得到了完整的發展。諾蘭無疑是個自造迷宮的高手,《星際效應》中迷宮仍在,但明顯不如《全面啟動》(*Inception*)與其後疫情下的《天能》(*Tenet*)般錯綜迂迴,取而代之的則是巨大的、寬闊的,宇宙尺度的深情。我在想,這個小巧合或許也代表了我對此類「大小說」的個人偏執。小說此一藝術形式,究竟可能「宏偉」至何種程度?
我對此事好奇無比。而這點,又直接連上了我個人對藝術的另一理解或執念──小說,或謂藝術,是否有可能更有效、更毫無閃躲地回應當代人類的議題?如何「讓小說再次偉大」?
作為一位虔誠的文字手工藝人,我猜想,這或許就是我們所在的這個行當為文明做出一些無可取代的創新的機會吧?
帝釋天喬峰 在 Facebook 的精選貼文
「地獄空」攝影集即將在八月中元節前出版,由知名設計師與攝影家黃子欽設計,內附在下二位高徒精美繪製符咒、心經版畫書籤、愣嚴咒牌、尊勝咒語...等,感恩十方大德助印,希望疫情退散,平安喜樂,後記如下:
野放台灣五十餘年,貪狼獨坐,三方四正殺破狼格局,少年多舛,白手起家,隨展覽雲遊四海,如閒雲野鶴常持各類底片機流連廢墟、山川、宮廟忘返,遂設幻影堂自詡堂主,一日三省「凡所有相皆是虛妄」,常宅於暗房沖片放大通宵、鍾情黑白世界之單純,彩色照片俗世繽紛花俏做作甜美甚至比現實更現實故少拍也。知天命之年有餘,了悟人生一瞬、眨眼即逝,雖非仙人,亦無道骨,初聞離垢地生清淨心,但離華嚴「不動地」尚遠,待修持也。
2017年盛暑拍畢《巨神連線》,心律不整差點心肌梗塞向閻羅王報到,意識死神隨伺在側,人生苦短,如何了生脫死、盡斷煩惱、無所罣礙、遠離顛倒……總不得解,蒙釋迦摩尼佛開示飆淚三晝夜,聞佛法數載始知自我渺如塵埃,甚感慚愧。閒暇乃參訪名寺古剎,禮敬焚香佛陀菩薩羅漢諸神天仙王爺媽娘,台灣宮廟千奇百怪、宗派錯綜複雜(佛教、道教、一貫道、天主教、基督教、齋教、回教&大同教、儒教鑾堂、天帝教&天德教、慈惠堂&勝安宮、軒轅教、道院、理教、萬國道德會、會靈山……)、神棍橫行(依人不依法、偶像崇拜、斂財、邪淫),因歷史變遷、社會動盪、政治鬥爭、意識形態等因素導致佛道混雜,但地獄造景稀少,後專注拍攝各殿閻王、判官、陰司、獄卒、七爺、八爺乃至一切罪人,各寺造景巧妙、耐人尋味,意境乖張溢於言表,造型扭曲非常人所能塑也,然匠心獨運、自成一格,專研西方藝術數十載方知真誠樸拙最美,絲毫不輸喬托(Giotto di Bondone,1267~1337)乃至米開朗基羅(Michelangelo Di lodovico Buonarroti Simoni 1475 ~ 1564)矣。
創立於1986年的石門金剛宮風景優美可眺望北濱,雖主祀四面佛,儒釋道眾神尊也不含糊,可過七星橋解厄、繞行五百黝黑羅漢敲鑼印心、跪拜亞洲最大臥佛涅槃像,安太歲自不在話下,甲子太歲爺雙眼長出手掌印象甚深,1994年經閻羅王指示廟公建造一條肚內設極樂世界及陰曹地府之神龍,行走暗黑通道觸動感應機關,只見面容猙獰受刑者呼天搶地喊冤、身邊盡是血肉糢糊殘肢敗屍腦漿塗地,十殿閻羅各司其職、威儀攝人。新北市林口區青嶺湖北文紫祥宮包公廟則以壁面彩塑地獄浮雕獨步全台,粉嫩色彩搭配卡漫風格,尤為造型簡直恐怖到可愛透頂,該廟主祀森羅殿閻羅天子包拯(包青天),陽世冤屈者可至此參拜祭解,求破懸案者眾,逢中元普渡皆以紙紮船渡亡魂至彼岸,全台唯一閻羅天子巨像籌備中,四周環繞墓地,適合修不淨觀也。台灣首尊彰化八卦山大佛旁南天宮(1971)地府則是首座電動地府,規模精小但驚嚇度破表,略顯破敗但五光十色仍蠻凶悍,出自已故台南大道長金登富之作,而電動神明起始可追溯至1960年代北港朝天宮。倒是嘉義水上鄉白人牙膏觀光工廠「戴相府」、「將軍府」設置十殿地府出乎意料之外,乾淨亮麗、ㄧ殿ㄧ間、簡單樸實。由高雄蓮潭龍虎塔龍口入內可見全臺唯一交趾陶地獄牆面,尊尊栩栩如生,續入龍身乃進聞聲救苦白衣觀音大士三十三化身浮雕隧道,造型設色甚為古錐。高雄大岡山超峰寺入口處「西方三聖蓮池海會」(阿彌陀佛、觀世音菩薩、大勢至菩薩巨像)旁設靜態十殿閻羅(1970年代初),雖略為陳舊然韻味猶存,續往上行可抵「證菩提道-釋迦如來應化事迹」雕塑園區,一攬世尊畢生精華。如來年邁時,琉璃國王為報長期被釋迦族輕蔑之傲慢心,世尊雖三次單獨伽跌坐 阻擋大軍進攻之路,但因緣果報無法逆轉,昔日婢女所生王子瞋恨無以復加,還是滅了祖國。自持神通第一目犍連不忍無辜百姓慘遭屠殺,遂以缽盛救度五百族人,最終卻化為血水,佛言神通廣大仍不敵千百劫業力,因緣果報屢試不爽。其母死後墜入餓鬼道飢餓難耐,目犍連遂展神通救渡,但所食尚未入口皆化為赤火,佛陀囑咐農曆七月十五日僧眾解安居自恣日,於盆中設甘露美食供養十方僧眾,因此超度亡母。後世「盂蘭盆法會」乃至「水懺法會」、「瑜珈焰口法會 」皆為消業障、斷塵垢之超渡儀軌,既渡亡魂也自懺悔。
台南麻豆代天府規模宏大、造型豔麗,不但可遊十八層地獄尚可逛天堂(1979年興建,1983年開放),燈光絢爛、聲響駭人,獨自漫步宛如觀落陰、地獄走一回。先過「心頭山」、入「清心池」、進「陰陽界」、抵「交簿廳」、達「鬼門關」、遊「補經所」、探「枉死城」、行「奈何橋」,至ㄧ殿泰廣王照「孽鏡台」現造惡原形,睹抱柱、火床等小地獄。二殿楚江王開「陰查簿 」判案定奪,觀糞尿泥、餓鬼、舞池、寒冰、膿血、鞭韃、舌犁、劍葉、戟腹拋接、砧截……等小地獄。三殿宋帝王刑罰為倒吊、銅鐵刮臉、挖眼、搗樁、倒烤、吸血、穿肋、抽筋、蛆蛀等小地獄……兼遊「四生(胎、卵、濕、化)回魂府」。四殿五官王掌管腰斬、拔舌、沸湯、刺嘴、剝皮、箭樹、車崩、射眼……等十六小地獄。隨五殿森羅王豋「望鄉臺」回眸親人最終眼後觀擊膝、誅心、刀山、飛刀火石……小地獄。六殿卞城王別稱「大叫喚大地獄」,轄火牛、虎啖、噬腎、鉗嘴含鍼、釘喉、磨摧、砍頭……等小地獄。七殿泰山王為「熱惱大地獄」,窺烙手指、抽腸、頂石蹲身、油釜滾烹、割舌穿腮……等十六小地獄。八殿都市王掌管「大熱惱大地獄」兼火狗、鐵汁、鐵蛇、鋸劈斷肢、釘板、灸脊、鐵丸、磅秤……等小地獄。九殿平等王直轄十八層「阿鼻大地獄」,直透地心、內中陰森、不見五指、滿溢地漿,皆為極犯,另轄紫赤毒蛇鑽孔、夾頂、鐵鴉、針雨、蜂蠍……等小地獄。至十殿輪轉王上「觀生臺」、「轉劫所八司」(查驗司 、稽善司 、考過司 、恩怨司 、壽命司 、支配司、掌劫司 、授生司)後至「孟婆亭」飲「醧忘湯」忘盡前塵往事,依前世功德過金、銀、玉、石、木、竹六種橋樑至「轉輪臺(紫河車)」入六道輪迴轉生投胎。據《十八泥犁經》記載,人過世後七七四十九天為「中陰生」,經閻羅王審判善惡業力判定去留或懲罰百千萬劫,犯五逆重罪則墮入「無間地獄(阿鼻地獄)」永劫不復。地藏王乃幽冥教主,統轄十殿閻羅,逢三曹普渡便在各殿設「講道所」超度尚存善根之鬼魂。
人類居於五趣(阿修羅、人、傍生、餓鬼、地獄)雜居地五濁惡世之堪忍世界,犯十惡業(殺生、偷盜、邪淫、妄語、兩舌、惡口、綺語、貪慾、嗔恚、愚痴)者必墮三趣惡道。如何出「三界」(欲界、色界、無色界)二十八天?凡人無此意識,別說能破「十二因緣」(無明、行、識、名色、六入、觸、受、愛、取、有、生、老死)還滅門,更別想斷除「四聖諦」(苦、集、滅、道)集地八十一品見惑與八十八使思惑(五利使-身見、邊見、邪見、見取見、戒禁取見、五鈍使-貪、瞋、癡、慢、疑),了悟「五蘊」(色、受、想、行、識)本空、「十二入」(眼、耳、鼻、舌、意、色、聲、香、味、觸、法)空、「十八界」空,破俱生我執與分別我執、法執甚至空執,生十一處「善心所」(信、精進、慚、愧、無貪、無瞋、無痴、輕安、不放逸、行捨、不害),降二十六處「惡心所」(貪、瞋、癡、慢、疑、惡見、忿、恨、覆、惱、嫉、慳、誑、諂、害、憍、無慚、無愧、掉舉、惛沉、不信、懈怠、放逸、失念、散亂、不正知),須知善根斷盡則陷永劫輪迴、無垠轉世之苦。
地獄可能空滅嗎?若地獄空乏人間多鬼怪,地獄淨空世間何嘗非淨土?若能證空性何處現地獄?
地獄曠古來便廣泛流傳各部族間,老死生滅為自然運行之基礎、宇宙意識之核心,然今文明昌盛如咱城邦並非慾望消弭之所,惡性所及實無可根除,礙於憲法國家法律社會軍隊企業公司學校家庭團體之層層束縛不亞於十八層,乃遁於壓抑、束己情懷,暗埋心底、日久貪嗔痴慢疑怨噌會疊穢。而六塵未熄,心多妄念,妖魔鬼怪魑魅魍魎孤魂閃靈出沒於荒郊乃至人間,會靈於曠野密林以增性靈乃出世高人修煉之舉,我等凡人擅闖宛如迪士尼般之人造地獄,三魂七魄尚不足以出竅,驚邪恐怖淒厲猙獰倒滿足了自以為是的慚愧,豈不謬哉?
病毒肆虐年半有餘,全球確診者逼近一億八千萬,枉死者近四百萬,堪比戰爭規模,望眾生發慈悲心、令往生者安息、善待其他物種、平等有情眾生。地獄本空,唯妄念生起一切羨慕嫉妒恨而地獄現前。盡以此書作為世界新冷戰獨裁者、超限戰者、暗網駭客、陰險狡猾冷嘲熱諷落井下石者之良知備忘錄矣。
姚瑞中寫於2021年端午節
Postscript
I have been living recklessly in Taiwan for more than fifty years. According to Zi Wei Dou Shu (Purple Star Astrology), Tan Lang is the sole star in my house of Self. This star, which represents xxx, forms an equilateral triangle with that star Qi Sha and Po Jun on the square chart and constitutes a Sha Po Lang pattern. The pattern indicates a kind of turbulence and change, a life of wandering with ups and downs and it tells a lot about my life. After my ill-fated youth, I started from scratch and traveled around the world with exhibitions that I participated. Like a flaneur, I wandered around ruins, nature, and temples with every type of film camera obliviously. Thus, I founded the Hall of Illusion and claimed to be the master of the hall. Several times a day, I pondered a quote from the Diamond Sutra, “Everything with form is unreal.” In addition, I usually stayed in the darkroom developing film and enlarging those negatives overnight. However, I treasured the simplicity of the black and white world. The earthly, gaudy, garish, phony and pleasing qualities within colored photos make the images even more realistic than the real world. It is not my cup of tea, so I seldom took colored photos. In Confucian thought, the age of fifty marks the stage knowing the mandate of Heaven. I am now at my fifties and realize how ephemeral human life is. However, I am not an immortal, nor having sagelike characteristics. I just learned that the stage of stainless (the second bhūmi) and develop a pure mind that is free from doubt and defilement. However, I’m still far from the immovable state and need to practice.
In the summer of 2017, after filming the work Incarnation, I experienced a severe heart rhythm problem which almost triggered myocardial infarction and could have killed me. Consequently, I realized that death was waiting for me and the life is too short to figure out how I can liberate myself from the cycle of Birth and Death. I couldn’t comprehend how to be free from all afflictions and worries and how to avoid delusive ideas. I wept for three days and nights after being enlightened by Shakyamuni Buddha. Up to the moment, I felt ashamed that I failed to realize that the self is as insignificant as dust after these years learning and practicing Buddhism. Since then, I have visited famous temples and monasteries in my spare time, worshiping Buddha, Bodhisattvas, arhats, and all the deities and immortals. Taiwan’s temples are myriad with a enormous number of sects, including Buddhism, Taoism, Yiguandao, Catholicism, Christianity, Chinese religions of fasting, Islam& Baháʼí Faith, Confucianism, Tiandiism& Tian-De Teachings, Xiwangmu cult, Yellow Emperor Sect, Precosmic Salvationism, Liism, World Wide Ethical Society, séance cult, etc. Some people even claim that they can mediate communication between the deities or spirits of the dead with human beings, having their believer rely on themselves instead of the orthodox dharma or dogma and pay excessive respect and admiration for the mediums or objects, accumulating wealth through such an unfair means or even harassing their believer sexually. Due to Taiwan’s historical changes, social turbulence, political struggles, and ideological issues, Buddhism and Taoism are somehow mixed. However, there are few emphases on the concept of the hell. As I took photographs of Yama of each court, judges, wardens of the underworld, jailers, General Fan and Hsieh (the ghost escorts) and all sinners, I found few temples cleverly created hellish scenes that are intriguing, exaggerating, and extraordinary. However, the creations are unparalleled unique. I have been studying Western arts for decades and then I came to realize that simplicity makes the most beautiful works of art. These hellish scenes can even compete with works of Giotto di Bondone (1267-1337) and Michelangelo Di lodovico Buonarroti Simoni (1475-1564).
Jingang Temple Shimen District, founded in 1986, overlooks the beautiful North shore. Although the temple is mainly dedicated to Phra Phrom (the Thai representation of Mahabrahma), spirits of Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism can also be founded in the temple. The worshipper can go cross the Seven Star bridge to relieve bad luck, walk along the five hundred arhat statues and knock on the gong to affirm one’s Buddha nature. Furthermore, the worshipper can also prostrate themself before Asia’s largest statue of Buddha in Nirvana (the Reclining Buddha statue) and pacify the Taoist Tai Sui deity of the year. I was impressed by the Jia-Zi Tai Sui General that a pair of palms grow out of his eyes. In 1994, the biō-kong (the person taking charge of the temporal affairs of a temple) received a divine inspiration from Yama (the King of Hell) that he had to build a sacred hall in the shape of a divine dragon, with the interior designed according to the World of Ultimate Bliss and the Underworld. When the visitor walks in the dark hallway, they will see the tortured people (dioramas, of course) scrunching their faces and crying bitterly and loudly in excessive grief as the visitor triggers the mechanism. One will even find them in the midst of flesh, body liquid and blood, mutilated limbs, and rotten corpses. While each of the ten Yamas are focusing on their own duties, showing their sacred dignity that collect visitors’ attention. The Baogong Temple in Linkou District, New Taipei City exclusively features colorful depiction of hellish scenes in relief in Taiwan. With its pastel shades and cartoon-like style, the relief is both grotesque and adorable at the same time. This temple is dedicated to Bao Zhen (also known as Justice Bao) representing the incarnation of Yama. Living people who have been treated unjustly can come worshipping Bao Gong and receive exorcism. Therefore, many people come here for seeking to solve unsolved cases. In Zhongyuan Festival (the ghost festival), the temple will burn the Zhizha (paper craft) boat to ferry the ghosts to the other shore, which is the shore of enlightenment. The only giant statue of Yama in Taiwan is still in the making. The temple is surrounded by a cemetery, suitable for meditating on the loathsomeness and impurity. Nantian Temple (1971), located next to the Eight Trigram Mountains Buddha in Changhua, features the first animatronic underworld. Despite the small size, the animatronic underworld is intensely shocking. Though it’s slightly worn, the colorful dioramas are still brutally ferocious. The creator was the late venerable Dao Zhang (Taoist priest) Jing Deng-fu while the origin of animatronic deities can be traced back to the 1960s Beigang Chaotian Temple. On the contrary, the Whiteman Toothpaste Tourism Factory in Shuishang Township, Chiayi, features ten Yamas with individual booth. The place is unexpectedly clean and polished yet keeps a simple and modest tone. Then, the Dragon Pagoda of the Dragon and Tiger Pagodas at Lotus Lake in Zuoying, Kaohsiung, holds the only relief of hellish scenes made of Kochin ceramic. All the figures are vivid and life-like. If one goes further into the pagoda, they will see a relief tunnel of the thirty-three incarnations of the white-robed form of Guanyin (Avalokiteśvara) on a white lotus, with a lovely and interesting design. Another Hall of Yama is built in the 1970s next to the entrance of Dagangshan Chaofeng Temple, located in the Alian District of Kaohsiung. Visitors will also see three statues of the Three Holy Ones of the Western Pureland (Amitābha, Avalokiteśvara, Mahāsthāmaprāpta) which assemble at a lotus pond. Although the hellish scene looks somewhat antiquated, you may still find its previous charm. If one goes further, they will reach the sculptural garden of “Attaining the Bodhi Way: the Incarnation of Sakyamuni Buddha,” where the visitor can see the essence of Bhagavato’s (meaning the Blessed one, one of the common epithets for Buddha) life. When Tathāgata (another epithet for Buddha) was old, the king of Kosala wanted to avenge the arrogance of the tribe of Shakyas who had long despised him, regarding him as a son of a maiden. Although Buddha has sat in lotus position alone three times to stop the army from attacking his tribe. However, one can never reverse the cause and following karma. The prince born of a maiden was so furious that he eventually destroyed his homeland. Maudgalyāyana (one of the Buddha’s closest disciples), who is said to have had supernatural abilities that surpassed the other disciples, could not bear to see the slaughter of innocent people. Thus, he saved five hundred people of his tribe with a pātra (an eating utensil of Buddhist monks). Unfortunately, everything he did was in vain, those who were saved eventually turned into a puddle of blood. The Buddha said that the supernatural abilities cannot surpass the power of karma. The cause and effect work all the time. When Maudgalyāyana’s mother fell into the path of hungry ghost, he used his supernatural abilities to save his mother from hunger. However, all the food turned into fire before being fed to his mother. Later, the Buddha commanded the monks to put nectar and dishes in a basin on the 15th day of the seventh month in the lunar calendar for the monks from all directions to free his mother from reincarnation. In later times, the Ullambana Dharma Service, the Compassionate Samadhi Water Repentance, and the Yoga Collection for Feeding the Searing Mouths Dharma Service are rituals to eliminate karmic hindrance and to cease to worldly delusions. Through such practices, one can free the dead as well as confess their repentance.
Madou Daitian Temple is a magnificent and colorful temple in Tainan. Not only can the worshippers visit the eighteen levels of Hell but also the Heaven (it was built in 1979 and inaugurated in 1983) here. The lighting and sound effects are stunning and frightening. When walking alone in the space, one may feel like taking a Guan Luo Yin trip (a Taoist necromancy which leads people’s spirits to hell and communicate with the dead ones) to visit the underworld prison. Before arriving the first court of the underworld, the visitor will walk through the Mountain of Heart Summit, the Pure Heart Pond, the Frontier between the Living and the Dead Realms, the Soul Registry Hall, the Portico of Demons, the Center for Complementary Teaching of Canonical Books, the Citadel of Premature Death, and the Bridge of Vanity. When one arrives at the first court, they will see King Chin-guang, who is in charge of the court, using the Mirror of Retribution to show the earthly form of evil creatures and also witness the sub-hell of Pillar-Holding and Fire Bed, etc. At the second court, King Chu-jiang collates the register of sins the souls of the dead have committed to impose the punishments. Here, you will see the sub-hell of Excrement and Urine, Hungry Ghost, Burning Dance Floor, Ice, Pus and Blood, Whipping, Tongue-Raking, Sword Blade, Stomach-Piercing, Chopping, etc. Next, the dead at the third court, ruled by King Song-di, will receive the punishments including inversion tortures, face-skinning with steel and copper knife, eye-wrenching, pounding, blood-sucking, rib-piercing, roasting, tendon-taking, being eaten by maggots. The visitor can pay a visit to the Palace of Soul-Resuscitation for the Four Forms of Creatures (birth from an egg, birth from a womb, birth from moisture, and birth by transformation). King Wu-guan is in charge of the fourth court. There are sixteen sub-hells at the fourth court including Waist Chop, Tongue Removal, Boiling Pond, Mouth-stabbing, Skin-peeling, Sword Tree, Burning Wheels and Cart, Eye-shooting, etc. Next, at the fifth court, sinful souls are allowed to ascend the Tower of Hometown-Viewing to take a final look of their family. The visitor will witness sub-hells of Knee-striking, Heart-slicing, Blade Mountain, Flying Swords and Burning Stones, etc. The King of Bian City takes charge of the sixth court, which is also known as the “Great Hell of Screaming,” with sub-hells including Fire Cattle, Tiger-Biting, Kidney-Eating, Mouth-Poking, Throat-Nailing, Iron Mill, Decapitation, etc. The King of Tai-shan is in charge of the seventh court, the “Great Hell of Heat and Fire.” The sixteen sub-hells at this court include Finger-Searing, Bowel-Hauling, Stone-Bearing, Boiling Oil, Tongue-Removal and Cheek-Piercing, etc. Next, the King Du-shi is in charge of the eighth court, the “Great Hell of Intense Fire and Heat,” and the sub-hells including Fire Dogs, Molten Iron, Iron Snakes, Dismemberment, Steel Spikes, Burning-Marrow, Iron Ball, Scale, etc. The ninth court is ruled by the King Ping-deng. It is known as the biggest court, Avici Hell (the Hell of Incessant Suffering), which if the lowest level of the hell realm and the interior is gloomily and terrifyingly dark. Those who committed the most serious evil deed will be sent to the Avici Hell. Sub-hells such as Poisonous Snake, Brain-Removal, Crow-Gnawing, Raining Needles, Wasps and Scorpions are included at this court. After arriving the tenth court, ruled by the Great King of the Reincarnation Palace, one can visit the “Observatory of Life on earth” and the “eight bureaus of the Reincarnation Palace” (including the Bureau of Judicial Control, the Bureau of Good-Actions, the Bureau of Bad-Actions, the Bureau of Debts, Gratitude, and Vengeance, the Bureau of Longevity and Destiny, the Bureau of Familial Ties, the Bureau of the Reincarnated, and the Bureau of Birth). The sinful one will be sent to the Pavilion of Mengpo and made to drink the Soup of Forgetfulness to forget all past affairs. According to the sinful one’s merits of previous life, they will go across one of the six bridges (gold, silver, jade, stone, wood, bamboo) to the “Reincarnation-Wheel (Wheel on the Crimson River).” Finally, one is able to reborn in the six realms. According to the Aṣṭadaśa nāraka sutra ( the Eighteen Hells Sutra), after one passes away, they will enter an intermediate and transitional state between death and rebirth, known as antarābhava in Sanskrit, for forty-nine days. The being will be evaluated by Yama, who will decide if one should get reborn or get punished at the hell. Those who committed the Five Grave Offenses (killing one’s father, killing one’s mother, killing an Arhat, shedding the blood of a Buddha, and creating a schism within the community of Buddhist monks and nun who practice for attaining enlightenment.) will be sent to the Avici Hell and stay there eternally. Kṣitigarbha is the Lord of the Nether World, ruling the ten court of Hell. The lord will set up the “Hall of Teaching” at each court to salvage those sinful ones who still obtain few merits at the offering rituals.
Human beings live the Sahā world (sahāloka in Sanskrit, meaning “endurance of suffering,” a concept of mundane world in Mahāyāna Buddhism) where they share with other reincarnations (including beings of the hells, of the preta, and of malevolent nature spirits) with five turbidities (the Kalpa turbidity, the view turbidity, the affliction turbidity, the living beings turbidity, and the life turbidity). Those who commit the ten evil deeds (killing, stealing, adultery, lying, using immoral language, slandering, equivocating, coveting, anger, and false views) must fall into the three evil paths (animals, preta, and hell). However, how can one escape from the three realms/ twenty-eight heavens (including the six heavens of the desire realm, the eighteen heavens of the form realm, and the four heavens of the formless realm)? Worldly people who don’t have such an awareness cannot leave the cycle of the twelve nidanas (meaning causes or motivations), let alone eliminate the eighty-one afflictions (that have been produced due to misunderstanding regarding reality) and the eighty-eight illusions (including five afflictions of advanced practitioners, also known as five views: view of self, extreme view, evil view, view of attachment to views, and view of morality; and five unintelligent temptations: desire, anger, stupidity, arrogance, and doubt) of thought within the three realms and four Arya satyas (noble truths, including suffering, arising, ending, and path). They cannot realize that the essence of the five skandhas (referring to aggregates of clinging, including the matter of form, sensation, recognition, mental formation, and consciousness) , the twelve ayatana (meaning sense base, including six internal bases: eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind and six external bases: visible objects, sound, odor, taste, touch, and mental objects), and the eighteen dhātavah (meaning compositional elements of human existence, including six consciousness, six faculties, and their objects) are the emptiness and the void. Furthermore, they cannot dispel the two reasons for clinging to the idea of the self and the attachment to elemental constructs and even believe in the two (false) tenets that that karma and nirvana are not real and that the ego and phenomena are real. As a consequence, they fail to develop the eleven wholesome mental factors (faith, energy, conscience, being ashamed, non-attachment, non-aggression, non-delusion, calmness, equanimity, conscientiousness, and non-injuriousness) and cease the sixteen unwholesome mental factors (desire, greed, anger, delusion, arrogance, doubt, wrong view, wrath, enmity, hypocrisy, vexation, jealousy, parsimony, deceit, flattery, harming, ambitiousness, stupidity, lacking of faith, idleness, being unrestrained, forgetting, distraction, non-discernment, ). One must bear in mind that once all our virtuous roots are discontinued, they will be trapped in the never-ending reincarnation and the suffering of infinite continuity.
Is it possible that the hell will be empty one day? If the beings in hell will become extinct while evil spirits inhabit the mundane world, the world could be considered as a pure land. If we could witness the nature of the void, then hell will exist no more.
Since ancient times, the concept of hell has been widely spread among all tribes. Aging, death, beginning, and end are the basis of nature and the core of cosmic consciousness. However, the prosperous civilization as our island is not a place where desire can be eliminated. It’s impossible to eradicate evil nature. Since fetters brought by the constitution, the state, the law, society, the military, corporations, schools, families, and groups are not less than the eighteen levels of hell, the mortals repress themselves, bury their feelings. Day after day, greed, anger, stupidity, arrogance, doubt, and resentment are stacking. However, since the six dust (visible objects, sound, odor, taste, touch, and mental objects) has not yet been extinguished, people in the mundane world are still full of delusions. The demons, devils, evil spirits, and the wondering dead exist in the wilderness, while only advanced practitioners with transcendent would attempt to make contact with the dead in the wasteland and forest. Worldly people like us trespass in Disneyland-like man-made hell. It is absurd and ridiculous that the hellish scenes cannot stop us from perpetrating evil deeds, but the horrific and cruel scenes yet satisfy our self-righteous shame.
The pandemic has been boiling over for more than a year and a half. The number of infected patients worldwide is nearly a hundred and eighty million, and the death toll has risen to four million, which is equivalent to a war crisis. I hope that we can all be compassionate, give peace to the dead, treat all sentient beings well and equally. The hell is innately empty; however, deluded and misleading thoughts would give rise to all jealousy and hatred and then manifest the hell before us. This book merely serves as a memorandum of conscience for dictators of the world’s new cold war, supporters of unrestrained warfare, dark web hackers, and those who are cunning and contemptuous and maltreat others when knowing they have problems.
June 2021,
Yao Jui-chung