The great mistake of the ancients was the creation of gu. People who wanted to get wealth put all kinds of insects and reptiles in one pot, and after a year they opened it to find one remaining creature that devoured everyone else. They called her gu.
Since ancient times, China has practiced a variety of witchcraft methods of achieving wealth, power and success. However, the laws of the Celestial Empire also long ago and very carefully protected their subjects from the tricks of demonic forces: until the beginning of the 20th century, accusations of witchcraft entailed the most cruel measures.
One of the means of "cultivating witchcraft" for a long time remained the creation of an omnipotent creature (insect or reptile) called gu, which means "spoilage, rot, poison". However, the term "gu" was also used by the Chinese sages for any secret harmful action.
RECIPE FOR COOKING A HELL POT GU
In ancient manuscripts, there are various ways of preparing gu poison. However, they are connected by a common component: the obligatory presence of poisonous insects or snakes. The mountain residents of Guangdong and Guangxi, from whom this demonic infection spread throughout the country, were considered recognized experts in gu witchcraft.
Usually, on a hot day in the middle of summer, all kinds of reptiles and insects were collected. Snakes, centipedes, frogs and spiders were placed in one vessel so that they devoured each other. After a long time (in some cases, not less than a year), the vessel was opened and the last creature that overcame everyone else was discovered and, as the sorcerers believed, possessed tremendous spiritual strength.
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If, for example, a snake survived, it was called a gu snake; if a louse survived, it became a gu louse. The animal gu was placed in a vase, placed in a place of honor in the house, with a sort of altar built around the vessel. Gu holders made sacrifices, prayed in front of him, asked for help in unkind and selfless deeds.
The poison of this creature was often used for deadly poisoning, and in this purpose it was trouble-free. “When the poison enters a person, sharp pains begin in his stomach and heart, and there is a feeling as if some animal is eating him from the inside; he spews out vomit and bloody liquid with the smell of rotten meat, and if a person is not treated immediately, all five of his internal organs will be devoured and he will die”- so expressively describes the action of gu poison.
After the death of the poisoned, the infection spreads unhindered in the immediate area, and therefore anyone who is near the dying person himself may be the target of a devilish defeat.
Gu was often made for enrichment - for one's own or family. In this case, prayers should be offered to him. Wealth came to the house of the holder of the witch's pot, but a neighbor or another person not connected with the clan of the owners of the gu became seriously ill or died. It was believed that gu is the source of unrighteous wealth and therefore does not differ from theft and robbery: those who used gu, like thieves, were mutilated in the markets and cut in half.
Witchcraft and mutiny
During the reign of the Han Dynasty (2nd century BC), the belief in the omnipotence of gu witchcraft was truly universal. The general horror of the all-pervading devilish magic reached the imperial palace.
Historical chronicles tell of amazing events: the eradication of corruption at a high state level caused a bloody rebellion. The Chinese emperor Wu-di (II century BC) "in the fifth year of his reign, imprisoned the creative gu, and their heads were put on poles."
What preceded these events? At that time, the emperor was severely tormented by an unknown illness. He believed that he owed his sufferings to those close to him who practiced gu, cast devilish spells and sent evil spells.
The favorite of the Emperor Jiang Chun took advantage of these suspicions. With the help of intrigues, he turned Wu di against his wife and heir to the throne, Prince Liu Ju: he inspired the emperor that there was a conspiracy in the inner chambers of the palace and gu was going on. The Emperor authorized Chun to take appropriate measures to eradicate this evil, "from whoever it comes from."
Without thinking twice, Chun, with the help of sorcerers subordinate to him, began to dig holes in order to find human figures and other signs of corruption allegedly hidden there - of course, in the houses of his political opponents and ill-wishers. Naturally, witchcraft objects were thrown in advance, "in order to reveal traces of the crime." After the brutal torture, the unfortunate victims slandered each other, accusing them of using gu. Suspicion of “plotting a mutiny” affected half of the bureaucratic apparatus.
Then Jiang Chun went to the palace of the heir to the throne, dug it up in search of gu, and found a statue made of tong wood, which was equated with damage. The Crown Prince, realizing the precariousness of his position, in despair turned to his mentor Shi-de for advice. Master told the prince to seize Jiang Chun and punish him severely for his crimes and deceit. Soon, Prince Liu defeated the favorite's detachment, burned his sorcerers, and beheaded Jiang Chun himself.
Unfortunately, the common population of the Celestial Empire did not support the prince, his army was soon defeated, and he himself was forced to flee to the outskirts of the empire. A few months later, the secret police tracked down the heir. The latter, realizing that escape was impossible, "went to his room, locked the doors and hanged himself."
Soon, many stopped believing in the conspiracy of the gu sorcerers, and Emperor Wu himself realized that "the prince's actions were governed only by fear, and nothing else." In order to restore belated justice, he ordered the extermination of the entire family of Jiang Chun, so that his family would end once and for all, and burn the remaining minions. This bloody hysteria lasted for about a year, cost the lives of tens of thousands of people and went down in the history of ancient China as the "rebellion of the crown prince."
MEANS OF RESCUE FROM DAMAGE
If severe punishments could limit the criminal acquisition of wealth by subjects in the Celestial Empire, then the laws remained powerless in the face of grave consequences.
Chinese medicine has retained evidence of a variety of drugs that can counter the harmful effects of gu. However, first of all, the doctor should accurately diagnose the disease. It was enough for the patient to spit into the water, and if the saliva submerged, then the person was considered affected by the gu, if it remained on the surface, it means that the infection did not affect the patient.
The main method for neutralizing gu poison was the treatment of similar with similar, that is, the reptiles and insects used in the preparation of gu were at the same time a remedy against gu. It was important to establish which animal's venom caused the infection. However, the universal cure for demonic spoilage remained the consumption of "all that could be obtained" from the domestic cat.
The ancient medical book "Easy and Simple Recipes for the Preservation of Life" says: "As a defense against gu poison from an early age, you can eat cat meat; then gu will not do any harm. " By the way, until now in China, cat meat is not only a delicacy, but also a means of treating heart disease and mental disorders.
Travelers forced to stay overnight in an unfamiliar hotel resorted to a different, more original method. It was enough to slap the innkeeper on the shoulder and ask bluntly if gu lives in his house. It was believed that if a person discovers his knowledge of witchcraft, then he knows the ways to withstand any misfortune, and in this case, gu is not able to fully manifest his strength.
The use of witchcraft to achieve base goals has always been considered a violation of the universal law of the Universe - the path of Tao. Therefore, families raising asps were deprived of male offspring by Heaven, and if boys were born in a family, then they usually did not live up to adulthood.
The destruction, even through negligence, of the animal gu threatened its owners with inevitable death. Therefore, the owners tremblingly guarded this creature.
Nowadays the craft of masters of "snake pots" is practically lost. And the stories of gu sorcerers most often serve as a source for plots of adventure books about Ancient China and scripts of Hong Kong action movies.
Vladimir STROGANOV