Meng Po
Encyclopedia
Meng Po is the Lady of Forgetfulness in Chinese mythology
.
Literally means Old Lady Meng, Meng Po serves in Diyu, the Chinese realm of the dead. It is her task to ensure that souls who are ready to be reincarnated do not remember their previous life or their time in hell.
To this end she collects herbs from various earthly ponds and streams to make her Five Flavored Tea of Forgetfulness (Mi-hun-t'ang). This is given to each soul to drink before they leave Diyu. The brew induces instant and permanent amnesia
, and all memory of other lives is lost.
Having been purged of all previous sins and knowledge, the dead spirit is sent to be reborn in a new earthly incarnation, and the cycle begins again.
Occasionally people are able to avoid drinking the brew, resulting in past life
memories surfacing in children.
Chinese mythology
Chinese mythology is a collection of cultural history, folktales, and religions that have been passed down in oral or written tradition. These include creation myths and legends and myths concerning the founding of Chinese culture and the Chinese state...
.
Literally means Old Lady Meng, Meng Po serves in Diyu, the Chinese realm of the dead. It is her task to ensure that souls who are ready to be reincarnated do not remember their previous life or their time in hell.
To this end she collects herbs from various earthly ponds and streams to make her Five Flavored Tea of Forgetfulness (Mi-hun-t'ang). This is given to each soul to drink before they leave Diyu. The brew induces instant and permanent amnesia
Amnesia
Amnesia is a condition in which one's memory is lost. The causes of amnesia have traditionally been divided into categories. Memory appears to be stored in several parts of the limbic system of the brain, and any condition that interferes with the function of this system can cause amnesia...
, and all memory of other lives is lost.
Having been purged of all previous sins and knowledge, the dead spirit is sent to be reborn in a new earthly incarnation, and the cycle begins again.
Occasionally people are able to avoid drinking the brew, resulting in past life
Past life
Past life may refer to:* Past lives in reincarnation* Pre-existence, the belief that each individual human soul existed before conception- Popular culture :...
memories surfacing in children.