Spirits in mountains

[Savage]

Spirits in mountains.



Some great gods and mighty spirits are believed to live in mountains. Also trolls.The believe is ancient and spread all over the world.

http://www.lib.washington.edu/exhibi...nier/case2.htm
"The highest and most imposing mountain in our country, outside of Alaska, is Mount Rainier - Tahoma, the Indians called it - "the mountain that was God." It is the representative of the Cascades, and the crown of the Puget Sea. One's first view of Rainier, or Tacoma, can never be forgotten.... It is the chosen Apollo among these giant cones that show themselves to men, -- rising in one majestic sweep from the surge of the Puget Sea to the stars of Heaven...." --John Wesley Carter, From the Heights, 1911


http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drm...629634,00.html
"In the spring, the flowers still bloom and birds still come to sing with the spirits of the ancestral people. And when the ancient ones are thirsty, the rain clouds still bring them water and the creek still flows."

The search spirits living mountain gives nearly 28 mill hits

http://www.wnyc.org/books/55031
In the Verkhoyansk Mountains of northeast Siberia, Eveny nomads are on the move*. Teams of reindeer pull caravans of sledges down the steep slide of a frozen mountain river. Bells tinkle on the lead reindeer while dogs on short leashes dive closely alongside through the snow like dolphins beside a boat. One man sits on the lead sledge of each caravan, his right foot stretched out in front of him and his left foot resting on the runner ready to fend off hidden rocks and snagging roots. Passengers or cargo sit on the sledges behind. The passage of each caravan is visible from afar by a cloud of frozen reindeer breath.

[Savage]

Link to pic of trolls in mountains

Trolls in mountains

http://www.mjoesormen.no/Mainpage%20for%20trolls.htm
Everybody believe that there are no trolls no more. Nonsense! You may find trolls at a lot of places if you happen to be on the right spot and are lucky, but I feel that I must warn you. They are extremely difficult to detect, almost impossible to predict and even worse to handle.

I had been hunting moose in the area for years only to discover the other year that everything was not quite what I expected it to be. I had sat down at my post with my rifle waiting for moose to advance on me pursued by a Norwegian Grey Moose Dog, high up on the slope of Black Mountain. Waiting for moose inevitably gives you time to think and above all presents you the possibility to study the nature all around you. Uphill from my hunting post was an old pine crag next to a huge mossy boulder. The next day I again happened to be waiting for moose at the very same spot. Troll shit, the boulder was gone ! Then and there I understood that the moss grown boulder may very well have been a scruffy mountain troll.

Old names in the area reflects an ancient precence of trolls. On the eastern side of the valley is the Troll Hill, and further south is Little Troll Hill. Towards north east is a pair of smaller lakes called Jetningen (Jette - still another name for trolls) and Little Jetningen, true indications that trolls once eked a living here. Close by is Troll Gate Creek. I will bet you that somewhere in the dense birch covered slopes there is an old hidden troll gate, an entrance to a mysterious but closed troll cave. More at sourece. http://www.mjoesormen.no/Mainpage%20for%20trolls.htm

http://www.google.com/search?client=...utf-8&oe=utf-8

http://www.mjoesormen.no/Mainpage%20for%20trolls.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Troll_(Discworld)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Troll_(Discworld)

http://www.trollforest.com/
Trolls have always been a part of the Scandinavian Folklore, but did you know that in those old stories, most Trolls were bad!

In some places, people believed that Trolls could be as big as mountains. And so you would be very careful walking or hiking in the mountain areas. You certainly wouldn't want be caught by one of the mountain trolls.
In Finnish folklore, Trolls were mostly bad and dangerous, and sometimes not very smart, either.

[Savage]

Indian Warning Against Demonshttp://www.lib.washington.edu/exhibi...r/sluiskin.htm

--by Sluiskin, Indian Guide as translated by General Stevens.
Printed in Meany, Edmond S. Mount Rainier: a record of exploration. New York: Macmillan Company, 1916.

Listen to me my good friends. I must talk to you.

Your plan to climb Takhoma is all foolishness. No one can do it and live. A mighty chief dwells upon the summit in a lake of fire. He brooks no intruders.

Many years ago my grandfather, the greatest and bravest chief of all the Yakima, climbed nearly to the summit. There he caught sight of the fiery lake and the infernal demon coming to destroy him, and he fled down the mountain, glad to escape with his life. Where he failed, no other Indian ever dared make the attempt.

At first the way is easy, the task seems light. The broad snowfields, over which I have often hunted the mountain goat, offer an inviting path. But above them you will have to climb over steep rocks overhanging deep gorges where a mistep would hurl you far down -- down to certain death. You must creep over steep snow banks and cross deep crevasses where a mountain goat could hardly keep his footing. You must climb along steep cliffs where rocks are continually falling to crush you, or knock you off into the bottomless depths.

And if you should escape these perils and reach the great snowy dome, then a bitterly cold and furious tempest will sweep you off into space like a withered leaf. But if by some miracle you should survive all these perils the mighty demon of Takhoma will surely kill you and throw you into the fiery lake.

Don't you go!

You make my heart sick when you talk of climbing Takhoma. You will perish and your people will blame me.

Don't go!

Don't go!

If you will go, I will wait here two days, and then go to Olympia and tell your people that you perished on Takhoma. Give me a paper to them to let them know that I am not to blame for your death.

My talk is ended.

http://www.khandro.net/place_Nepal.htm
Nepal is place of extremely varied geography. It has lush rainforests, fertile agricultural land and of course, some of the world's highest mountains. Besides, it is home to several different ethnic and occupational groups. The Sherpas are famous traders and mountain guides, the Manangs were primarily herders; both are of Tibetan origin. There are Hindu Nepalis, Buddhists (Newari and Tibetan,) and there are also worshippers of nature deities, many of whom are members of tribal groups.

http://www.khandro.net/mysterious_spirits.htm
Sher-pa is Tibetan for "easterner" > shar is east, pa is person. Legend has it that the first settler was Padzin, a descendant of Osel, a local deity of Kham in East Tibet. The route taken by the ancestor is traced from Kham, Salmo-Gang to Shripal, in Tibet, then to Rolwaling, and over Tashi Laptse (auspicious high pass) to Khumbu. On the way, Padzin had to fight off evil spirits and guardians of beyul, or hidden valleys. His descendants are the Paldorje clan, founders of Khumjung.

http://www.khandro.net/_vti_bin/shtml.dll/Search.htm

[Savage]

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Source
This book shows the relationship between San-shin and Korean Buddhism that has traditionally been one of mutual support and mutual absorption. In a theoretical sense their relationship takes this three-sided form: Buddha in his role as cosmic Lord presents San-shin with its own mountain, and thus augments the powers and legitimacy San-shin already enjoys.

San-shin is not yet very well-known in the world, despite being the most central and characteristic figure in traditional Korean culture. It remains uniquely Korean, although depicted with imported Chinese artistic motifs, which are clearly explained in this volume.

Its various cultural roles and manifestations are described, with photos has taken of San-shin icons and their shrines all over South Korea, pointing out their various common and unique religious and artistic characteristics. The various connections and relationships of San-shin with the five major religious, philosophical traditions of Korean-Buddhism, Shamanism, Daoism, Confucianism, and Christianity are fully explored.

The other deities and symbols which share paintings and shrines with San-shin are briefly introduced, to shed further light on its identity. Contrary cases of contemporary opposition to San-shin and the potential roles of mountain-worship in 21-century Korean culture (national identity, ecology, re-unification) are discussed to provide deeper perspectives.

This book is the most comprehensive study ever published on Korea's ancient mountain-worship traditions in any language. The author hopes that it will introduce San-shin to a global audience.

About the Author:

David A. Mason grew up in Michigan, and furthered his education in San Francisco. He has lived in South Korea for fifteen years so far, exploring it and writing about its history and culture. He earned his second M.A. in Korean Studies at Yonsei University in Seoul. He is currently a professor of English at Yonsei's Wonju campus, in Kangwon Province, where his research on Korea's ancient-but-still-strong mountain-worship traditions continues.

Words from the Author:

Korean Mountain spirit caught my interest when I first visited a Korean Buddhist temple in the summer of 1982, more than sixteen years ago. Since that time I have collected photographs of and information about it as a hobby, along with hiking in Korean's beautiful and sacred mountains. By the 1990s I noticed that San-shin is unjustifiably unknown to the world, and even little-known within the field of Korean cultural studies. I came to feel some calling to research the subject deeply and present my finding to everyone who might be interested.

Contents
Acknowledgement¡¤7
Notes on Romanization and Usage¡¤9

Chapter I : Introduction to Korea's Sanshin: The Tutelary Spirit of a Mountainous Nation
General Introduction¡¤14
My Collection and Research¡¤18
The Levels of Mountain Spirits¡¤25

Chapter II: Iconography of San-shin

1. Personification of the Mountain Spirit¡¤34
A. Identity and Personality¡¤34
B. Gender¡¤37

2. Portraits and Symbols of the Mountain Spirit¡¤40
A. Stones and Paintings¡¤40
B. Origin of the Paintings¡¤46
C. Pass-spirits¡¤49
D. Production of the Paintings¡¤52
E. Basic Econography¡¤55
F. Shin-son-dae ¡ª Where San-shin Resides¡¤56
G. Hand-held Symbols¡¤58
H. Headgear, Halos, Hair and Clothing¡¤70

3. Icon-Companions¡¤76
A. Tigers¡¤76
B. Servants and the Things They Hold or Do¡¤81
C. Other Persons¡¤92
D. Background Animals and Birds¡¤92
E. Plants in the Background¡¤94
F. Other Elements¡¤95

4. Shrines and Shrine-Companions¡¤97
A. The Housing of Mountain-Spirits¡¤97
B. Dok-song, the Lonely Saint¡¤100
C. Chil-song and Je-sok¡¤104
D. Yong-wang or Dragon King¡¤110
E. Other Companions and Locations¡¤11
F. The Spirit-Assembly Altar-Painting: another San-shin¡¤113

Chapter III: San-shin in Korea's Religious Traditions
Korean Roots: the Dan-gun Myth and Early Nationalism¡¤132
Korean Shamanism: Rituals and Pilgrimages¡¤139
Korean Daoism and Geomancy: Spiritual Energy of Mountains¡¤145
Korean Confucianism: Respcetful Acknowledgment¡¤150
Korean Christianity: Opposition and Attack¡¤157
Korean Buddhism: San-shin as Enfeoffed Landlord¡¤160
A. Buddhist Tolerance for Indigenous Shamanism¡¤160
B. Absorption of San-shin by Buddhism¡¤161
C. Absorption of Buddhism by San-shin¡¤166
D. Ceremonial Buddhist Worship of San-shin: Integration by Enfeoffment¡¤172
E. San-shin Shrines in Temples: Tradition of Mutual Support¡¤177
F. Contrary Cases (Buddhist Opposition)¡¤184
G. Future Integration: San-shin as a Budhisattva?¡¤185

Chapter IV: Future Prospects for the Mountain Spirit
San-shin's Place in 21st-Century Korean Culture¡¤198
Ecopiety and Modern Society: San-shin as Symbol of Ecology¡¤203
National Re-Unification¡¤208

Index and Glossary of Key Korean Terms¡¤216

Bibliography¡¤220

[Savage]

FOUR MAJOR MOUNTAIN GODS

Source
In ancient time, when some tribes merged into tribal groups, there were several Mountains in one area. Like a tribe which had its own leader, Gods in charge of these mountains also had their own leader. As a result, Four Major Mountain Gods came into being in the region. They were:

Yag La Xiangpo in U-Tsang;
Nyainqentanglha in northern Tibet;
Ku La Rigyi in southern Tibet; and
Wodegungyai in eastern Tibet.

LEADER OF THE FOUR LEADERS.

Of the Four Major Mountain Gods, Yag La Xiangpo was the ¡°leader of the four leaders¡±. It gained the position mainly because the mountain (small when compared with others) is located in the area ruled by the Yarlung Siboye Tribe. The said tribe began to gain dominance in the 6th century in Shannan and Songtsan Gambo built the Tubo Kingdom in the early 7th century.

COLOR FAVORED BY MOUNTAIN GODS.

The Tibetan race worships white color. In their eyes, white color is the most beautiful and holy. In legends, Mountain Gods are in white:

Yag La Xiangpo is a Mountain God in white. Riding a white yak, it produces snowstorm in its mouth and nostrils. It has the power to destroy rocks and produce floods.

Nyainqentanglha, one of the four major Mountain Gods in U-Tsang, is also in white. It is worshipped as a Wealth Protecting God.

The Anymarqen Mountain, towering over the Qinghai Lake, is a Mountain God hailed as the ¡°Fighting Warrior¡±. It has a wife named Marichangri, leader of the 12 Goddess in Tibet. She, also in white, rides a white male deer. The beautiful goddess is in charge of hails.

WORSHIP ON MOUNTAINS

Imagine what one will worship in an environment isolated from the outside world by skyscraping peaks. Mountains, of course. Indeed, of things worshipped by the Tibetans, mountains are holy.

In the Tibet Autonomous Regions, snow-capped mountains are found everywhere. They are held as reincarnation of Mountain Gods, and the Tibetans divided the Mountain Gods into good or evil ones.

Some of the Mountain Gods are in charge of mild weather. At the foot of these mountains, there lie fertile farmland which spread far and wide. People there live on hunting and livestock breeding. Such Mountain Gods are worshipped by the Tibetans.

In arid area, Mountain Gods often fly into a rage. When offended, they produce storms and hails. They are so fierce that the local people are scared.

According to the King Gesar, an epic, people from the Hor Tribe built a Mani stone mound at the mouth of the snow-capped Marqen Bamri Mountain. When people of the Ling Tribe got the news, they flew into a rage.

¡°Marqen Bamri is ours. How can people of the Hor Tribe build a Mani stone mound there?¡± they shouted.

Believing this meant invasion, people from the Ling Tribe decided to wage a tit-for-tat struggle. Ling troops were called out to blockade the mountain mouth, and Ling people went up the mountain to destroy the Mani stone mound. This touched off battles between the two tribes.

THE WAY TO WORSHIP MOUNTAIN GODS

Holy mountains are where people worship. Legend has it that walking around a holy mountain one time would help remove sins one commits during his lifetime; walking around it 10 times would help one stay away from sufferings in the hell.

One is lucky if he/she dies while taking ritual walk around a holy mountain.

Because of these beliefs, many come to worship holy mountains. Carrying luggages on backs, they come in twos or threes, prostrating themselves in front of these mountains. This is followed by their taking ritual walks which generally takes dozens of days. All along the way, they drink stream water and eat zanba (roasted highland barley flour). Their hands bleed, but they persist in walking, and walking. The luckiest people would hear auspicious sounds coming from afar at the cracks of ice mountains.

TABOOS.

Although the Tibetans began to worship mountains in the ancient time, the herders began to fear Mountain Gods in modern times.

One should not cough, whistle, speak loudly or make a piece of stone roll down the mountain for fear that he/she would invite storms or landslides.

One should not spit in the mountain gully, otherwise he/she would suffer from an illness.

One should not pass water at the food of the mountain, otherwise he/she would suffer from pains.

One should not poke one¡¯s finger into his/her nostrils, otherwise he/she would have neck troubles.

Many mountains in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau are hailed as holy mountains which protect the people from being offended by the evils. Herders go worshipping Mountain Gods up in the mountains on a regular basis. In their eyes, rock form the skeleton of a Mountain God, mountain slope forms its skin and trees and grass are its hair. As a result, they refrain from gathering firewood in mountains.

[Arthur Gordon Pym]

Originally Posted by Savage

Spirits in mountains.

Some great gods and mighty spirits are believed to live in mountains. Also trolls.

Why don't they stay there then? Why don't they stop descending into valleys, turning on the PCs and ruining forums?