天庭The Celestial Bureaucracy

索引：【神與類神總錄】

簡介

天庭Celestial Bureaucracy
【主　 　神】	天帝Celestial One
【勢力 範圍】	卡-拉圖大陸Kara-Tur，包括中心的 受龍Shou Lung、土龍T'u Lung；北方的 阿瑪盆地the Ama Basin；東方的 高麗Koryo、小櫻Kozakuran、倭Wa；西方的 吐蕃Tabot；南方的 馬來特瑞Malatra、佩坦Petan，以及 巴瓦Bawa 和 貝爾坦Bertan的群島，但可能不包括躍馬平原。
【簡　 　介】	也即 天朝Celestial Empire，位於 精魂世界the Spirit World（一片與卡拉-圖的土地共存而毗鄰的位面），每位身為天庭一部分的神祇都有一片依附於精魂世界的小王國。天帝統治着天庭。
『教化之路The Path of Enlightenment』：簡稱為 禮教The Path，於-810 DR，出現在於受龍，在-620 DR確立為其官方信仰。
『道教The Way』
『九行者信仰The Faith of the Nine Travelers]』：也即 九仙the Nine Immortals，受龍最古老信仰，流行於下層。九行者包括：觀音Kwan Ying、詹爭Chan Cheng、陳湘Ch'en Hsiang、智師Chih Shih、農江Nung Chiang、愛琴Ai Ch'ing、法觀Fa Kuan、欣雲Hsing Yong、術家Shu Chia。
『小仙Lesser Immortals』：小仙是九行者的僕人和助手，從那些在世時尤其聖潔的逝世賢者靈魂中選拔，天帝賜予了他們不朽和有限的神力。在九仙的指引下，他們也執行一定的任務（無論是在天庭還是在卡拉-圖的 赤縣神州the Red Earth）。有六支最重要的小仙群體。
『百萬天官The Million Officials』：百萬天官並非神祇，也被稱作 眾天官Officers，是天帝和天庭的代理人。它們有許多是精魂生物和巨龍；大部分東方龍都任職於天庭。
神祇名	神力	陣營	舊譯	簡介
天帝Celestial One	O	LN	無	天庭主神。
九行者the Nine Travelers
觀音Kwan Ying	?	?	無	九行者之一，平安之神、慈悲之神、歡樂之神
詹爭Chan Cheng	?	?	戰爭	首位九行者，戰神、格鬥與勇氣之神
陳湘Ch'en Hsiang	?	?	無	九行者之一，詩歌、音樂、文學之神
智師Chih Shih	?	?	無	九行者之一，知識、學者、歷史和傳統之神
農江Nung Chiang	?	?	無	九行者之一，農業、土地、播種與豐饒之神
愛琴Ai Ch'ing	?	?	無	九行者之一，愛與婚姻之神
法觀Fa Kuan	?	?	無	九行者之一，正義之神
欣雲Hsing Yong	?	?	無	九行者之一，幸運之神
術家Shu Chia	?	?	無	九行者之一，工匠與藝術之神
小仙Lesser Immortals
月娥Moon Women	?	?	無	擔負着維護天堂本身的重大責任。
陰兵Spirit Warriors	?	?	無	侍奉着詹爭。
玉女Jade Ladies	?	?	無	侍奉着術家，由銅、金、玉、銀等貴重材料創造。
谷靈Rice Spirits	?	?	無	侍奉着農江。
閔女Ladies of Compassion	?	?	無	侍奉着觀音。
業報主Lords of Karma	?	?	無	侍奉着法觀。
海主眾the Sea Lords	?	?	無
百萬天官The Million Officials
江龍Chiang lung	?	?	無	負責保衛湖泊和河流，以及降雨。
漓龍Li lung	?	?	無	控制着大地的力量。
龍王Lung wang	?	?	無	作為 海主眾 的助手和海洋生物的守護者。
盤龍Pan lung	?	?	無	作為隱匿地點的守衛。
神龍Shen lung	?	?	無	作為江龍的助手。
天龍T'ien lung	?	?	無	控制着天氣（不包括降雨）。
風龍Tun mi lung	?	?	無	釋放大洋風暴。
其祂
猴頭Monkey	D	?	無	即 猢猻Hu Sen、潑猴Mad Monkey，這位講禮貌的半神因為愛惡作劇而被天帝流放至 游牧群島Hordelands，1358 DR天帝為對付 龍爪Dragon Claw 而向他求助。

1eFRKara-Tur<Kara-Tur: The Eastern Realms.p024>天朝The Celestial Empire

校對：艾思哲

天朝The Celestial Empire

　　據記載，大地the Earth 的萬事萬物是 天庭的鏡像the Mirror of Heaven。那麼，如果 受龍the Shou 有個皇帝、有個宮廷和若干官僚，那麼 天朝the Celestial Empire 一定也有。事實也正是如此。天庭帝國The Empire of Heaven 統攝一切 天空the Sky 與 大地the Land，都在全能而智慧的 天皇Celestial One 的朝廷管控之下。甚至是 人皇the Emperors of the Earth 也不過是他的臣民，而無數的神仙、半神、精魂、龍、以及大地的神力們全都充當着他的官僚。
It is written that the Earth is the Mirror of Heaven in all things. It is therefore correct that if the Shou have an Emperor, court and officials, it must be this way in the Celestial Empire as well. And so it is. The Empire of Heaven includes both all of the Sky and all of the Land, organized under the government of the all powerful and wise Celestial One. Even the Emperors of the Earth below are merely his subjects, while all the myriad immortals, demigods, spirits, dragons and powers of the Earth serve as his officials.

　　每位 天官Officer of the Empire of Heaven 都對天帝的意旨負責。他們接受並執行他的命令、懲惡揚善、並提交他們的年度活動報告。正如天國是大地的一面鏡子，那些官僚通常忠誠可信，但腐敗、不服從或不稱職官員的不時出現並非聞所未聞。但只要天帝那全見之眼俯瞰他們，那麼即便是這些敗類也將被剝奪他們的神力和職務，並打發到 地府the Underworld。
Each Officer of the Empire of Heaven is responsible to the will of the Celestial One. They receive and carry out his orders, punish the wicked, reward the good, and file reports yearly of their activities. As Heaven is a mirror of Earth, these officials are usually loyal and trustworthy, but it is not unheard of for a corrupt, disobedient or incompetent official to turn up now and again. But with the all-seeing eye of the Celestial One upon them, even these rogues can be stripped of their power and position and sent packing off to the Underworld.

天帝The Celestial Emperor

　　天帝在他那位於 諸天之央the Center of All Heaven 的寶座上進行着統治，繪製出 已然與未然What Has Been and Will 之徑。他是唯一的 天帝Celestial Emperor，自 偉大循環the Great Cycle 開始以來他就在統治着。他呈現為一位高挑、富有貴族氣息的領主，穿着色彩紛紜的閃耀長袍，並戴着 受龍皇帝the Emperors of Shou Lung 的高大皇冕。他的雙眼因 業報的內火the Inner fires of Karma 而發白，他的容貌嚴厲、但仍然富有同情心。在他的右手握着一柄強大的複雜銀權杖，呼作 公平審判Kun P'ing Shen p'an，這個詞彙意為正義。在他的左手，他抓着一隻金酒杯，其中盛滿了生命的精華，這隻酒杯名為 憐憫Lien Min 或 同情Compassion。
Ruling from his throne in the Center of All Heaven, the Celestial One charts the path of What Has Been and Will Be. There is only one Celestial Emperor, and he has ruled since the beginning of the Great Cycle. His appearance is that of a tall, aristocratic lord, dressed in shimmering robes of many colors, and wearing the high crown of the Emperors of Shou Lung. His eyes glow white with the Inner fires of Karma, and his visage is stern, yet compassionate. In his right hand, he holds a mighty rod of intricately worked silver, called Kun P'ing Shen p'an, the word for justice. In his left, he holds a golden chalice, filled with the Essence of Life, and known as Lien Min, or Compassion.

　　天帝是 禮教the Path 的締造者，是他的意志讓天庭與大地互為彼此的完美映像。因這個原因，他派遣了 九仙the Nine Immortals 下凡以身作則。這也是為什麼他以紅色閃電將他的意旨刻到 洪澤the Hungtse 的花崗岩上，讓人們能在漫長的時間之中被提醒。
The Celestial Emperor is the architect of the Path, and it is his will that both Heaven and Earth mirror each other in achieving perfection. For this reason, he sent the Nine Immortals among men to teach by example. It is also why he caused red lightning to inscribe his will in the granite of the Hungtse, so that men would be reminded throughout time.

　　在每年 新年New Year 開始時，天帝會在 翡翠寶座the Jade Throne 前召集他的 偉大天廷Great Court of Heaven，以聆聽他每位臣民的報告。無論地位高低，他的 百萬天官Million Officials 的每位都必須匯報之前一年的功績和職責。過失也將被報告，因為天帝那雙全見之眼甚至能洞見隱藏之事。根據每份報告，天之央the Center of All Heaven 將通過他的審判，作出他認為合適的獎懲。正如 天書the Book of Heaven 之上所書的那樣：
At the start of each New Year, the Celestial One calls his Great Court of Heaven before the Jade Throne, to hear the reports of each of his subjects. Whether great or low, each of his Million Officials tells of his deeds and duties of the year before. Misdeeds are also reported, for the all seeing eyes of the Celestial Emperor know even the hidden things. Upon each report, the Center of Heaven passes his judgement, rewarding the good and punishing the wicked as he deems fit. As it is written in the Book of Heaven：

　　若一片土地被以公正統治，那麼公義將成為統治者之盾。而你的事例將被上訴於天庭，因為那是一切正義之源泉。
If a land is ruled with justice, righteousness becomes the shield of the ruler. Appeal your case then to Heaven, for this is the font of all justice.

九仙The Nine Immortals

　　在世界起源之時，天帝決定以通過派遣使者到下界、每位教導 真道the True Path 的一部分，以此來讓 天庭意志the Will of Heaven 來淨化萬物。這些使者是受龍最初的皇帝，在傳說中被稱之為 九仙the Nine Immortals。雖然有很多、很多的小仙在受龍各地，但在說到神仙的時候最常所指的就是他們。九仙屹於天帝的寶座之側，隨時準備執行他的命令。祂們親眼見證了整個大循環，而在世界終焉並陷入火海之時，也仍將存在。
At the beginning of the world, the Celestial Emperor decided to make the Will of Heaven clear to all by sending emissaries to the lands below, each to teach one aspect of the True Path. These emissaries were the first emperors of Shou Lung, and are known by legend as the Nine Immortals. While there are many, many lesser immortals throughout the lands of Shou Lung, these are the ones most often meant when the immortals are called upon. The Nine Immortals stand at the side of the Celestial One.s throne, ready at all times to do his bidding. They have been there throughout the Great Cycle, and will still be there when the worlds end and pass into fire.

　　在 天庭the Celestial Bureaucracy 中，九仙是天帝意志的執行者。根據他的命令，九仙在祂們被指定的任務上，管理和指導所有其祂小仙。正如祂們的頭銜所反映的那樣，每位九仙都負責禮教的一個方面。根據祂們的職責，祂們可能被召喚去獎善懲惡人。九行者代表了禮教的九種基本美德：學識Scholarship、尊重傳統Respect for Tradition、榮譽Honor、憐憫Compassion、愛Love、忠誠Fidelity、業報Karma、藝術Artistry、以及 勇氣Courage。作為神仙，祂們可以採用任何祂們想要的形態，但祂們通常以兩種面相出現，其男人或女人形態在下文各自的描述中給出，而 九偉龍Nine Great Dragons 形態則在用祂們的思想支撐萬物、推動萬物。正如天帝派遣九仙到人間的那樣，這就是為什麼祂們所進入的土地被稱之為 受龍Shou Lung，亦即 巨龍的接受者Receiver of the Dragon。
In the Celestial Bureaucracy, the Immortals are the agents of the Celestial Emperor's will. At his command, they administer and direct all other of the lesser immortals in their appointed tasks. Each of the Nine Immortals is responsible for one aspect of the Path, as reflected in his or her title. According to their responsibilities, they can be called upon to reward the just and punish the wicked. The Nine Immortals represent the nine cardinal virtues of the Path; Scholarship, Respect for Tradition, Honor, Compassion, Love, Fidelity, Karma, Artistry, and Courage. As immortals, they may take any form they wish, but are commonly seen in two aspects, that of men or women as given in each's description, and that of Nine Great Dragons which hold up the world and move all things by their thoughts. As the Celestial One sent these Nine Immortals into the lands of men, this is why the lands they went into are known as Shou Lung, or Receiver of the Dragon.

　　受龍人時常呼喚諸仙，但大部分並不是真的希望他們出現，而只是為了好運，這樣的呼喚能帶來一種前進動力。但若是在助紂為虐或是計劃惡作劇時呼喚諸仙，事實上帶來的將是霉運，因為祂們一定會到來伸張祂們嚴厲的正義！
The Shou people constantly call upon the immortals, not really expecting them to appear but mostly for the good .luck. such calling brings to an endeavour. But it is ill fortune indeed to call upon the immortals . aid when evil or mischief is planned, for that is when they will most certainly come to mete out their stern justice!

　　然後這裏，標識了九仙的名諱與所代表的方面。
Here then, are the names and aspects of the Nine Immortal Ones.

　　觀音Kwan Ying（讀作：koo-wann ying）　大慈大悲觀音Compassionate Kwan Ying　憐憫、仁慈與歡樂之女神Goddess of Compassion, Mercy and Joy

　　詹爭Chan Cheng（讀作：chan ching）　Mighty Lord of Heroes　強大英雄領主Mighty Lord of Heroes　戰爭、武術、戰鬥與勇氣之神God of war, the martial arts, combat and bravery

　　陳湘Ch'en Hsiang（讀作：chee-enn hoo-sang）　詩人的靈感Inspiration of Poets　詩歌、音樂與文學之神God of poetry, music and literature

　　智師Chih Shih（讀作：chee shee）　聖賢之主Lord of the Sages　歷史、傳說與傳統之神God of History, Lore and Tradition

　　農江Nung Chiang（讀作：nung chee-ang）　耕耘之師Teacher of the Plow；赤縣神州大師Master of the Red Earth　農業與豐饒之神God of Agriculture and Fertility
[譯註：疑似應該讀作農場, TSR弄錯了韋氏拼音。]

　　愛琴Ai Ch'ing（讀作：eye chee-ing）　愛情與忠貞的女主人Mistress of Love and Fidelity　愛情與婚姻之女神Goddess of Love and Marriage

　　法觀Fa Kuan（讀作：faah koo-wann）　正道行者One Who Walks in Righteousness；立法者The Lawgiver　正義之神God of Justice

　　欣雲Hsing Yong（讀作：hiss-ing yoong）　幸運者The Lucky One；最幸運的人Most Fortunate One　氣運與繁榮之神God of Fortune and Prosperity

　　術家Shu Chia（讀作：shoo chi-ah）　術家之手Hands of Shu Chia；大師之手Hands of the Master　匠師與工藝之神God of Artificers and the Arts

小仙The Lesser Immortals

　　作為 九仙the Nine Immortals 的僕從和助手，小仙們起源於那些生時特別神聖的聖賢。作為獎勵，天帝the Celestial One 賜予了祂們永生和有限的類神力量。每位小仙都在天庭和赤縣神州上執行着特定的任務，並在過程中受到相應 大仙Greater Immortals 的指引。
The servants and assistants of the Nine Immortals, the Lesser Immortals are descended from sages who have been particularly holy in their lives. As a reward, the Celestial One has granted them the boon of immortality and limited godlike powers. The Lesser Immortals each have specific tasks that they perform in Heaven and upon the Red Earth, and are directed in these by the appropriate Greater Immortals.

玉女Jade Ladies

　　玉女Jade Ladies 呈現為半透明的女性，穿着綠色長袍、佩戴者精緻的翡翠頭飾，她們負責創造寶藏與美麗的事物並放置在大地之中。她們的神力讓她們能編織金、銀、銅到岩脈之中、塑造富饒的翡翠沉積到秘密的地方，來讓礦工和工匠進行開採。
Appearing as translucent women in green robes and elaborate jade headdresses, Jade Ladies are responsible for creating and placing treasures and beautiful things within the earth. Their powers allow them to weave gold, silver and copper into the veins of the rocks, and to fashion rich deposits of jade in secret places, to be uncovered by miners and artisans.

谷靈Rice Spirits

　　谷靈Rice Spirits 是收穫之魂，負責使水稻長得又高又壯。祂們也主管人和野獸的生殖力，判斷一個家庭是否應該被允許有孩子。谷靈可以是男人也可以是女人，祂們以各種面相出現，包括動物和神話野獸。
Rice spirits are the spirits of the harvest, responsible for making the rice grow strong and tall. They are also in charge of the fertility of men and beasts, and the judging of whether a family should be allowed children. Rice Spirits may be men or women, and appear in a variety of aspects including animals and mythical beasts.

月娥Moon Women

　　月娥Moon women 負責為天宮提供適當的維護——為 太陽the Sun 的巨油燈添油、拋光作為群星的百萬水晶球、指導 月亮the Moon 與星座的運行。因為曆法起源於天庭的行動，所以月娥們也是任何關於時間的行為的守護聖人，如節日、不吉的時刻、以及行為的吉時。她們看起來像是穿着藍色薄紗長袍的苗條年輕女子，她們本身有時幾乎是透明的。
Moon women are responsible for maintaining the proper care of the Heavens—refilling the oils in the great lamps of the Sun, polishing the million crystal orbs that are the stars, and directing the Moon and the constellations in their courses. Because the calendar is derived from the actions of Heaven, Moon Women are also the patron saints of any actions regarding time, such as festivals, portentous moments, and auspicious times of action. They appear as slender young women in gauzy blue robes, who at times are nearly transparent themselves.

陰兵Spirit Warriors

　　這些小仙負責在懦弱之人身上喚起英雄般的決心和勇氣。他們以鼓舞人心的形象出現，通常率領着出現足以扭轉戰鬥走向的幽靈軍隊。他們也負責將被殺英雄的靈魂帶走，交由 業報主the Lords of Karma 審判，以及保護 地府the Underworld 的大門不受入侵者的侵擾。
These Lesser Immortals are responsible for creating heroic resolve and courage in the fainthearted. They appear as inspirational figures, often leading phantom armies whose manifestation can turn the tide of battles. They are also responsible for carrying off the spirits of slain heroes to be judged by the Lords of Karma, and of guarding the gates of the Underworld from trespassers.

閔女Ladies of Compassion

　　這些小仙負責 觀音Kwan Ying 的工作，出現在天庭和赤縣神州各地減輕苦楚和疼痛。她們呈現為莊嚴的年輕婦女，穿着白色的長袍、披着鬆散的長髮，並攜帶着一塊用於包紮傷口的柔軟白布。
These Lesser Immortals are responsible for the work of Kwan Ying, appearing throughout Heaven and the Red Earth to ease suffering and pain. They appear as stately young women in white robes and long, loosened hair, carrying a silken white cloth with which to bind wounds.

業報主Lords of Karma

　　業報主Lords of Karma 是判斷一個人的靈魂在生時是否獲得了足夠的功績的法官。根據他們的判斷，死魂可以被擢升到 祖先天宮the Heaven of the Ancestors，甚至被擢升為神仙。然而，若業報主對其判決不利，其靈魂將被判有罪成為儘管永生，但夜晚漫遊於赤縣神州，而白天則被困於地府諸獄中的靈魂。
The Lords of Karma are the judges of whether a person's soul has gained enough merit in his current life. Upon their judgement, the dead soul may be elevated to the Heaven of the Ancestors, or even be raised to sit among the Immortals. However, if the Lords judge against them, the soul will be condemned to be a spirit for all eternity, wandering the Red Earth by night, and trapped in the hells of the Underworld by day.

聖賢Sages

　　聖賢是那些在其世俗生活中是如此的純潔和堅決，以至於被擢升到神仙們身側的人。然而，他們仍不夠偉大而不足以成為小仙，而因此並不擁有神祇神力也未被授予 永生Immortality。聖賢無需已死，許多聖賢今日仍然行走於赤縣神州，教授他們的偉大經驗與智慧。
The sages are people who, in their earthly lives are of such purity and resolve that they are elevated to walk beside the Immortals. However, they are not yet of sufficient greatness to become Lesser Immortals, and as such have no godly powers and are not granted Immortality. A sage need not be dead, many walk the Red Earth today, teaching by their great example and wisdom.

　　聖賢（以及 佛陀Buddas，對同一事物的 吐蕃語Tabotan 詞彙）各種外觀、性別、種族、階層皆有。他們大部分生活在遠離塵世的地方，在山洞或叢林之中的隱蔽處中，在質樸與平和之後更好地生活着。這種內在的和諧給聖賢帶來了許多好處：長壽、智慧與知識、以及對物質世界許多屬性的掌握。已知聖賢們能在熱煤上行走、平息地震、甚至以手輕觸便能靜止颱風、粉碎刀劍。對聖賢們而言，這些事情不過稀疏平常：與水和氣的精魂親密交流；召喚野獸帶他往返；驅離怪物。即便是我們這些偉大的龍們，有時也會找聖賢商量和交談。舉例來說，我自己就與詩賢 洪德炳Hung Te Ping 有着一段漫長的友誼。
Sages (and Buddas, which is a Tabotan term for the same thing), come in all shapes, sixes, races and walks of life. Most live apart from the world of men, in mountain caves or hidden places in the jungles, to better live in simplicity and peace. This inner harmony imparts to the sage many benefits：long life, wisdom and knowledge, and mastery of many attributes of the material world. Sages have been known to walk hot coals, quell earthquakes, still typhoons and shatter swords with the touch of a hand. It is not uncommon for a sage to be seen speaking familiarly with the spirits of air and water; to call upon wild beasts to carry him to and fro, and to turn away monsters. Even we great dragons will occasionally come to a sage for counsel and conversation.I myself have a friendship of long duration with the poet-sage Hung Te Ping, for example.
[譯註：韋氏拼音Hung Te Ping對應漢語拼音hong de bing。]

　　賢者一生都在追索一個單獨的目標：變得完美；成為一位意志堅定的人或是天庭的人。以這種方式，他將化作天庭的本身。而當他最終死去並離開赤縣神州時，他通常會變為一位真正的神仙。
A sage lives his or her life in pursuit of a single goal; to become perfection; to become one with the will or Heaven. In this way, he becomes Heaven itself. And when he has finally died and left the Red Earth, he often times becomes a true Immortal.

祖宗Ancestors

　　當凡人在天朝死去時，他將由業報主判定他的相對功績。若他的功績非常大的話，他將被擢升為一位小仙，若低一些，則可能會變為一位聖賢。若他只是過着美好而充實的生活，那麼他將被賦予在 祖宗天宮the Heaven of the Ancestors 的永恆存在。在這裏，無苦、無痛、無病厄。永遠美食華衣好招待。
When a mortal dies in the Celestial Empire, he is judged by the Lords of Karma as to his relative merit. If his merit is very high, he is elevated to the level of a Lesser Immortal, if less, he may become a sage. If he has merely lived a good and merit-filled life, he is granted eternal existence in the Heaven of the Ancestors. In this land, there is no pain, suffering or infirmity. There is always delicious food to eat and fine clothes to wear.

　　祖宗有一項責任：向他們的後代提供建議。為此，每位祖宗都有個秘密名字，只有其最受信任的後代才知道，以此呼喚將引起他的注意。
The ancestors have one responsibility, and that is to advise their descendants. To this end, each ancestor has a secret name, known only to the most trusted of his children, the invoking of which requires his attention.

精魂Spirits

　　存在兩種類型的精魂：亡者精魂，包括所有 baijang、gaki（或者 餓鬼hungry ghosts）、女鬼bisan 和類似事物；以及那些自然、神道神kami、哈羅加harooga、以及物質世界其它方面的精魂。亡者精魂起源於那些過着邪惡或未圓滿生活的人。因為，他們被 業報主Lords of Karma 判決作為精魂在赤縣神州永恆遊蕩，永遠處於痛苦之中。在白天，他們將被從凡人眼前關到地府的黑暗之中，在那裏的漆黑洞窟中迴蕩着他們的哀嚎。在夜間，他們縈繞於大地上，通常是那些邪惡、禁忌之地，或是他們殞身或埋葬之地附近。順嘴一提，這就是為什麼白天靠近受龍人墳墓很安全，而在晚上這樣做卻很危險。
There are two kinds of spirits; those of the dead, which include all baijang, gaki (or hungry ghosts), bisan and the like; and those of nature, kami, harooga and other aspects of the material world. The spirits of the dead are descended from those who lived evil or unfulfilled existences when they were alive. For this, they have been judged by the Lords of Karma to eternally walk the Earth as spirits, forever in torment. By day, they are shut away from the eyes of men in the darkness of the Underworld, where the black caverns echo with their screams of anguish. By night, they haunt the earth, often in evil, forbidden places, or near the place where they died or were buried. This, by the way, is why it is safe to approach a Shou graveyard by day, but extremely dangerous to do so by night.

　　受到未實現的夢想、對過去錯誤的復仇願望、或是憎惡與邪惡扭曲的餓鬼，是恐怖、被所有人害怕的生物。就像天朝的一切，他們也有他們的職責，其一便是作為惡行後果的典型案例。為了實現這個目標，大部分餓鬼都擁有超自然力量和能力，其中許多即可怕又致命。
Twisted by the pain of unfulfilled dreams, visions of vengeance for past wrongs, or hatred and evil, the hungry spirit is a creature of horror, feared by all men. As in all things of the Celestial Empire, they too have their duties, among which is to serve as a terrifying example of the result of evil practices. In order to accomplish this, most hungry spirits have supernatural powers and abilities, many of which are as deadly as they are frightening.

　　同樣強大、但並未被扭曲的是自然的精魂。這些生物作為物質世界之力而存在，通過它通過生命和行動。有些精魂，如地方的 倭神the kami，是地點與寶藏的守護者。有個傳奇例子是 哈羅加Harooga，星野島Akari Island 的精魂。其它的如元素的倭神，奉天庭的偉龍們之命御風渡水。還有石和獸、蛇與家禽的精魂，它們也守衛着世上的強大地點。而那些 風、氣與水Wind, Air and Water 的精魂被 土龍T'u Lung 的 眾道Chung Tao 祭司們呼作 自然神Nature Gods，不過我們知道在 天府the Celestial Heaven 它們的地位比我們低得多！
Equally powerful, but not as twisted, are the spirits of nature. These creatures exist as forces of the material world, moving through it to provide life and motion. Some spirits, such as the kami of place, are the guardians of sites and treasures. One legendary example of this is Harooga, the spirit of Akari Island. Others, such as kami of elements, move the winds and waters at the direction of the great dragons of Heaven. There are also spirits of stone and beasts, serpent and fowl, who also guard and protect powerful places in the world. It is these spirits of Wind, Air and Water that the Chung Tao priests of T'u Lung call Nature Gods, although it is known to us of the Celestial Heaven that they are of much less exalted position!

　　偶爾會有自然精魂與人類墜入愛河。這些結合通常是有繁衍能力的、將會產下後代。這便是 仙靈spirit 和 獸妖hengeyokai 的緣起；這種人結合了精魂的元素與物質世界。許多受龍的偉大傳奇涉及了在這些結合，如河女的古代神話。
Occasionally, nature spirits and humans fall in love. These unions are often fertile, producing offspring. This is the origin of the spirit folk and hengeyokai; people who combine the elements of the spirit and material worlds. Many of the great romances of Shou literature involve these unions, such as the ancient legend of the river woman.