The origin of fighting "ghosts" at Bodasa Peak on Wutai Mountain

Every year on the 15th day of the sixth month of the lunar calendar, the "Buzha" dance (commonly known as fighting ghosts) is held at Bodsa Ding and Luohou Temple. On this day, lamas wear various ghost masks and various strange costumes, dressed up as gods, Buddhas, ghosts, etc. chanting and dancing. It is said that they are to exorcise evil qi and pray for good luck for others. It is also called fighting ghosts (or killing ghosts) or jumping gods (also called jumping ghosts). When fighting ghosts and dancing gods, the palm print lama sat in a sedan chair with eight legs, sounded gongs to open the way, and hugged each other. The scriptures are recited in the temple, the sheng and pipes are singing together, and the spectators are gathered, making it very lively.

There is a relatively widely circulated story about the origin of "fighting ghosts". It is said that he was the famous evil king "Langdarma" in the history of Xizang who destroyed Dharma. He was the younger brother of Kelikezu, a famous religious king in Tubo (known as Tibet). In the third year of Kaicheng of the Tang Dynasty (838 AD), Langdarma killed his brother Keli Kezu and established himself as Zampu (Tibetan means king). After taking the throne, he reversed his brother's actions and wantonly excluded Buddhism. All the monks fled one after another, and Buddhism in Tubo declined. Although Langdarma is a killer, he has one hobby: he loves dancing. At that time, there was a monk in Tubo named "Lalongbalorji" who was determined to kill the evil king "Langdarma". He painted a white horse black with charcoal, dressed in a white dance dress with black face, and concealed arm-arrows to Lhasa. Wearing a mask and black dance dress, he pretended to be a "dancer" who could sing and dance and came to Langdarma. He raised his hand and shot Langdarma to death with a sleeve arrow, and then fled. Langdarma's warriors heard the news and hurriedly chased after the murderer. Lalongbaldorj crossed the river on a horse. The charcoal color immediately fell off and returned to its original white color. At the same time, he turned his black dance clothes over and put on it. The black black horse disappeared for a while, and the chasing warrior was fascinated and allowed to escape. It is reported that Langdarma died in the second year of Huichang (842 AD). From then on, Tibetan Buddhism flourished.

The dance performed by monk "Lalongbalodi" is called the "Black Dress Dance" by Tibetan monks. According to Tibetan scriptures, the origin of the ritual of Tiaobuzha becoming a Buddhist service in Lamaism (Tibetan Buddhism) is as follows: In order to commemorate the surrender of the "evil ways", the ancestor of Buddhism, Sakyamuni, and to commemorate the monk "Lalongbaldorji" who stabbed the evil king "Langdarma", the "Good Wish Day" Buddhist service is held every year in Lama temples in Xizang, Qinghai, Mongolia and other places, and at the same time, black dances are danced to celebrate to protect the safety of all living beings. In the fifty-ninth year of Kangxi (1720 AD), after it spread to Beijing, Yonghe Temple also held a "Good Wish Day" ritual event and a Buddhist dance event every year. The next year, the 60th year of Kangxi, spread to the Lama monastery on Mount Wutai. This is the origin of Bodhi Ding's "ghost fighting".