Pictures of Meng Shan of 36 Heavenly Generals (三十六天將之孟山元帥)

Meng Yuan Shuai (孟元帥) aka Meng Jiang Jun (孟將軍) or Marshal Meng, one of the 36 Heavenly Generals (三十六天將) that assisted Dong Yu Da Di aka The Emperor Lord of Dong Yue (東岳大帝) & Xuan Tian Shang Di (玄天上帝) in assisting the subduing of demons & warding-off of negative entities.

Meng Yuan Shuai, real name known as Meng Shan (孟山), hometown was known to be in China Guang Xi (家鄉於廣州市廣西).

According to Records, before he got his Enlightenment, he was a Magistrate Constable that being put-in-charge of looking after prisoners (禁獄).

One year, on the 25th Day of Lunar 12 Month, while Meng Shan was doing his regular inspection in the Prison, he heard sobbing from the prisoners. After finding out, he knew that actually the prisoners were having homesick and they missed their families.

After consideration, Meng Shan decided to release them back home for the celebrating of Lunar New Year and advised them to be back on the 5th Day of Lunar 1 Month (before the Magistrate Officer returned back) and all the 800 over prisoners agreed.

On the 5th Day of Lunar New Year, all the 800 over prisoners came back to report to Meng Shan.

From then, every year, Meng Shan would secretly released the 800 over prisoners back home for Lunar New Year and on the 5th Day, they would report back for imprison.

One year, after getting the hearsay by one of the evil subordinates, the Magistrate Officer came back before the 5th Day and to his horror, the prison was vacant, immediately, Meng Shan was being called back for questioning.

Without any hesitation, he admitted that the 800 over prisoners were released by him. And without finding out further, the Magistrate Officer sentenced Meng Shan to receive 40 strokes of Beating-Rod (四十棒殺). Meng Shan willingly accepted.

After the sentencing, Meng Shan was being summoned to capture all the prisoners back and for those who rejected the capturing would be killed on the spot.

With difficulties and disappointment, Meng Shan had to carry out the order.

Just before Meng Shan reached the place of where the 800 over prisoners gathered before they made their trip back, the 800 over prisoners were there sobbing, feeling that Meng Shan had sacrificed for them and they felt sad and embarrassed.

After looking at the 800 over prisoners, knowing that they were actually people who being wrongly accused and knowing that they were people who kept their promises, in order for them not to suffer after they returned to the prison, Meng Shan decided to release them all.

All the prisoners were shocked and they were not willing to leave the spot.

With no choices, Meng Shan had to pick up his spear and killed himself on the spot.

Just before he poked the spear into his throat, one of the Celestial Officers approached him and summoned him to the Celestial Palace (天庭).

Upon meeting up with Jade Emperor (玉皇大帝), he was being bestowed with an Official Title of Feng Du Sha Gui Meng Yuan Shuai (酆都殺鬼孟元帥) to assist Dong Yue Da Di in subduing of all Demons and Devils and also to ward-off all Negative Entities.

From then, the 800 over prisoners went all over the area to spread the story of Meng Shan and then in the later part of the history, folks dedicated temples to Meng Shan as a form of gratitude.

For Higher Res Pictures, please proceed to this link: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/taoism_deity_singapore_2007/photos/album/829195910/pic/list