Chinese And Far Eastern Mythologies

The monkey is a clever, lively, and witty animal. Because of a lot of similarities to humans, the monkey is admired by people in many cultures. In traditional Chinese culture, monkey has been considered a mascot to pray for the luck of official career as it pronounces the same with the Chinese character for "marquis (hou)" in ancient times. In some west areas of China, monkey is also believed to be able to protect little babies from evil spirits.

Chinese monkey bronze miniatures used to bring luck, issued by Benin in 2016 to celebrate the Chinese year of Monkey:

Ma Chou is the Chinese goddess of the sea who protects fishermen and sailors. According to a legend, Ma Chou rescued her father and brothers the fishermen from drowning in a stormy sea.

Goddess Ma Chou and Ma Chou temple in Macau, issued by Macau on April 23, 1998:


goddess Ma Chou statue (upper right stamp), Kinmen Ma Chou Park, Quemoy, China:

A universal monarch is someone who has the power to overcome, conquer and rule all inhabitants of a four-continent world system. In the Buddhist teachings this is considered an example of the most powerful rebirth possible within samsara. Rebirth as a universal monarch can occur only when the lifespan of the human beings of the four continent world system ranges from eighty thousand to a countless number of years. Universal monarchs are in possession of three sets of seven emblems. One of them is the seven emblems of royalty. Here they are on stamps issued by Bhutan on February 12, 1986:

"White Mother Goddess"
Unable to find any reference to her.

Sc#594 1970 A142 40 mung.

China 1987 Dunhuang Murals

China#65292; around 1952?

Jataka refer to a collection of legends concerning the previous births of the Buddha as were told by the Buddha himself in his sermons to emphasize certain moral ways of life.

Here is a set of stamps issued by Thailand on July 19, 1997 to mark the Asalha Puja festival. It is a festival celebrating the Buddha's first sermon in which he set out to his five former associates the doctrine that had come to him following his enlightenment. Stamp illustrations are mural paintings from Thai temples show different Jataka legends:

Information about the Jataka legends:
https://www.buddha-images.com/10jatakas.asp

3 Baht: Mahosadha Jataka - the clever Sage
4 Baht: Bhuridatta Jataka - the Naga Prince
6 Baht: Khandahala Jataka - the honorable Prince
7 Baht: Narada Jataka - the great Brahma

Here is another set issued by Thailand on March 3, 1996 to mark the Magha Puja festival, depicting four different Jataka legends. Stamp illustrations are all mural paintings from Thai temples:

Temiya Jataka
Mahajanaka Jataka
Suvanassa Jataka
Nimi Jataka

Wayang, is a traditional form of puppet theatre play originating from the Indonesian island of Java. Wayang refers to the entire dramatic show. Sometimes the leather puppet itself is referred to as wayang. Performances of wayang puppet theatre are accompanied by a gamelan orchestra in Java, and by gender wayang in Bali. The dramatic stories depict mythologies, such as episodes from the Hindu epics the Ramayana and the Mahabharata, as well as local adaptations of cultural legends.

UNESCO designated wayang – the flat leather shadow puppet (wayang kulit), the flat wooden puppet (wayang klitik), and the three-dimensional wooden puppet (wayang golek) theatre, as a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity in 2003. In return for the acknowledgment, UNESCO required Indonesians to preserve the tradition.

Puppets from Wayang museum, issued by Indonesia on July 22, 1978:

Wayang Kulit, flat leather shadow puppets:

Wayang Golek, three-dimensional wooden puppets:

Wayang Orang (literally "human wayang"), dance performance with themes taken from episodes of the Ramayana or Mahabharata:

Hung Vuong, Au Co and their children, the mythic founders of Vietnam, designed and engraved by Pierre Forget and issued by the Republic of Vietnam (South Vietnam) on April 11, 1965:

Door gods of Chinese Temples, issued for use in Macau on June 18, 1997:

In Lao mythology, Nakharath is the daughter of the Dragon King, a chimera of upper part as female human being and lower part as a Dragon tail. Here is a stamp shows Nakharath, designed by Chamnane Prisayane, engraved by Jacky Larriviere and issued by the Kingdom of Laos on September 15, 1972:

Nakharath on the first day of issue commemorative postmark:

Jataka - Stories about the previous lives of the Buddha
The Legend of Prince Phra Wetsandon (Lao version) (I):

Jataka refer to a collection of legends concerning the previous births of the Buddha as were told by the Buddha himself in his sermons to emphasize certain moral ways of life. Here is one of the famous Jataka stories telling about the Prince Wetsandon, one of the previous lives of Buddha:

The prince Phra Wetsandon was a son of King Sanxai and Queen Phoutsadee. He and his wife, Nang Matxee, had two children. One day, Prince Wetsandon gave the Kingdom's white elephant to nearby country that suffered from drought. This white elephant causes good luck and brings rain. Indeed, rain came soon to the country but, unfortunately, cease to come to Sanxai's Kingdom and people could not begin their planting. When King Sanxai heard about the gift, he sent Phra Wetsandon Prince and his family into exile to a forest. One day, a Brahman named Xuxouk, asked the Prince to give him his children to be his servants since his wife is a lazy and shrew lady. Prince Wetsandon, without hesitation, gave the Brahman his two children. Nang Matxee, the Prince's wife, collapsed when hearing the news about her children.When god Indra heard about the Prince merits he decided to test him. He came to earth as a Brahman and asked from the Prince his wife. When the Prince gave his wife, all celestial beings rejoiced, god Indra resumed his human image and returned Nang Matsee back to Prince Wetsandon as a gift (so he can't give her as a gift to others). Meanwhile, the Brahman Xuxouk and the Prince children accidentally arrived at King Sanxai's Kingdom. The King recognized them and understood that it is one of his son merits. He ordered to arrest Xuxouk and sent a grand procession to bring back Prince Wetsandon and his family from exile to rule the Kingdom.

Three different sets were issued by Laos. Here is one of them issued on July 22, 1975:

Prediction of Prince Phra Wetsandon birth:

In the way to exile:

God Indra and Prince Wetsandon:

Prince Wetsandon is returning to the Kingdom:

The Life of Buddha

To celebrate the 2600th anniversary of the birth of Buddha, Sri Lanka issued on May 7, 1976 this set of 18th century mural paintings from Dambava temple in Matale depicting different events from Buddha birth:

The Dream of Queen Mahamaya:
Queen Mahamaya was the wife of Suddhodana, King of Sakya. One full moon night, the queen had a dream. She was chosen to be the mother of a child that one day would become either a King or a spiritual leader.

King Suddhodana consulting wise men about the meaning of Queen Mahamaya's dream:


Queen Mahamaya returned her parent's home in Koliya for delivery of the Buddha:


On the way to Mahamaya parent's home, the Queen and her procession stopped at Lumbini. There, the Queen gave a birth while standing beneath a Sala tree holding a branch. She named the child Siddhartha:

The Life of Buddha – The Four Omens

Prince Siddhartha, son of Queen Mahamaya, married princess Yasodhara and a son named Rahula was born. They lived together in the royal palace. One day, while he was travelling outside the palace, he saw four sights, known in Buddhism as "The Four Omens". They impressed Prince Siddhartha and became decisive turning point in his life.

The four omens, issued by Sri Lanka May 18, 2013 to celebrate Vesak (Buddha Birthday festival):

Prince Siddhartha encountered an old man:

Prince Siddhartha encountered a diseased man:

Prince Siddhartha encountered a decaying corpse:

Prince Siddhartha encountered an ascetic man who has abandoned the material world: