Luocha Temple Festival 罗刹阁会

Thursday, 28. March 2024 in 大理上阳溪村

Guanyin Festival at a temple associated with one of his miracles.

The story goes that once upon a time there was an evil demon Luocha 罗刹 (the name derives from a Hindu name for demon) that was terrorizing the Dali area, eating people's eyes. Guanyin, in the form of a wandering monk, arrives and befriends the demon. After a while the demon wants to do Guanyin a favour, and Guanyin cunningly only asks for some land just the size of his robe and as far as his dog can jump. The demon agrees, but Guanyin exercises his magic and throws his robes all over the Erhai and Cangshan, while the dog jumps all the way from Xiaguan to Shangguan. The demon want to renege on his promise, but Guanyin once again uses magic to entomb him in a cave at 上阳溪 village, where today there still is the Luocha Pavillion 罗刹阁 in front of the Luocha Cave 罗刹洞.
Festival held according to lunar calendar on 农历2月19.