Chieh-lan

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Ch'ieh-lan, abbreviation of ch'ieh-lan shen, spirits of the ch'ieh-lan (monastic premises; Sanskrit: sȧnghārāma). As tutelary deities of Chinese Buddhist monasteries, these spirits received prayers at appointed times of the day, and sometimes had shrines or halls dedicated to them within the monastery grounds. Best known among them was Kuan Kung, the redfaced god of war.

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