Mantis Garden

Mantis Garden
A Mantis Garden (螳螂花园 Tángláng huāyuán) is a structure whose main purpose it is to house the deceased members of Mantid families. Mantis Gardens differ from other insectoid burial sites in a way that these places house no actual graves and instead display the bodies in preserved form in the open.

Structurally, a Mantis Garden is usually characterized by the presence of a burial Shrine called a Dēngtǎ or sanctuary where the Jìyì Láng are enshrined. The Dēngtǎ may however be completely absent when the shrine stands on a sacred mountain to which it is dedicated, and which is worshiped directly. There may be a haiden (拝殿 Hall of Worship) and other structures as well, depending on the size of the Garden.

Mantis Gardens can vary in size significantly. The size of the Garden depends on the family it is dedicated to. Because Mantid families in the middle ages followed a strong clan system, it was custom to burry all members of a clan in one single garden, making certain clan gardens house as much as 150.000 individuals spanning many centuries.

The largest of these gardens can be found in Ise in Japan and is known as 太阳花园 Tàiyáng huāyuán (Garden of the Sun) and dedicated to the clan members of the royal Liang family who ruled Aisa during the Tang dynasty.

General Structure

 * 1) Walkway surrounding the garden
 * 2) Lùzhū - Small Islands on which members of a family are displayed
 * 3) Sǐzhě zhī hú - Water pond that houses the Lùzhū
 * 4) Ema - Wooden plaques bearing prayers or wishes
 * 5) Sandō - The approach to the Shrine
 * 6) Haiden - Oratory hall or worship
 * 7) Shēnghuó qiáoliáng - Small bridge connecting the burial site to the Shrine
 * 8) Dēngtǎ - Main hall, enshrining the Jìyì Láng

The general blueprint of a Mantis Garden is Buddhist in origin. The presence of verandas, stone lanterns, and elaborate gates is an example of this influence. The composition of a Mantis Shrine is extremely variable, and none of its possible features is necessarily present. Even the Dēngtǎ can be missing if the families of the deceased live nearby and keep the Jìyì Láng in their homes instead. This is most often seen in remote villages. However, since its grounds are sacred, they are usually surrounded by a fence made of stone or wood called Tamagaki, while access is made possible by an approach called sandō. The entrances themselves are straddled by gates called torii, which are usually the simplest way to identify a Mantis Garden.

A garden may include within its grounds several structures, each destined to a different purpose. Among them are the already mentioned Dēngtǎ or sanctuary, where the Jìyì Láng are enshrined, the heiden or hall of offerings, where offers and prayers are presented, and the haiden or hall of worship, where there may be seats for worshippers.

The Dēngtǎ being considered the most important part of a garden but the design can vary significantly. However some features always are the same, such as the hexagonal footprint and the large dome on the roof with a hole in its center underneath which is built a small cistern that collects rain water. It is used for ceremonial cleansing of the claws before prayer. Some sanctuaries are built on top of artificial or natural wells for this purpose. The open roof of the dome is believed to guide the spirits of the deceased to their eternal homes. For this purpose, the dome has a large firepot looming over the well which is suspended by a central pole or chained to the dome, which is the origin of the name; Dēngtǎ translates to lighthouse. Buildings are often adorned by dactyl and tibia, variously oriented poles in the shape of mantis claws which protrude from their roof. They are often seen surrounding the inner sides of Dēngtǎ domes as well.

Mantis Gardens found throughout Japan differ from ones in China but are structurally identical. The most notable difference is that Japanese Mantis Gardens have a honden in place of the sanctuary, enshrining a family kami, an ancestral deity that is said to bring good fortune to the family and provide protection of the deceased. It is subsequently worshipped inside the honden.