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hun

Daoism
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hun, in Chinese Daoism, the heavenly (and more spiritual) “souls” of the human being that leave the body on death, as distinguished from po, the earthly (and more material) souls. These souls are multiple; each person is usually said to have three hun and seven po. Following the cosmological principles of yin and yang, the union of which opposites is said to explain all reality, the Chinese attributed breathing and superior functions to the hun (yang) souls. Separation of the two different kinds of soul brings death. If prescribed burial rituals and sacrifices are then properly observed, the hun souls will send blessings to the bereaved family from their abode in heaven.

This article was most recently revised and updated by Matt Stefon.