One Hundred and Eight
Overview
The number appears in Buddhist practice as the count of bell strokes and of beads, and in the narrative tradition as the count of the outlaws of the marsh.
Meaning
One hundred and eight is the number of the traditional bell strokes and of the narrative outlaws — a number with both ritual and literary weight.
Traditional Interpretation
Sources treat 108 as a number of completion in the ritual register, being nine times twelve, and its literary use borrows that weight.
Related Concepts
FAQ
What does one hundred and eight symbolize in Chinese tradition?
One hundred and eight is the number of the traditional bell strokes and of the narrative outlaws — a number with both ritual and literary weight. The number appears in Buddhist practice as the count of bell strokes and of beads, and in the narrative tradition as the count of the outlaws of the marsh.
Why is one hundred and eight treated as significant?
The reading usually rests on sound and on cosmology rather than on quantity. One hundred and eight is the number of the traditional bell strokes and of the narrative outlaws — a number with both ritual and literary weight. The derivation from nine and twelve is the notable point: 108 is the product of the two principal structural numbers, which is why it reads as complete.
How is one hundred and eight read in Chinese tradition?
Sources treat 108 as a number of completion in the ritual register, being nine times twelve, and its literary use borrows that weight. It is grouped under Metal (金) in the five-element system.
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