Diyu (original) (raw)

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Realm of the dead or "hell" in Chinese mythology

"Di Yu" redirects here. For the legendary founder of the Xia dynasty, see Yu the Great.

Diyu
Illustration from the Jade Record: Tortures being meted out in the Sixth Court of Hell
Chinese name
Traditional Chinese	地獄
Simplified Chinese	地狱
TranscriptionsStandard MandarinHanyu PinyindìyùIPA[tî ŷ]
Burmese name
Burmese	ငရဲ Nga Yè
Tibetan name
Tibetan	དམྱལ་བ་
TranscriptionsWylieDmyal Ba
Vietnamese name
Vietnamese alphabet	Địa ngục
Chữ Hán	地獄
Thai name
Thai	นรก
RTGS	Nárók
Korean name
Hangul	지옥
Hanja	地獄
TranscriptionsRevised RomanizationJiokMcCune–ReischauerChiok
Mongolian name
Mongolian Cyrillic	Там(Tam)
Mongolian script	ᠲᠠᠮ
TranscriptionsSASM/GNCTam
Japanese name
Kanji	地獄
TranscriptionsRomanizationJigoku
Malay name
Malay	Neraka
Lao name
Lao	ນະຮົກ Na Hok
Khmer name
Khmer	នរក ("Nɔrʊək")
Sinhalese name
Sinhalese	නිරය nỉaya

Diyu (traditional Chinese: 地獄; simplified Chinese: 地狱; pinyin: dìyù; lit. 'earth prison') is the realm of the dead or "hell" in Chinese mythology. It is loosely based on a combination of the Buddhist concept of Naraka, traditional Chinese beliefs about the afterlife, and a variety of popular expansions and reinterpretations of these two traditions. The concept parallels purgatory in certain Christian denomininations.

Diyu is typically depicted as a subterranean maze with various levels and chambers, to which souls are taken after death to atone for the sins they committed when they were alive. The exact number of levels in Diyu and their associated deities differ between Buddhist and Taoist interpretations. Some speak of three to four "courts"; others mention "Ten Courts of Hell", each of which is ruled by a judge (collectively known as the Ten Yama Kings); other Chinese legends speak of the "Eighteen Levels of Hell". Each court deals with a different aspect of atonement and different punishments; most legends claim that sinners are subjected to gruesome tortures until their "deaths", after which they are restored to their original state for the torture to be repeated.

Among the more common Chinese names for the Underworld are:

• Difu (Chinese: 地府; pinyin: Dìfǔ; Wade–Giles: Ti4-fu3), "Earth Mansion".
• Huangquan (黄泉; 黃泉; Huángquán; Huang2-ch'üan2), "Yellow Springs".
• Yinjian (阴间; 陰間; Yīnjiān; Yin1-chien1; 'Yin dimension'), "Land of Shade".
• Yinfu (阴府; 陰府; Yīnfǔ; Yin1-fu3), "Shady Mansion".
• Yinsi (阴司; 陰司; Yīnsī; Yin1-szu1), "Shady Office".
• Senluo Dian (森罗殿; 森羅殿; Sēnluódiàn; Sen1-lo2 Tien4), "Court of Senluo".
• Yanluo Dian (阎罗殿; 閻羅殿; Yánluódiàn; Yan2-lo2 Tien4), "Court of Yanluo".
• Jiuquan (九泉; Jiǔquán; Chiu3-ch'üan2), "Nine Springs".
• Zhongquan (重泉; Zhòngquán; Chung4-ch'üan2), "Heavy Spring".
• Quanlu (泉路; Quánlù; Ch'üan2-lu4), "Road to the Spring".
• Youming (幽冥; Yōumíng; Yu1-ming2), "Serene Darkness".
• Yourang (幽壤; Yōurǎng; Yu1-jang3), "Serene Land".
• Huokang (火炕; Huǒkàng; Huo3-kang4), "Fire Pit".
• Jiuyou (九幽; Jiǔyōu; Chiu3-yu1), "Nine Serenities".
• Jiuyuan (九原; Jiǔyuán; Chiu3-yüan2), "Nine Origins".
• Mingfu (冥府; Míngfǔ; Ming2-fu3), "Dark Mansion".
• Mingjie (冥界; Míngjiè; Ming2-chieh4), "Dark Realm", "Underworld".
• Kujing (苦境; Kǔjìng; K`u3-ching4), "Dire Straits", "(Place of) Grievance".
• Abi (阿鼻; Ābí; A1-pi2), "Avīci", the hell of uninterrupted torture, last and deepest of the Eight Hot Narakas.
• Zugen (足跟; Zúgēn; Tsu2-ken1), "Heel".
• Fengdu Cheng (丰都城; 酆都城; Fēngdū Chéng; Feng1-tu1 Ch'eng2), a reference to the Fengdu Ghost City.

Dead of the underworld depicted in a Qing dynasty Water and Land Ritual painting.

Depiction of the punishments of Diyu at the Hell Museum, Bao Gong Temple, Singapore.

According to ideas from Taoism,[_citation needed_] Buddhism[1][2][3] and traditional Chinese folk religion, Diyu is a purgatory that serves to punish and renew spirits in preparation for reincarnation. Many deities, whose names and purposes are the subject of conflicting accounts, are associated with Diyu.

Some early Chinese societies speak of people going to Mount Tai, Jiuyuan, Jiuquan or Fengdu after death.[4][5] At present, Fengdu and the temples on Mount Tai have been rebuilt into tourist attractions, incorporating artistic depictions of hell and the afterlife.[_citation needed_] Some Chinese folk religion planchette writings, such as the Taiwanese novel Journeys to the Under-World, say that new hells with new punishments (for instance, punishments for sins involving reckless driving) or existing hells with modernized punishments (such as the "Hand-searing Hell" (烙手指小地獄) initially used clothes irons to sear the hands of sinners, but now modernized their punishment by searing the sinners' hands on iron rails tied with springs) are created as the world changes, the presence of Centre for Making-up of Recitations (補經所) to house priests, monks and taoists who recite scriptures in exchange for material returns but reciting the wrong punctuation or skipped certain scriptures, and that there is a City of Innocent Deaths (枉死城) designed to house those who died with grievances that have yet to be redressed, such as suicidal, accidental and abortion deaths.[6][7]

Other terminology related to Diyu includes:

• Naihe Bridge (奈何桥; 奈何橋; Nàihé Qiáo; Nai4-ho2 Ch'iao2), "Bridge of Helplessness", a bridge every soul has to cross before being reincarnated, they are said to drink the Mengpo soup (孟婆汤) at Naihe Qiao so they will forget everything in their current lives and prepare for reincarnation.
• Wang Xiang Tai (望乡台; 望鄉臺; Wàng Xiāng Tái; Wang4 Hsiang1 T'ai2), "Home-Viewing Pavilion", a pavilion every soul passes by on his/her journey to the Underworld. From there, they can see their families and loved ones in the world of the living.
• Youdu (Chinese: 幽都; pinyin: Yōu Dū; Wade–Giles: You1-du1), the capital city of Diyu, generally conceived as being similar to a typical Chinese capital city, such as Chang'an, but surrounded by and pervaded with darkness.
• Youguo (油锅; 油鍋; Yóu Guō; You2-kuo1), "Oil Cauldron", one of the tortures in hell, generally purposed to punish black magic practitioners, murder, corruption, and robbery.
• Santu (三涂; 三塗; Sān Tú; San1-t'u2), the "Three Tortures": Fire Torture (火涂; 火塗; Huǒ Tú; Huo3-t'u2), Blade Torture (刀涂; 刀塗; Dāo Tú; Tao1-t'u2), Blood Torture (血涂; 血塗; Xuě Tú; Hsüeh3-t'u2; 'spilling of blood').

Ten Courts of Yanluo

[edit]

The concept of the "Ten Courts of Yanluo" (十殿閻羅) began after Chinese folk religion was influenced by Buddhism. In this variation of Chinese mythology, there are 12,800 hells located under the earth – eight dark hells, eight cold hells and 84,000 miscellaneous hells located at the edge of the universe. All will go to Diyu after death but the period of time one spends in Diyu is not forever – it depends on the severity of the sins one committed (grave sins such as unfilial acts, rape, and debauchery will be sentenced to Avīci forever instead, while sinners involved in pornographic materials production will be sent to various hells and finally to Avīci until all such materials ceased to exist). Prior to be sent to various courts, all will be faced in front of the Mirror Platform (孽鏡臺) to see all their sins reflected during their lifetime. After receiving due punishment, one will eventually be sent for reincarnation. Diyu is divided into ten courts, each overseen by a Yanwang. Souls pass from stage to stage at the decision of a different judge. The "Ten Courts of Yanluo" is also known as the Ten Courts of Yanwang (十殿阎王), Ten Lords of Minggong (冥宫十王), Ten Courts of Yan-jun (十殿阎君), Ten-Lords of Difu (地府十王), and Ten-Lords of Mingfu (冥府十王).

Ten Yanluo Lords

• [](/wiki/File:Haw%5FPar%5FVilla%5F7,%5FDec%5F14.jpg "Entrance to the "Ten Courts of Hell" attraction in Haw Par Villa, Singapore. The Ox-Headed (right) and Horse-Faced (left) Hell Guards stand guard at the entrance.")
  Entrance to the "Ten Courts of Hell" attraction in Haw Par Villa, Singapore. The Ox-Headed (right) and Horse-Faced (left) Hell Guards stand guard at the entrance.
• 
  Ming dynasty (16th century) glazed earthenware figurines representing three of the ten Yanwang or Yama Kings.
• 
  Stoneware figure from a judgement group, holding records of evil deeds. From China, Ming Dynasty, 16th century CE. The British Museum.
• 
  Stoneware figure from a judgement group, holding a slim record of good deeds. From China, Ming Dynasty, 16th century CE. The British Museum.

Eighteen levels of Hell

[edit]

The headless ghost of Yue Fei confronting the recently deceased spirit of Qin Hui in the Sixth Court. The plaque held by the attendant on the left reads: "Qin Hui's ten wicked crimes." From a 19th-century Chinese Hell Scroll.

The concept of the eighteen hells started in the Tang dynasty. The Buddhist text Sutra on Questions about Hell (問地獄經) mentioned 134 worlds of hell, but was simplified to the Eighteen Levels of Hell in the Sutra on the Eighteen Hells (十八泥犁經) for convenience. Some literature refers to eighteen types of hells or to eighteen hells for each type of punishment.

Some religious or literature books say that wrongdoers, regardless of being punished or otherwise when they were alive are punished in the hells after death. Sinners feel pain and agony just like living humans when they are subjected to the tortures listed below. They cannot "die" from the torture because when the ordeal is over, their bodies will be restored to their original states for the torture to be repeated.[8][9][10][11][12][13]

The eighteen hells vary from narrative to narrative but some commonly mentioned tortures include: being steamed; being fried in oil cauldrons; being sawed into half; being run over by vehicles; being pounded in a mortar and pestle; being ground in a mill; being crushed by boulders; being made to shed blood by climbing trees or mountains of knives; having sharp objects driven into their bodies; having hooks pierced into their bodies and being hung upside down; drowning in a pool of filthy blood; being left naked in the freezing cold; being set aflame or cast into infernos; being tied naked to a bronze cylinder with a fire lit at its base; being forced to consume boiling liquids; tongue ripping; eye gouging; teeth extraction; heart digging; disembowelment; skinning; being trampled, gored, mauled, eaten, stung, bitten, pecked, etc., by animals such as mice, wasps, maggots, and leeches.

Eighteen Hells

• Chinese mythological geography
• Ghost Festival, a traditional Buddhist and Taoist festival celebrated in some Asian countries
• Heibai Wuchang, hell guards in Chinese mythology
• Hell money, joss paper designed to resemble banknotes and meant to be burnt as offerings to the dead
• Hell Scroll (Nara National Museum), a Japanese scroll depicting hells, kept at the Nara National Museum
• Journeys to the Under-World, a Taiwanese novel narrating a journey through Diyu
• Ksitigarbha, a bodhisattva who vowed never to achieve buddhahood until the hells are emptied
• Maudgalyayana, one of the Buddha's disciples and the protagonist of the Chinese tale Mulian Rescues His Mother
• Meng Po, a deity who serves souls a potion that makes them forget their past lives before they go for reincarnation.She awaits the dead souls at the entrance of the 9th round Fengdu.
• Naraka (Buddhism), the Buddhist concept of Hell which is related to the Chinese concept of Diyu
• Ox-Head and Horse-Face, hell guards in Chinese mythology
• Yama (East Asia), the wrathful deity who rules Hell in Buddhist mythology

1. ^ 诸经佛说地狱集要 [Collection of Buddhist Texts about Hell]]. read.goodweb.cn/ (in Chinese). Archived from the original on 12 January 2014. Retrieved 8 January 2015.
2. ^ 萧登福 [Xiao, Dengfu] (August 1988). 汉魏六朝佛教之"地狱"说（上） [Conceptions of "Hell" in the Han, Wei and Six Dynasties (Part 1)]. 东方杂志 [Eastern Magazine] (in Chinese). 22 (2): 34–40. Archived from the original on 2 January 2015. Retrieved 8 January 2015.
3. ^ 萧登福 [Xiao, Dengfu] (August 1988). 汉魏六朝佛教之"地狱"说（下） [Conceptions of "Hell" in the Han, Wei and Six Dynasties (Part 2)]. 东方杂志 [Eastern Magazine] (in Chinese). 22 (3): 23–30. Archived from the original on 2 January 2015. Retrieved 8 January 2015.
4. ^ 印順法師 [Yinshun]. 華雨集第四冊 [Hua Yu Collection Volume 4]. www.yinshun.org.tw (in Chinese). Archived from the original on 12 July 2014. Retrieved 8 January 2015.
5. ^ 泰山崇拜与东岳泰山神的形成 [Origins of the Worship of Mount Tai and the Deity of the Eastern Mountain Mount Tai]. www.taishanly.com (in Chinese). 3 March 2008. Archived from the original on 21 September 2013. Retrieved 8 January 2015.
6. ^ "財團法人台中聖賢堂". www.shengxiantang.com.tw. Retrieved 2025-02-05.
7. ^ =三. 枉死城亡魂戒改 [3. Rehabilitating the Souls of the Dead in the City of Innocent Deaths]. tienton.myweb.hinet.net (in Chinese). Archived from the original on 13 March 2012. Retrieved 8 January 2015.
8. ^ Xue, Fucheng. Yong'an Biji (Notebook of Yong An).
9. ^ 瀕死經驗（六則） [Near-death Experience (Six Parts)]. 佛教淨土宗.net (in Chinese). Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 8 January 2015.
10. ^ 敦煌文献中的《还魂记》写本 ） [Manuscript of Huan Hun Ji among the Dunhuang Manuscripts]. The Grottoes of Dunhuang Information Network (in Chinese). Retrieved 8 January 2015.
11. ^ 潘重規 [Pan, Chonggui] (1994). 九、唐太宗入冥記 [Volume 6: Chapter 9: Emperor Taizong of Tang's Journey to the Underworld]. Dunhuang Bian Wenji Xinshu 敦煌變文集新書 (in Chinese). China: 文津出版社 [Wen Jin Publishing House]. Retrieved 8 January 2015.
12. ^ 黎澍 [Li, Shu] (March 2006). 慧淨法師 [Huijing] (ed.). 地獄見聞錄 [_Records of Observations of Hell_] (in Chinese) (3rd ed.). Taipei: 淨土宗文教基金會 [Pure Land Sect Foundation]. Retrieved 8 January 2015.
13. ^ 泰国上校真实因果轮回见证

• 18層地獄：看看你會進幾層 [18 Levels of Hell: See which level you will end up in]. xinhuanet.com (in Chinese). 12 July 2005. Archived from the original on October 22, 2007. Retrieved 8 January 2015.
• 佛說十八泥犁經 [The Buddha speaks about the eighteen hells] (PDF). ccbs.ntu.edu.tw (in Chinese). College of Liberal Arts, Digital Library & Museum of Buddhist Studies.