The 18 Stages of Hell
Yan Luo Wang and his assistants, Horse Face and Ox Head
地獄 (di-yu)
or
Earth Prison as they call it, are among several names that have been given to describe hell in Chinese.
It is self explanatory when I say hell.
Fires burning, torture, pain, yada yada.
You get the idea.
In Chinese mythology, Hell is reigned by Yan Luo Wang, the King of Hell,
and consists of a simplified 18 stages of underground levels and chambers where souls are taken to atone for their earthly sins.
It is said that Yan Luo Wang has 2 assistants.
The Horse Face and the Ox Head.
Their job is to bring the spirits of the dead for judgment by Yan Luo Wang.
In an angle, Yan Luo Wang can also be described as the Judge of Hell. He looks through your life records and assesses how you are to be punished.
In Buddhist and Taoist beliefs, Hell consists of 10 courts judged by 10 Yama Kings, and also consists of 18 Levels of Punishment.
The Jade Record
This was the Jade Record of how the 18 Levels of Hell was like.
The First Level.
The Second Level.
Chamber of Grinding – Wealthy men who do no good and waste food are ground into powder in this chamber.
The Third Level.
Chamber of Flames – People who steal, plunder, rob and cheat are sent here to be burnt.
The Fourth Level.
Chamber of Ice – Children who ill-treat their parents and elders are sent here to be frozen in ice.
The Fifth Level.
See how sex offenders are being fried in oil.
Chamber of Oil Cauldrons – Sex offenders such as rapists, lechers, adulterers are fried in oil in this chamber.
The Sixth Level.
Offender being sawn in half in front of Yan Luo Wang
Chamber of Dismemberment by Sawing – Kidnappers and people who force good women into prostitution suffer the fate of being sawn in this chamber.
The Seventh Level.
Chamber of Dismemberment by Chariot – Corrupt officials and landlords who oppress and exploit the people are dismembered by a chariot in this chamber.
The Eighth Level.
People thrown on knifes.
Chamber of Mountain of Knives – People who cheat customers by earning more than they should, profiteers who jack up prices and cheat on the quality of goods are made to shed blood by climbing the mountain of knives.
The Ninth Level.
Chamber of Tongue Ripping – Gossips who stir trouble and liars suffer the fate of having their tongues ripped out in this chamber.
I know someone who deserves this.
The Tenth Level.
Chamber of Pounding – Cold-blooded murderers are pounded in this chamber.
The Eleventh Level.
Chamber of Torso-severing – Scheming and ungrateful men have their torsos severed in this chamber.
The Twelveth Level.
Chamber of Scales – Crooks who oppress the innocent, people who cheat on the quality of goods and daughters-in-law who ill-treat their in-laws have hooks pierced into their body and hung upside down.
The Thirteenth Level.
Chamber of Eye-gouging – Peeping toms who go around peeking and leering have their eyeballs gouged out in this chamber.
The Forteenth Level.
Chamber of Heart-digging – People with evil hearts have theirs dug out in this chamber.
The Fifteenth Level.
Chamber of Disembowelment – Instigators, hypocrites and tomb-robbers have their bowels dug out in this chamber.
The Sixteenth Level.
Chamber of Blood – Blasphemous crooks who show no respect to the gods suffer the fate of being skinned in this chamber.
The Seventeeth Level.
Chamber of Maggots – Crooks who use loopholes in the law to cheat and engage in malpractice are being eaten alive by maggots in this chamber.
The Eighteenth Level.
Chamber of Avici – Crooks who have committed heinous crimes, brought misery to the people and betrayed the ruler are placed on a platform above an inferno. The unlucky ones fall off the platform into the inferno and burn while the lucky ones remain on the platform. These spirits are never to be reincarnated.
If I may add,
The Nineteenth Level.
Chamber of Stationery - Employers who have ill treated and abused their employees are being tortured in every way possible by all stationeries found at their work place. Punishment like being stapled constantly all over the body and especially at the private areas are most preferred in this chamber.
Hee :)
Most legends agree that once the punished soul has atoned for their deeds and repented, he or she is given the Five Flavoured Tea of Forgetfulness by Meng Po.
The brew induces instant and permanent amnesia, and all memory of their lives is lost.
This ensures that you are re-born/reincarnated with a clean slate.
There is no anti-dote once you have drunk Meng Po's tea.
Some people call it soup, but either way, its the same idea.
Some souls are reborn into animals or poor or sick people for further punishment.
Meng Po's Bridge of Reincarnation.
One is Gold for Wealthy Life, One is Silver.
Imagine, all your great memories of this live, your parents, your family, your dog, your first love, your first kiss, your love story, everything is to be fogotten once you have drunk Meng Po's tea and have crossed the bridge. It brings a shiver down my spine to think that it would really happen, and I would forget about everyone I love.
Legend also says that occassionally some souls can avoid drinking the tea, hence resulting in past life memories in certain children. However, there are other legends that Meng Po makes sure that you finish your drink before you can cross the bridge.
It's an open debate. You decide.
So for the Chinese people, if you believe in the Chinese hell, heres your general description of it. Maybe count and see how many levels you will be in? HAH! Unless you're perfect, hell is inevitable for you (that is if you really believe in it).
But these are only legends and myths.
No one really knows if they even exist, or are they just steps taken to deter people from committing these wrong doings.
So don't worry ! :)
Look, even Hell uses a Credit Card!
Look's suspiciously like American Express doesn't it?
So does it mean American is the sponsor for Chinese Hell Credit Cards???
Hee.
X
So does it mean American is the sponsor for Chinese Hell Credit Cards???
Hee.
X
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