Where Do We Go After Death? Unveiling the Underworld – Chinese Culture Explained

Where do people go after they die? What deep explanations does ancient Chinese culture offer about the afterlife? In Chinese mythology, the world of gods and ghosts follows a strict system and set of rules. Today, we will reveal the mysteries of the underworld, also known as hell, and take you on a journey to explore this complete and intricate structure of the afterlife. The underworld consists of several major departments. From top to bottom, the three great leaders, the five ghost emperors, the ten yama kings, the six judicial officers, and the ten ghost messengers. Let's go through each one step by step. 1. The Three Great Leaders of the Underworld The three great leaders of the underworld are the Eastern Emperor of Tai, the Kittigarbha, Bodhisattva, and the Emperor of Fengdu. The Eastern Emperor of Tai, also known as the Lord of Mount Tai, is one of the earliest deities to govern the underworld. Especially after Emperor Qin Shi Huang and Emperor Wu of Han performed the imperial sacrificial rites, he became the most revered deity among the five great mountains. In ancient times, civilization mostly originated from the central plains. And since Mount Tai is located to the east, where the sun rises, it naturally carries a mystical aura. Thus, the Eastern Emperor of Tai is seen as a deity who bridges the realms of yin and yang, and the concept of local gods gradually formed. The Kittigarbha Bodhisattva is a foreign figure, a product of Buddhism's introduction to the central plains. Previously, death was seen as the end, but with the introduction of Buddhism, death became the beginning of reincarnation. Therefore, the Kittigarbha Bodhisattva, brought by Buddhism, began to oversee reincarnation and guide living beings. The Emperor of Fengdu, with the rise of various Buddhist and Taoist beliefs, played a key role in enriching the structure of the underworld. The Emperor of Fengdu was also an important figure in the underworld's reform, effectively relieving the Eastern Emperor of Tai of some of his duties. The Five Ghost Emperors are the positions under the Three Great Leaders, the Five Directions East, West, South, North, and Central, used to divide their duties and administrative regions. In each of these directions, there is a large gate that connects the realms of yin and yang. The work of the Ghost Emperors begins at these five gates. Though they are called the Five Emperors, there are actually nine officials in charge. Eastern Ghost, Emperor, Cai Yulei, and the Shentu, the earliest left and right gate guardians. Cai Yulei governs Mount Taozhi, while Shentu oversees the Ghost Gate. They were often depicted carved on peach wood to ward off evil, which is why they later became known as the Gate Gods. Western Ghost Emperor, Wang Fanping, and Shao Wenha, a perfect combination of a civil and a military leader, in charge of the western entrance. The western region of China is abundant with water sources, many of which come from the west, leading to rich flora and fauna. As a result, spirits from the west enter the underworld through this gate. Southern Ghost Emperor, Du Ziren, the only emperor among the five who governs a single direction by himself. According to legend, Du Ziren is mysterious and reclusive, disliking cooperation with others, as no one was willing or he himself didn't wish to work with others. He ultimately took control of the Southern Ghost Gate by himself, but the place he governs is far from simple. It is called Mount Luofu, which is what we refer to as Penglai, Northern Ghost Emperor, Zhang Heng, and Yang Yun. Zhang Heng is probably the most familiar figure to everyone. He was also the second-generation celestial master of the Zhengi sect of Taoism. If living a long life is considered a skill, then Zhang Heng certainly had extraordinary abilities. In an era where the average life expectancy was only 30, he lived to be 84 years old. He and Yang Yun together governed Mount Luofu. Central Ghost, Emperor, Zhou Qi, and Ji Kang. There are two different accounts regarding these two emperors. One account says they were very powerful because managing the central realm requires great ability. The other account is the opposite, claiming they were weak, as everyone who arrived at the central realm would surely go to worship the emperor of Fengdu instead. However, these two ghost emperors are indeed the least documented in historical texts. The Tanyama Kings. Although there are the five ghost emperors, they are elusive, rarely seen, and often described as being distant. If the five ghost emperors are the decision makers, then the Ten Yama Kings are the enforcers. The Ten Yama Kings are not in a parallel hierarchy. They represent the stations one passes through after death when entering the underworld. After death, souls enter through the ghost gate, moving from the first hall to the tenth hall, where they undergo judgment. Ultimately, it is decided whether they will face punishment or reward. The time corresponds to the days after death, also called the intermediate state. Usually calculated in weeks. In the first week, often referred to as the first seven, the soul enters the first hall, overseen by King Qin Guang. King Qin Guang is the Yama king that Sun Wukong went to seek in journey to the west after his death. Sun Wukong's visit to King Qin Guang wasn't random. Qin Guang is responsible for verifying the ledger of life and death, checking the souls that arrive for registration. What does he check? He verifies whether any mistakes have been made, such as if a soul has been wrongly taken or replaced, or if their lifespan has truly ended. If there is a mistake, the soul will be sent back to the human world before the first seven days are over. If there is no mistake, the soul's life history will be recorded. If a person's good and bad deeds are balanced, they can safely reach the tenth hall, where they will undergo the process of reincarnation. Of course, the quality of one's reincarnation Of course, there are those who have committed many wrongs. Such individuals are usually caught along the way and taken to other places for punishment. Therefore, as long as Sun Wukong removes the names from the Book of Life and Death, even if the monkeys or their descendants die later, they will not be able to reincarnate. He can then bring them back. In the second week, souls enter King Qu Jiang's hall, where the responsible deity is Li Wen. His full title is Southern Supreme, Mystical Lord, Heavenly Lord of Everlasting Blessings, Transforming the Underworld, Second Hall Yin Ding Xu, True Lord, King of Qu Jiang. In his past life, King Qu Jiang was Li Wen, the Marquis of Yang, during the late Eastern Han Dynasty. The leader of the Dong Jin army, Zhang Zhao, gathered a large number of followers in the city to prepare for a rebellion. Li Wen led the army and worked with Lu Zhi and Huang Fusong to suppress the uprising. During the reign of Wei Emperor Wen in the Yehuangchu, Cao Pi established the Yan County. Li Wen was appointed Marquis of Yang and the title was passed down through his family. Li Wen was known for his integrity as an official and was appointed by the Jade Emperor as the Second Houyama, King of Qu Jiang, responsible for overseeing the Living Hell. The Living Hell is also known as the Peeling Robes Pavilion and the Cold Ice Hell. And in addition, 16 smaller prisons were established. King Qu Jiang's realm mainly consists of two areas, the Nine River and the Cold Ice Hell. After approval by King Qin Guang in the First Hall, souls whose good deeds balance their bad ones or whose good deeds outweigh the bad are escorted by ghost officials across the Nine River to the next stage. Those who have committed severe crimes will be cast into the Cold Ice Hell to receive punishment. 3. Third Hall King Song's Hall, Yuqin. Next, we enter the Third Week and reach the Third Hall, which governs the Black Rope Hell. The deity in charge here is King Song, Yuqin, and this hall also has 16 smaller prisons. In his past life, King Song was Yuqin, the Minister of Works during the Tang Dynasty, originally from Yugen in Jiangxi. Yuqin was highly intelligent and diligent in his studies. In the first year of the reign of Emperor Zhongzong of Tang 705 AD, Yuqin passed the imperial examinations and was conferred the title of Shangju, a high-ranking noble title. Yuqin was known for his honesty and concern for the welfare of the people. He accomplished many good deeds for the common folk and was appointed by the Jade Emperor as the Yama King of the Third Hall. Anyone who disrespects their elders or instigates lawsuits in the mortal world is sent to this prison, where they will undergo punishments like being hung upside down, having their eyes gouged out, and having their bones scraped. Once their punishment is complete, they are sent to the Fourth Hall. 4. Fourth Hall King Weiguan's Hall, Li Dai. In the fourth week, souls enter the Fourth Hall, King Weiguan's Hall, which governs the Great Hell, also known as the Peeling Blood Pool Hell. King Weiguan's past life was Li Dai, a trusted minister of Sun Quan during the Three Kingdoms period. He dedicated his life to serving his country, working diligently for the expansion of the Sun Wu Kingdom with remarkable military achievements. After his death, Li Dai was appointed by the Jade Emperor as the Yama King of the Fourth Hall. Those who refuse to pay taxes or commit fraud are sent to this hell, where they will also be punished in smaller prisons before being sent to the Fifth Hall for further judgment. 5. Fifth Hall King Yama's Hall, Bo Zeng. In the fifth week, on the five-seven day, the soul enters the Fifth Hall, King Yama's Hall, which governs the Great Calling Hell with 16 smaller heart punishment prisons. This is the most important area of the entire underworld with the highest costs or consequences. This is the version of King Yama most commonly depicted in films and TV shows. Here, souls can appeal and seek a retrial. The tool used for judgment is called the Kama Mira, which reflects a person's life and how others have judged them. Anyone who is sent to this hall is taken to the Looking Home Platform, where they hear of their family and the consequences of their sins. They are then pushed into this hell, where their crimes are carefully examined. Afterward, they are thrown into the heart, punishment, small prisons, their hearts are pulled out and fed to snakes, and their bodies are severed. Once their punishment is complete, they are sent to another hall. Once a soul has passed through the Fifth Hall, they no longer argue about whether they were wrongfully accused. In the sixth week, souls enter the Sixth Hall, King Biancheng's Hall, which governs the Call in Hell or the False Death City, and also has 16 smaller prisons. King Biancheng's past life was Bi Yuanbin, a general during the Northern and Southern Dynasties. Bi Yuanbin was known for his righteousness and strong martial skills and served as a general under the Lusong Dynasty after his death. Bi Yuanbin was appointed by the Jade Emperor as the Yama King of the Sixth Hall, as a thorough military man. His punishments for souls were especially harsh. Those who are disobedient or unfilial are sawed in half by two little demons. Those who complain about fate or cry out in despair are sent to this hell. After their crimes are examined, they will receive punishments like being struck with an iron spike or having their tongues burned with fire. They are then sent to smaller prisons to endure further suffering. After a full day, they are transferred to the Seventh Hall for more judgment. In the seventh week, souls enter the Seventh Hall, King Tamshan's Hall, which governs the Hell of Fiery Wrath, also known as the Mortar-Grinding Meat Sauce Hell, and also has 16 smaller prisons. It is said that King Tamshan's past life was Donghe. Anyone in the mortal world who disturbs the dead for medicinal purposes or causes others deep sorrow is sent to this hell. The seven-seven day is quite special for souls. On this day, they are given the opportunity to send a dream message to their living relatives in the mortal world. After enduring suffering in smaller prisons for a full day, souls are transferred to the Eighth Hall for further examination and judgment. Anyone who commits theft, false accusations, extortion, or murder for financial gain will face the punishment of being thrown into an oil vat. At this point, most of the underworld journey is completed. Souls whose good deeds outweigh their bad will proceed to the remaining two halls, while those whose sins exceed their merits will begin a series of hellish games. Souls that have stayed for a hundred days begin their games and enter the Eighth Hall, King of the City's Hall, which governs the Great Hot Wrath Hell, also known as the Annoyance Pot Hell, with 16 smaller prisons. The king of the city's past life was Huang Zhongyong, a scholar, writer, and politician from the Northern Song Dynasty. Anyone who is unfilial in life and causes their parents or elders distress is thrown into this hell. They are then sent to smaller prisons to endure more suffering, and after their punishment, they are sent to the Tenth Hall to be transformed into animals forever. Nine, Ninth Hall, King of Equality, Lu Yu. The Ninth Hall, also known as the King of Equality's Hall, governs the Iron Net Hell of Fengdu City, also called the Avici Hell. It is said to be about 900 billion square kilometers, 150 times the size of Earth, with 16 smaller prisons. The King of Equality's past life was Lu Yu, a famous patriotic poet from the Southern Song Dynasty. Those who kill, set fires, or execute others in the mortal world are brought to this hall, where they are chained to hollow copper stakes, burned by fire, and their hearts and livers are scorched before being sent to Avici Hell for further punishment. Only after the victims are reincarnated can the soul make an appeal, after which they are sent to the Tenth Hall to be assigned to one of the six paths of reincarnation, Heavenly Path, Human Path, Animal Path, Asura Path, Hell Path, and Hungry Ghost's Path. Tenth, Tenth Hall, King of the Wheel, Xue Ren Gui. This is the final hall in the underworld, the Tenth Hall, King of the Wheel's Hall, presided over by the Wang Neng Xue Ren Gui. Here, the souls are assigned to one of the six paths of reincarnation. Those with high merit enter the three good paths, the Heavenly Path, the Human Path, and the Asura Path. Those with greater sins are sent to the three evil paths, the Hell Path, the Hungry Ghost's Path, and the Animal Path. At this point, the process of the Ten Halls is mostly completed. Four, Six officials and their roles. These are the subordinates who assist the Ten Kings, divided into three main departments. The Reincarnation Department, the Underworld Department, and the Judge Department. They can be considered the grassroots personnel of the underworld. One, Reincarnation Department, Tai Wan Meng Po. This is the Meng Po we are familiar with, who is responsible for the initial processing of reincarnating souls, commonly known as making them drink the Meng Po soup. Due to her special function, she is typically only responsible for the Tenth Hall, King of the Wheel's Hall. Two, Underworld Department, the City God. This is similar to the County Magistrate in the mortal world, known as the City God in the living world. His office and residence are located in the City God Temple. The City God is an important department in the underworld, responsible for managing small regions. A City God Temple typically oversees the safety of a large town or several smaller towns and surrounding villages. They ensure there are no demons causing trouble in the area. They also handle local disasters and have judicial enforcement power in the underworld. It's somewhat like our community committees, usually managed by famous upright officials. Three, Judge Department. Due to its busy operations, the Judge Department is divided into four smaller offices, the Good Deeds Office, the Evil Deeds Office, the Inspection Office, and the Underworld Laws Office. 3.1 Good Deeds Office The main person in charge is Wei Zong, whose job is to organize the merits of souls before their death and report them to the King of Qin Guang's Hall. 3.2 Evil Deeds Office Corresponding to the Good Deeds Office, this office is headed by Zhang Kui, who records the sins committed by souls in their previous lives and reports them to the King of Qin Guang. 3.3 Inspection Office This is the proofreading department, led by Lu Ji Dan. Its role is to recheck records to prevent miscarriages of justice and to ensure the credibility of rewards and punishments. 3.4 Underworld Laws Office The core department of the Judge Department, Li Bai Cui Jue, he holds the Book of Life and Death in his left hand and the Soul Reapers' Pen in his right. Responsible for extending life for the good and sending the evil to the Underworld, the Book of Life and Death that San Wu Kang stole belonged to Cui Jue. 5. The Ten Great Ghost Messengers This department is the Underworld's external branch. It has the lowest administrative rank and the worst benefits, but also the largest number of personnel. It's similar to a departmental level in real life, where the leader is the section chief and the staff are the employees. The department is mainly divided into three categories. Yin Ghost Messengers, Ghost Arresters, and Demon Underworld Heroes. 1. Yin Ghost Messengers Ghost Kings, Day and Night Patrols They are similar to a security team, mainly responsible for patrolling, completing special tasks, and capturing or punishing disobedient little ghosts. This department specifically deals with capturing souls, with the black and white impermanence following the City God's instructions. 2. Ghost Arresters Black and White Impermanence, Ox Head, Horse Face The Black and White Impermanence mainly capture new ghosts from the mortal world who have passed their lifespan. Ox Head and Horse Face are Ghost Messengers from the Judge Department, who are responsible for capturing old ghosts that have escaped. 3. Demon Underworld Heroes Leopard Tail, Bird Beak, Fish Gills, Yellow Hornet They are responsible for guiding or capturing animal souls from the mortal world. Leopard Tail manages beasts, Bird Beak oversees birds, Fish Gills handle aquatic animals, and Yellow Hornet manages all insects. Above is the basic structure of the Underworld. From top to bottom, there are 5 levels and 35 positions, each corresponding to a mythical or historical figure. That's it for today's video. If you enjoyed this content, please don't forget to like and subscribe. Your support means a lot to me. Thanks for watching, and see you next time.