Ten Halls of Yama: What Each Hall Judges

When Chinese people speak of the netherworld, there are ten great halls, each presided over by a king, collectively known as the 'Ten Halls of Yama'. After a person dies, they must pass through these halls in order, one every seven days, totaling forty-nine days over seven times seven, plus one hundred days, one year, and three years, before the complete judgment is finished.

According to the most widespread folk version, it goes roughly like this.

The First Hall, King Qin Guang, handles registration, consulting the Book of Life and Death to judge your good and evil deeds in life; the good take one path, while the evil are sent to the halls behind. The Second Hall, King Chu Jiang, also called King Chu Jiang, judges those who harm others—murderers, robbers, and those who cheat people out of money. The Third Hall, King Song, governs the unfilial; those who do not honor their parents receive heavy punishment. The Fourth Hall, King of the Five Officials, governs those who refuse to repay debts or pay rent and taxes.

The Fifth Hall is the King of Hell most familiar to everyone. Here there is a mirror called the 'Karma Mirror', which reflects everything you have done in your lifetime, including things you have never told anyone. Before the hall stands a platform called the 'Gazing-Home Terrace', allowing you one last look at your home in the mortal world.

The Sixth Hall, King Biancheng, governs those who disrespect gods and Buddhas, and those who complain against heaven and blame others, or swear recklessly. The Seventh Hall, King of Mount Tai, governs those who destroy graves and rob tombs. The Eighth Hall, King of Dushi, governs those who fail to honor their parents and those who harm their own kin. The Ninth Hall, King of Equality, governs those who set fires and take lives.

Finally, the Tenth Hall, King of the Turning Wheel, governs where you will be reborn: as a human, an animal, a hungry ghost, or continuing to remain in hell. Here, people pass through the wheel of the 'Six Realms of Reincarnation'.

This system was gradually pieced together by the common people after the Song and Yuan dynasties, blending Buddhism, Taoism, and China's original Mount Tai faith. Therefore, what each hall specifically governs is not exactly the same in every temple or every place.

Nevertheless, almost every City God Temple and Dongyue Temple has statues or murals of the ten halls. Those who enter look through them hall by hall, and by the time they reach the Tenth Hall, they have finished the journey.

#Folklore #网络转载