Journeys To The Underworld - Journey No. 3

8th Moon 23rd day (16th September 1976)

Touring the Registration Office

Jigong: Yang Sheng, are you prepared to tour the Underworld?

Yang Sheng: I will follow you, Master. I have now climbed up the platform of the lotus flower and have also closed my eyes.

Jigong: Proceed...... We have arrived; you can alight now.

Yang Sheng: Why are there so many people on the road and in such confusion? I see they are human beings and are crying. Why are they here?

Jigong: This place is Ying Yang Jie. All these people are the souls of those human beings who have just died; the souls have to come here to account for their actions on Earth. Please do not ask me so many questions. I will bring you to the Registration Officer and you can ask him as many questions as you like and he will reply. (Jigong and Yang Sheng on entering the Registration Office went to see the Registrar.)

Registrar: Welcome, Jigong and Yang Sheng. On your previous visit you were running out of time and had to leave in a hurry and so I could not entertain you. I now extend to you both a very warm welcome and I will be only too pleased to answer any question Yang Sheng wishes to ask.

Yang Sheng: Thank you, Registrar. Can I ask what kind of place is this Ying Yang Jie?

Registrar: Ying Yang Jie is the sorting out place of Ying and Yang where the souls of all dead human beings must come first to report their arrival. When a human being dies his earthly record of actions and deeds is transferred to the Underworld Registration Office for immediate inspection. If, during his lifetime on Earth he did more good deeds than evil deeds his soul would be sent to an Officer-in-Charge of the good souls department to tour Heaven, but if he did more evil deeds than good deeds his soul would be taken care of by an Officer-in-Charge of the evil souls department to undergo appropriate punishment at Hell's First Stage.

Note: See Journey No. 1 when Yang Sheng was introduced to the Cave of Hell - Diyu Dong.

Yang Sheng: To come to another question. Actually how many stages of existence has a human being?

Registrar: Human beings actually have three original forms of existence. The first one in Heaven, the second on Earth and the third in Hell. On Earth, he goes through the process of living his lifetime doing good or evil as the case may be. Therefore, in his lifetime on Earth if he did many good deeds, his soul will go to Heaven but if he led an evil and sinful life, his soul will be sent to Hell which is like a prison and he will be punished for all his sins committed when alive.

Yang Sheng: Another question please. When a human being on Earth dies, his relatives burn silver joss paper (called "feet paper") and light oil lamps (called "feet lamps"). What is the actual meaning of these kinds of practice?

Registrar: When a human being dies his soul is much confused so his relatives burn silver joss paper in the hope that his soul can use the silver joss paper as money to "buy" his way about; and they light the lamps in the hope that the soul's path may be brightened. In fact there is no need for the silver joss paper or oil lamps because if the dead person in his lifetime did good deeds, his soul would be sent to the Heavenly path and if he did evil deeds his soul would be sent to the path that leads to Hell.

Yang Sheng: In this present world there are so many modern and scientific equipment available to human beings. When a person dies his relatives make paper houses, motor cars, radio and TV sets, sofas, spring mattresses and beds and many other modern implements to burn for him. Does the dead person's soul actually receive such things and are these of any use in the Underworld?

Registrar: Human beings living on Earth are very simple-minded and stupid and are like small children. Just think, firstly, does the soul have a licence to drive a motor car in the Underworld? Secondly, the roads there are narrow and rugged and are not safe for driving. Thirdly, there are no petrol or gas stations. Regarding electric fans, spring mattresses and beds, although these are useful on Earth, they are not required in the Underworld because platforms and wooden bunks are already provided. Their soul should be thankful there is some orderliness in the place and should not expect to be comfortable and enjoyable. If a person had led an evil and sinful life on Earth how can he expect to use such articles in the Underworld when he will surely be sent to Hell to undergo punishment for his sins? Human beings on Earth do not understand the conditions here and are just dreaming that what is useful on Earth is also useful in the Underworld.

Yang Sheng: Master, during the first visit to the Underworld I saw Xintou Shan and now here is Ying Yang Jie. I am very confused.

Jigong: Alright I will now bring you to Xintou Shan. Registrar, we are leaving and so goodbye.

Registrar: In case I failed to entertain you properly, I beg your pardon.

Jigong: Please do not stand on ceremony.

Yang Sheng: Registrar, on my part I thank you very much for answering so fully my various questions. I now take leave of you. Master, just now you mentioned about Xintou Shan and Ying Yang Jie, please give me some more information about them.

Jigong: The first journey we went to Xintou Shan; we are there now.

Yang Sheng: Wa! The words Xintou Shan are clearly in front of me. Why is it that the words Ying Yang Jie have suddenly disappeared?

Jigong: Because human beings on Earth do more evil deeds than good deeds, Xintou Shan is really Ying Yang Jie. When a human being dies the soul is brought here by the fierce devils of the Underworld. The soul is in a dirty condition and when the eyes are dazed by the brightness of the top of Xintou Shan the soul suddenly falls to the foot of Xintou Shan where there is a dark and bottomless cave which is called Wu Di Dong, connected by a road to Ying Yang Jie. If a very righteous and good soul arrives at Xintou Shan the top of the mountain changes into a big road and there are guardian angels waiting to receive him. Or if the dead person had been an average person and had done a fair amount of good deeds, a guardian spirit will lead his soul to Ying Yang Jie by means of a 20 foot road at the side of the mountain. At Ying Yang Jie, the guiding spirit will bring the soul to report to Ming Wang who will inspect the records of his good as well as his evil deeds whilst on Earth. After the records have been inspected and weighed Ming Wang will issue either of the following awards:-

a) if the dead person was generally a good person whilst on Earth, Ming Wang will direct a Heavenly Spirit to conduct the soul to Ju Shan Suo where the soul is left to train himself for perfection.

b) if the dead person was average, neither too good nor too evil whilst on Earth, the soul will be placed under the charge of a Heavenly Spirit to undergo further training and improvement.

Well, Yang Sheng, there is not much time left so we must return to Sheng Xian Tang.

Yang Sheng: As you have ordered, Master. I have already climbed up the lotus flower platform and closed my eyes......

Jigong: We have now arrived at Sheng Xian Tang. Yang Sheng, quickly open your eyes and get out. Your soul will now re-enter your body.