Journeys To The Underworld - Journey No. 52

4th Moon 9th Day (15th May 1978)

Touring the Prison of Splashing Boiling Oil

Jigong: The weather is getting warmer now. It is so hot that people are feeling very uncomfortable. But, surprisingly, bus stations, supermarkets, railway stations and places of enjoyment are very well patronised although temples, churches, places of worship are devoid of the regular worshippers. Nowadays, we find that in this world, places of beauty, amusement, enjoyment, entertainment, and what have you, are very crowded and well patronised, so will the roads leading to the various Prison in Hades be also busy and crowded with sinful souls. I sincerely hope that human beings will wake up and realise the correctness of what I have just said. Yang Sheng, get ready to visit Hades.

Yang Sheng: Yes, Sir. I'm safely seated on the lotus flower platform. We can now proceed......

Jigong: We've arrived, get down.

Yang Sheng: What Deity is coming in our direction?

Jigong: He is the Officer of this Prison followed by his Generals, coming to receive us.

Yang Sheng: My humble respects to Officer and generals.

Officer: There is no need to stand on ceremony, arise. Both of you have been ordered to visit us and so we extend to you our warm welcome.

Yang Sheng: Thank you very much. On Earth there are many establishments and factories which display "No Admittance" placards but here, it is just the opposite; you welcome us with open arms.

Jigong: Ha! Ha! Factories have doors but as they are important work places, the general public are not welcome inside. Although there are no doors in Hades, visitors are not welcome but when human beings die, their souls intrude into Hades unwittingly, being forced there by the soldiers of Hades because of the sins they committed when alive.

Officer: What Jigong has said is quite reasonable. If a place is not welcome to us, it's best we avoid it. Today, we welcome you here, so set your mind at rest. This Prison comes under the jurisdiction of the Ninth Tribunal. Please follow me.

Yang Sheng: Thank you, Officer. I can hear crying from inside the Prison. I can also see a great number of cauldrons lying about containing boiling oil very much like the boiling oil for frying twisted dough fritters or doughnuts. Underneath each boiler or cauldron, fierce fire can be see. Soldiers of Hades can be seen busily pouring oil into the cauldrons and also feeding the fires below. Sinful souls are tied to poles as near as possible surrounding each cauldron. When the oil gets boiling hot, the soldiers of Hades throw cold water into the cauldrons thus making boiling oil splash on the naked bodies of sinful souls causing blisters to be formed on the skins. The sinful souls emit such painful shrieks, a scene which I fear to see and hear. I don't know for what sins they are being punished thus?

Officer: I can summon a couple of sinful souls to come and tell their stories for the benefit of human beings.

Yang Sheng: A very good idea.

Officer: Two sinful souls are here. Sinful souls, pay good attention. These two are Jigong and Yang Sheng of Sheng Xian Tang. They have been ordered to come to Hades to find out why souls are sent here and then to write a book to urge human beings to do good deeds and not to sin. Both of you must, therefore, tell your stories truthfully so that they can incorporate your stories in their Book.

1st Soul: Coming to relate my story, I feel much ashamed. When I was alive, I was a writer. My intention was to write decent books but such books would not command a good sale; so I took to writing "yellow literature" (lewd and obscene books) which were constantly in great demand, thus I made a lot of money. I divorced my legally wedded wife. Later in life, I suffered a stroke which paralysed one side of my body. This, I realised, was rightly retribution for my misdeeds. After I died, my soul was brought by the soldiers of Hades to face the Magic Mirror which projected all the sins I had committed when alive. I was sentenced to be punished in the Prisons of all the Tribunals, some cutting my heart, some cutting my hands, and now, I am sent to the Ninth Tribunal to be punished at this Prison of Splashing Boiling Oil. Everyday, I have to undergo this suffering. I now wish to advise writers not to write obscene books which tend to corrupt the minds of readers both young and old.

Officer: Obscene books and literature cause many people to have negative thinking thus making readers, especially the young, to indulge in degradation or eventually, to patronise "streets of ill-fame" or to rape and murder, thereby disturbing peace and tranquility of the society. All writers of obscene literature, after having been punished in the various Tribunals will have subsequently to be sent to A-Bi Diyu where there will be no escape. They will remain there until the time when there will be no obscene literature whatsoever on Earth; then only will they undergo the cycle of transmigration of souls. 2nd soul, relate your story.

2nd Soul: When I was alive, I operated a photo studio. I was an adept in photographic art. But business was not good to my liking. A friend of mine coaxed me to specialise in obscene photos which resulted in enormous sales thus making plenty of money. Unfortunately my activities came to the notice of the police and I landed myself in prison. In my whole life, I think this was the only offence I had ever committed against society. After death, my soul underwent punishments in all the Tribunals in Hades. Now I am sent to this Prison for some more suffering.

Officer: Writers of obscene literature and books, photographers of obscene photos, manufacturers of aphrodisiacs, printers and publishers of obscene books and literature, book sellers and others dealing directly or indirectly with these merchandise, their sins are of equal magnitude and when their souls arrive in Hades after death, their punishment will be severe. Of all vices, lewdness is the number one. The sinners whom I have just mentioned caused much "filth" to the spirit of human beings; therefore their sins are very great, warranting equally severe punishment here. I would therefore urge human beings to endeavour to be spiritually clean. Do not antagonize your own spiritual self, otherwise your own spiritual self will cause you to do evil thus taking the wrong path. 

Jigong: Our time is now up and so we have to return. We have to thank Officer for all assistance given.

Yang Sheng: Thank you very much, Officer and Generals for giving us full-hearted cooperation.

Officer: That's alright. All Generals and Staff to line up and bid goodbye......

Jigong: We've arrived at Sheng Xian Tang. Yang Sheng, get down from the lotus flower platform. Soul, return to your body.