Taoist Tour To Hell To Visit The Dead - Guan Luo Yin (观落阴)

If You have been wishing or wondering how to meet Your folks (parents, children and relatives) who have passed on, or maybe one of Your loved ones had died suddenly and  he or she might had wanted to inform You or hand over certain matters ; or make clear of the true story of the way he / she died,  Guan Luo Yin (观落阴) is a good option.

Guan Luo Yin (观落阴) is one of the 4 types of Guan Lin Su (观灵术) - Way of Viewing Spirits.

The 4 types of Guan Lin Su (观灵术) - Way of Viewing Spirits:
1) Explore Yuan Shen Gong (探 元神宫) 
2) Spirit World Tour （游览灵界） / You Di-Yu  (游地狱)
3) Meeting The Spirits （相会亡魂）- This is Guan Luo Yin (观落阴)
4) Viewing The "Flowers and Trees" （观花树丛）


Guan Luo Yin (观落阴) is also known as Guan San Gu (观三姑). Guan Luo Yin (观落阴) is a Taoist Ritual for a trip to hell and watch the afterlife. Folks take part in Guan Luo Yin (观落阴) Ritual for the purpose of wanting to know how is the life going on for their dead love ones (parents, children , relatives) in the underworld.

Regardless of Your race, nationality, religion is or even if You're an atheist, You are welcome to participate in Guan Luo Yin (观落阴). Guan Luo Yin (观落阴) is originally one kind of Taoist Magic Arts, it can also apply to all religions and races.

Video Of Guan Luo Yin (观落阴) event held in Taiwan


Nobody knows who created / invented Guan Luo Yin (观落阴) and when it 1st started, but written texts of Ancient Chinese History have records that such "Visiting The Dead" Ritual has been practiced by the Han Dynasty emperors to visit their dead loved ones. In the Tang Dynasty, a poet - Bai JuYi (白居易) wrote in his Poem - Everlasting Regret (长恨歌), wrote about the scenario of Xuan Zhong (玄宗) using Guan Lin Su (观灵术) Ritual to search for Yang Gui Fei (楊貴妃), which highlight about the deep love and helplessness of two people.

Guan Luo Yin (观落阴) is to be conducted in a temple which have gods blessing and protection. Every participant will their the eyes covered with a talisman and blindfolded with a piece of cloth.

Participants will be seated with their shoes removed. They will be led on their Journey To The Underworld by the Chief Taoist Master.

During the ritual, Taoist Master will take each of 2 types of souls - 3 Hun and 7 Po.

The chant for Guan Luo Yin (观落阴) Ritual that the Taoist masters recite is to invoke Three Aunties （三姑 - San Gu） to lead the way.

During Guan Luo Yin (观落阴) Ritual...
During Guan Luo Yin (观落阴) Ritual, participants are told to take note:

1) Look for a light, once you see the light, follow it.
2) Also look out for any scenery, any trees or any unusual object
3) Do not pluck any flowers. A white flower means a male, a red flower means a female. If you pluck any flower, it means
someone on earth will die
4) Do not eat any fruits or take any offerings from any deity or presence. It may prevent your return

Technically, participants did not enter into the hell, they just wonder around the hell gates and walls. Only participants who are led by a God / Deity are allowed to enter the hell gates for a stroll. Being led by a god /deity is extremely rare situation.

Near the hell gate, participants can see all people's love relationship(red flower mean girlfriend, white flower mean boyfriend), Life(the longer the candle, the longer life the person has), the pass away relatives (who just pass away no more than 50 days) and some ghosts, dead people and hell workers.

Guan Luo Yin (观落阴) is NOT hypnotism...
Guan Luo Yin (观落阴) is not hypnotism as suggested by some medical psychologists. In hypnotism, the person usually cannot remembers what he sees or hears when he is hypnotised, whereas in this ritual, the person is fully conscious of his surrounding during the Guan Luo Yin (观落阴) Ritual.

Firstly, participants are self-conscious and have their own judgements without accepting any hints . The hall disciples will deliberately avoid giving hints of any kinds.

Secondly, participants can remember completely what they’ve been experienced through the adventure and describe every details from the journey.

Videos of Journey To The Underworld Led By Dua-Di-Ya-Peh

Journey To The Underworld Led By Dua-Di-Ya-Peh - Video 1


Journey To The Underworld Led By Dua-Di-Ya-Peh - Video 2

Playing The Chinese Ouija Board - Die-Xian (碟仙)

Die-Xian (碟仙) - Chinese Ouija Board is form of divination game played by the Chinese. It is a modern simplified form of Chinese Planchette (known as "Fuji 扶乩").

There is a difference  between Fu-Ji (扶乩) and Die-Xian (碟仙). Fu-Ji (扶乩) is formal ritual performed in a Taoist Temple and a deity / god is invited to send answers and messages. Die-Xian (碟仙) is an informal game that can be played by anyone at any places at anytime and a wandering spirit is invited instead.

A piece of paper with Chinese Characters written / printed and a small sauce-tray are used. At least 3 persons or more put one of their index fingers on the cup. Die-Xian (碟仙) Players will pray and call upon a wandering spirit nearby to possess the sauce-tray. When a question is asked, the sauce-tray will start to move by itself around in circles until it comes over a character.

You can ask almost any questions and seek information of almost any topics and subjects.  You can even seek Lottery / 4D / Toto / Lotto Numbers by playing the  Die-Xian (碟仙).

If You decide to play the  Die-Xian (碟仙), remember to light up an incense stick as a form of respect to the wandering spirit and to notify it that You are ready for consultation.

The set-back of playing is Die-Xian (碟仙) is You need at least 2 partners to play the Die-Xian (碟仙) with You. Your personal issues will be revealed to the players during Die-Xian (碟仙) Consultation. When You need to seek Lottery Numbers urgently , You might not able to find 2 partners or willing partners to consult the Die-Xian (碟仙).

When the  Die-Xian (碟仙) Players have  decided to stop the game, the spirit being invited for the Die-Xian (碟仙) game is thanked verbally and sent off. When the sauce-tray has returned back to the center of the Die-Xian (碟仙) Paper, it means the spirit that possessed the sauce-tray has left. The Die-Xian (碟仙) Players can then lift up their fingers away from the sauce-tray.

Sometime, the spirit is not yet ready to leave ( or simply not interested to leave), the sauce-tray will keep moving in circles and zig-zag manner , not willing to move back to the center point. Players are warned to be patient and wait until the saurce-tray is finally return to the center, if not, there is a risk that one of the Players might get possessed.

Alternate divination games similar to Die-Xian (碟仙) is instead of using sauce-tray , a coin is used instead - Qian-Xian (钱仙) , and also the Bi-Xian (笔仙) - Using a Pen held by 2 players for Automatic Writing.

There is a common Chinese Saying, (请神容易，送神难) "Easy to inviting god /spirit , but difficult to send it off". If the player does not know how to properly send the spirits away, it can be dangerous. There are similar reports on newspapers that spirits / ghosts had possessed the  Die-Xian (碟仙)  Players  during the game of Die-Xian (碟仙).

Chinese Planchette / Spirit Writing - Fu-Ji (扶乩)

Fu-Ji (扶乩) is also called Fu-Luan (扶鸾) or Jiang-Bi  (降筆). is a method of "Planchette Writing; Spirit Writing; Automatic Writing"of the Chinese / Taoists.

Its operation requires one or two persons to hold a rack and reveal words or pictures on a prepared sand plate, and then give explanations. It is practised in the composition of Daoist scriptures and in discussing with Immortals. Common people use it for divination and relieving themselves of worries, and to help solve their problems. Fu-Ji (扶乩) is commonly practised in Daoist temples in Taiwan, Hong Kong and at some folk shrines and altars in mainland China.

Planchette writing began as a method for summoning the Lady of the Privy ( 異苑 Yiyuan ) during the Six Dynasties, and flourished in the Tang and Song dynasties.

Liu Jing Shu (刘敬叔), who lived in the Southern Song, recorded in the 'Exotic Garden', vol.5 ( 紫姑 Zigu ) that people believed in the Lady of the Privy. She was said to have been a concubine. The head wife was envious of her and so always ordered her to do the dirty jobs. She died of anger on the fifteenth day of the first month. Each year on that day, people made an idol of her and beckoned her in the washroom or beside the pigsty. If the idol got heavier, it showed that she had descended. Then people offered her juices and fruit, and the idol began to move. Then they asked her to tell them of their good or bad luck.

Summoning the Lady of the Privy was the earliest origin of planchette writing. In Liu Jingshu's records, people only used her idol and didn't practise the planchette. Summoning the Lady of the Privy by means of a planchette appeared in the Tang Dynasty and became popular in the Song. Later, the date of summoning the goddess was no longer limited to the 15th of the first month; it could be done any day.

Shen Kuo (沈括) and Su Shi (苏轼) in the Northern Song also recorded the practise of summoning the Lady of the Privy. Su Shi's descriptions deserve our special attention. He mentioned that the method of summoning her was to make her idol with wood or straw, put clothes on her body and chopsticks in her hands, and then to ask two children to hold it. The chopsticks would write and tell the Lady of the Privy's stories and answers to people's questions (cf. The Collection of Dongpo ( 東坡集 Dongpo Ji ), vol.13: Records of the Lady of the Privy ( 子姑神記 Zigu Shenji )). Zhang Shichen of the Song dynasty also recorded that when summoning the Lady of the Privy, people inserted chopsticks in a planchette and put dust on the table, so that the chopsticks could write on it. Thus by the Song Dynasty, the method of planchette writing had become established.

Fu-Ji (扶乩) has a long history in Chinese folk religion, and is first recorded during the Liu Song Dynasty (刘宋朝)(420-479 CE), found in the book Yi Yuan 《异苑》 by Liu Jing Shu (刘敬叔) - 刘宋刘敬叔《异苑》. Fu-Ji (扶乩) became popular during the Song Dynasty (宋朝)(960-1279), when authors like Shen Kuo (沈括) and Su Shi (苏轼) associated its origins with summoning Zi-Gu 紫姑 "Purple Maiden", the Spirit of the Latrine.

- 扶乩起于中国古代，最早见于刘宋刘敬叔《异苑》，时人通常在正月十五，在厕所或猪栏边迎接紫姑神，凭偶像的跳动，卜未来蚕桑。
 
- 宋代沈括的《梦溪笔谈》，亦有提及扶箕，當時迎廁神紫姑己是風尚，降神日期亦不只限於正月十五晚。
 
- 苏轼《子姑神记》

When brought into Daoism, planchette writing influenced the composition of Daoist scriptures.

It is hard to tell when planchette writing was incorporated into Daoism, but it is certain that planchette writing was applied to reveal celestial writing and to compose other Daoist scriptures. Su Shi mentioned that when he was at Huangzhou (today's Huanggang in Hubei Province), he got the seal characters of the Lady of the Privy. The style was unusual and illegible, and so was called " Celestial seal characters"; the contents of the revelation were entitled The Divine Incantation of Tian Peng ( 天蓬神咒 Tianpeng Shenzhou ). The Tian Peng incantation spread into Daoism during the Southern Dynasties. Tao Hongjing had mentioned this fact. Tian Peng was one of the Four Sagely and Perfected Sovereigns, and was very well known. This incantation is one example in which we can see how planchette writing was practised to produce Daoist secret writings (cf. The Collection of Dong Po, vol.13: Records of the Heavenly Sealed Characters ( 天篆記 Tianzhuan Ji )). In the Song Dynasty, the gods involved in planchette writing were no longer limited to the Lady of the Privy, but various kinds of gods, ghosts and immortals also started speaking through the planchette. Hong Mai of the Southern Song mentioned that Daoist gods such as the Perfect Man of Jade Emptiness, the Perfect Man of Supreme Oneness and the Perfect Man of Nanhua were summoned in planchette writing.

Immortals would descend through the planchette to educate people. Using planchette writing to write down immortals' instructions, composing Daoist books and transmitting Daoist skills thus frequently occurred in history. Lu Dongbin was very influential since the Song Dynasty both in Daoism and among common people. In the Preface to the Complete Works of Patriarch Lü by Chen Derong of the Qing dynasty, it is recorded that Patriarch Lu " made the planchette fly to educate the people; even women and children know his name." Lu Dongbin had descended to Han-san-gong altar in Jiang Xia for forty years and bestowed many scriptures. Some of them have been collected into the Complete Works of Patriarch Lü ( 呂祖全書序 Lüzu Quanshu Xu ). In fact, most of the poems and immortal scriptures in that compilation were composed through planchette writing.

There are other Daoist scriptures written by planchette writing, too. Today's Infinite Precious Repentance of Patriarch Lü ( 呂祖無極寶懺 Lüzu Wuji Baochan ) circulating in Hong Kong was also composed by planchette writing.

When planchette writing began to be practised on an altar, it was standardized and borrowed various Daoist skills, talismans, and incantations to summon the gods. A special planchette plate was adopted, with one or two persons to support its frame and write on the sand plate. There are occasions when planchette operators write directly on paper or other things. Large planchette writing altars have planchette supporters ( 扶乩者 Fujizhe ), readers ( 讀乩者 Dujizhe ) and persons to copy them down ( 抄乩者 Chaojizhe ).

Planchette writing is used to resolve doubt, to ask for cures, to discus the Dao, to write and reply to poems, and for didactics.

Originally, planchette writing was used for divination. This function was later maintained. In the past, intellectuals used it to predict their future, and even to ask for examination questions. Today, people apply planchette writing to foretell their future, their business, their journeys and their marriages. Some planchette writings discuss social problems and foretell historical changes. The Planchette Writings of Marquis Zhuge ( 諸葛武侯乩文 Zhuge Wuhou Jiwen ) has been popular in modern Hong Kong. It was composed from planchette writing in 1930s. Its believers think that many of its predictions have come true. Actually, most of these writings are vague in meaning and hard to guess. They are similar to the skills in the Back Massage Chart ( 推背圖 Tuibei Tu ) and the Songs of the Sesame Seed Cake ( 燒餅歌 Shaobing Ge ), which foretell social changes.

Another important use of planchette writing is asking for medicinal prescriptions. When common people are confronted with difficult and complicated diseases, they like to ask for the Planchette Immortal's ( 乩仙 Jixian ) help. The planchette operator would then give oral prescriptions. There are occasions when people discuss medical questions with Planchette Immortals. They then collect and compile their discussions into books. Such is the case of the Return to the Origin of Medicine ( 醫道還元 Yidao Huanyuan ) popular in Hong Kong. This book discusses common things; there isn't much illustration of medical principles and even fewer creative ideas. The planchette altars in Daoist temples have planchette writings to discuss the Dao, and even whole books of such discussions. These writings or books may differ according to different people's requirements. Some discuss elixirs, some talk about Daoist doctrines, and some writings are for didactic purposes. Lu Xixing of the Ming dynasty , a resident of Jiangsu province, once claimed that Lu Dongbin and other Immortals descended and bestowed on him the great way of the Golden Elixir. His True Annotation of the Three Canons ( 三藏真詮 Sanzang Zhenquan ) is a collection of planchette scripts. Some of today's planchette writings discuss the Dao, too. Some people even perform operas by planchette writing, singing and replying with the ghosts and fox spirits.

Taiwan has the most planchette altars, and Hong Kong has some. They play a didactic function among the people.

Most of the planchette writing books record its mystery, but few discuss the phenomenon academically. Xu Dishan published the book Research on the Planchette Writing Superstition ( 扶乩迷信底研究 Fuji Mixin Di Yanjiu ) in 1940s to study its origins and development. Some modern scholars regard it as a form of hypnotism. Believers, however, think that Immortals and Buddhas do effectively descend to the altars.

Different temples have different ways of performing Fu-Ji (扶乩) / Fu-Luan (扶鸾)...

Videos Of Fu-Ji (扶乩) - Chinese Planchette / Spirit Writing:

Clear Chinese Characters Shown During Fu-Ji (扶乩)


Using 2 Blushes To Receive Words Of Wisdom During Fu-Ji (扶乩)


Use Miniature Sedan Chair For Writing During Fu-Ji (扶乩)


Alternative Healing Therapy During Fu-Ji (扶乩)

Learn How To Hit The Villain (打小人)

"Hit The Villain" Ritual - Da Xiao Ren (打小人) is a Chinese Folk Sorcery to curse one's enemies.

The Practice of "Hit The Villain" has been popular since Tang Dynasty Period, known as (厌诅 - Yan Zu) or (厌胜 - Yan Sheng).

In this modern society, the practice is still popular in the Guangdong area of Southern China and Hong Kong. It can also be seen in Chinese Temples in Singapore, Malaysia and South East Asia within the Chinese Communities. "Villain Hitting" Ritual on the street is often performed by older ladies. Proper "Villain Hitting" Ritual, which include protection talismans or revenge talismans, will be performed by a Taoist Master / Sorcerer.

There are two types of villains:

Specific Villain
Specific Villain is a person You know personally (or Your enemy) or can be a famous person hated by You and the general public, such as a politician.

Example:
1) Love Rival - Someone snatched away Your boyfriend / girlfriend
2) A person (Your friend or someone You know) who wronged You

"Hit The Villain" Ritual on a specific person / enemy is to make him / her extremely unlucky in his daily activities.

General Villains 
General Villains  are a group of people potentially harmful to You.

Examples:
1) Your competitors in business
2) Your colleagues might overtake Your promotion in Your job
3) Your colleagues who love to back-stab You or talk bad about You to the boss

"Hit The Villain" Ritual on a general group of villains is to protect Yourself from any bad evil moves that might come your way from colleagues or folks who secretly want to harm You or hope for Your downfall.

The Best Period To Perform "Hit The Villain" Ritual
The Best Of The Best Day To Perform "Hit The Villain" Ritual is on the Day of Jing-Zhe (惊蛰), also known as The Day Of White Tiger Open It's Mouth (白虎开口日).

Base on Chinese Folk Culture, Jing-Zhe (惊蛰) is the day when the insects and animals that are going through hibernation during the winter period, are awakened by the 1st thunder of Spring. As a result, all kinds of foul spirits, including Villains and the White Tiger God (白虎星君) start their activities. Therefore, at this time, You need to "Hit The Villain" to prevent it from harming You.

The word 驚蟄 has the meaning of awakening of hibernated insects. 驚 is startling, and 蟄 is hibernated (insects). The traditional Chinese farming culture said that during Jingzhe, thunderstorms will wake up the hibernated insects, which also means the weather is getting warm.

Jīngzhé (pīnyīn) or Keichitsu (rōmaji) (traditional Chinese: 驚蟄; simplified Chinese: 惊蛰; Japanese: 啓蟄; Korean: 경칩; Vietnamese: Kinh trập; literally: "awakening of insects") is the 3rd of 24 solar terms (節氣) in the traditional East Asian calendars. It begins when the Sun reaches the celestial longitude of 345° and ends when it reaches the longitude of 360°. It more often refers in particular to the day when the Sun is exactly at the celestial longitude of 345°. In the Gregorian calendar, it usually begins around March 5 or 6 and ends around March 20.

Video: Old Granny Perform "Hit The Villain" Ritual


Other Good Days (Base on Chinese Calender) To Perform "Hit The Villain" Ritual
1) Every 6th Of Lunar Month
2) Every 16th Of Lunar Month
3) Every 26th Of Lunar Month
4) On the day that states Chu Ri (除日) in Chinese Almanac

Base on Traditional Chinese Cosmology, the number "6" and Chu Ri (除日) belong to "Yin" (Negative) Number and "Yin" (Negative) Day, hence is a good day to conduct the "Get Rid Of Villains" Ritual.

Place To Conduct "Hit The Villain" Ritual
Villain hitting is to be done in gloomy and unlucky places such as under the bridges, dark street alley, cross junction roadsides, under pass and hillsides, because such places are easier to provoke the evil spirits. Cross junction roadsides provide the Evil Energy - Sha-Qi(煞气) to restraint and hurt the villain.

Usually Chinese Temples that worship White Tiger God will provide "Hit The Villain" Service.

Ritual and Offerings
The whole ceremony of villain hitting is divided into several parts:

Sacrifice to divinities (奉神)：
Worship of deities by Incense and Candle.

Report (稟告)：
Writing down Your name and the date of birth on the Paper Talisman ( For the person seeking help) . If You want to hit a specific villain (Your enemy), then write down the name, date of birth, and attached a photo of the specific person on the villain paper (a paper human effigy).

Villain hitting (打小人)：
Make use of a varieties of symbolic object such Your shoe / slipper or other religious symbolic weapons like incense sticks to hit or hurt the villain paper.

Food Offering to White Tiger God - Bai Hu (祭白虎)：
Use a white / yellow paper tiger to represent White Tiger God. If You are performing the ritual in a Chinese Temple, usually there will be White Tiger Statue or statue of tigers under the altar. During the offering, a small piece of uncooked pork meat will be put inside the mouth of the paper (or statue of the) tiger (to feed the Tiger). In some regional sacrifice, the master or the villain hitter will burn the paper tiger or cut off its head after making sacrifice to it.

Pray for blessings (祈福)：
Use a red Gui Ren (贵人) paper to pray for blessings and help from Helpful Spirits - Gui Ren (贵人).

Treasure Burning (进宝)：
Burn the Joss Papers to thank the gods and spirits for helping.

If With The Help Of Taoist Master / Sorcerer...
The method of "Hit The Villain" Ritual - Da Xiao Ren (打小人) are the basic method. With the help of a Taoist Master / Sorcerer, the ritual includes several deadly spells and talismans to destroy Your enemy.

The Standard Chant in Cantonese to "Hit The Villain"

打你个小人头，等你有气冇订唞；
打你只小人手，等你有钱唔识执；
打你只小人脚，等你有鞋唔识着；
打你个小人额，等你一世无发达；
打你个小人耳，等你成世无大志；
打你条小人俐，等你食嘢唔知味；
打你个小人心，等你成世苦不堪。

打你个小人头，等你有气冇顶唞，日日去撼头；
打你个小人面，等你全家中非典，成世都犯贱；
打你个小人眼，等你成世都撞版，日日被人斩；
打你个小人耳，等你日日疴烂屎，抆屎用手指；
打你个小人口，等你沟女衰口臭，冇女受你沟；
打你个小人鼻，等你唞气似闻屁，支气管麻痹；
打你个小人颈，等你周身都性病，花柳兼淋病；
打你个小人胸，等你抽筋兼中风，后门畀人通；
打你个小人手，等你有钱唔识收，成世都揸兜；
打你个小人脚，等你日日敷中药，有鞋冇脚著；
打你个小人肚，等你好心冇好报，日日畀人告。

Tips For The Chinese Folks in Singapore / Malaysia / South East Asia:
You may go to a Chinese Temple  that worship Tiger God, to do "Hit The Villain" Ritual . Tiger Statue is often placed below the altar. You may do it yourself if You know how, if not pay the old lady sitting down near the Tiger Statue to perform the ritual for You.

Tips For Folks and Chinese Folks (outside South East Asia) :
If You don't know How To "Hit The Villain" , don't have Chinese Temples in Your community and can't find a Taoist Master to perform the ritual for You, You may seek help directly from Taoist Sorcery Master to perform "Hit The Villain" (Hit Your Enemy) Ritual for You to destroy Your enemy. The fee won't be cheap as a real powerful ritual will be performed to make Your enemy ( or a particular person) damn unlucky in his / her every endeavors. You need to provide Your enemy's Full Name, Date Of Birth and Photo.

Email Taoist Sorcery Master for further discussion and service fee.

Related Article:  
Chinese Hell Gift Parcel Curse

Chinese 10 Halls Of Hell （十殿地狱）

The popular concept of the "Ten Halls / Courts  of Hell" （十殿地狱） began after Chinese Folk Religions were influenced by Buddhism. According to Taoism documentation, the legendary hell is under the sea. The kingdom of legendary Hell has 10 palace halls. Each palace has a king.

1st Hall of Hell
King: Jiang, King Qinguang (秦广王蒋)
Birthday: 1st day of 2nd lunar month
- Believed to be Jiang Ziwen (蒋子文) of the Eastern Han Dynasty
Crime: Violating the code of filial piety
Punishment: Put under heavy slabs and boulders or squeezed in the middle of the grinder

People have the benevolent deeds with good virtue will be protected and escorted to pass the hell and be sent to the heaven or happiest world (极乐世界). People have some kind deeds and charitable work will be sent to 10th palace of the hell and wait for rebirth.

People with evil behaviors will bring up the stage. There is a Sin mirror with 50-feet width and 10-feet height on the stage. In the front the Sin Mirror, people can see all bad deeds they did in the human world. After seeing the guilty behaviors the previous life, people will be sent to the second hall of the hell and wait for the punishment.

第一殿，秦广王蒋，二月初一日诞辰，专司人间夭寿生死，统管幽冥吉凶、善人寿终，接引超升；功过两半者，送交第十殿发放，仍投入世间，男转为女，女转为男。恶多善少者，押赴殿右高台，名曰孽镜台，令之一望，照见在世之心好坏，随即批解第二殿，发狱受苦。

2nd Hall of Hell - Ice Cold Hell (寒冰地狱)
King:  Li, King Chujiang (楚江王历)
Birthday: 1st day of 3rd lunar month
Crime: Gossiping, Stealing, Wickedness
Punishment: Having your tongue pierced, Made to kneel on steel granules, Boiled in a cauldron, disemboweled, and put in a volcanic chamber

第二殿，楚江王历，三月初一日诞辰，司掌活大地狱，又名剥衣亭寒冰地狱，另设十六小狱，凡在阳间伤人肢体、奸盗杀生者，推入此狱，另发入到十六小狱受苦，满期转解第三殿，加刑发狱。

3rd Hall of Hell - Black Rope Hell (黑繩大地狱)
King:  Yu, King Songdi (宋帝王余)
Birthday: 8th day of 2nd lunar month
Crime : Corruption and greed, Disobedience and disrespect to elders, Violating and state a Confucian principles or being an unjust official
Punishment : Handcuffed and beaten, Have your ribs pierced, body grilled, your lungs, heart, liver, intestines and eyes torn out, Have your heart removed, knees crushed and face scraped by a mental instrument

第三殿，宋帝王余，二月初八诞辰，司掌黑绳大地狱，另设十六小狱，凡阳世忤逆尊长，教唆兴讼者，推入此狱，受倒吊、挖眼、刮骨之刑，刑满转解第四殿。

4th Hall of Hell  - Blood Pool Hell (血池地狱)
King:  Lü, King Wuguan (五官王呂)
Birthday: 18th day of 2nd lunar month
Crime : General Sins, Cheating or evading income taxes, Stealing, Breaking promises
Punishment : Hurled into a torrential river, made to kneel on bamboo spikes, boiled in oil, head struck open,
Drowned under a heavy stone ,Have your hands swan off, have your lips split

第四殿，五官王吕，二月十八日诞辰，司掌合大地狱，又名剥剹血池地狱，另设十六小地狱，凡世人抗粮赖租，交易欺诈者，推入此狱，另再判以小狱受苦，满日送解第五殿察核。

5th Hall of Hell - Wailing Hell (叫唤地狱)
King: Bao, King Yanluo (阎罗王包)
Birthday: 8th day of 1st lunar month
- Believed to be Bao Zheng (包拯) of the Northern Song Dynasty
Crime : Cruelty to animals and friends
Punishment : Have your heart torn out with hooks or thrown onto protruding swords

第五殿，阎罗天子包，正月初八日诞辰，前本居第一殿，因怜屈死，屡放还阳伸雪，降调此殿。司掌叫唤大地狱，并十六诛心小狱。凡解到此殿者，押赴望乡台，令之闻见世上本家，因罪遭殃各事，随即推入此狱，细查曾犯何恶，再发入诛心十六小狱，钩出其心，掷与蛇食，铡其身首（包公即善于用铡刀），受苦满日，另发别殿。

6th Hall of Hell - Grand Wailing Hell (大叫唤大地狱) and City of Innocent Deaths (枉死城)
King: Bi, King Biancheng (卞城王毕)
Birthday: 8th day of 3rd lunar month
Crime : Stealing from temples, Committing blasphemy , Killing animals
Punishment : Made to kneel on iron nails, swanned in two, gnawed by rats,Have your body chopped in half

第六殿，卞城王毕，三月初八日诞辰，司掌大叫唤大地狱，及枉死城，另设十六小狱。忤逆不孝者，被两小鬼用锯分尸。凡世人怨天尤地，对北溺便涕泣者，发入此狱。查所犯事件，亦要受到铁锥打、火烧舌之刑罚。再发小狱受苦，满日转解第七殿，再查有无别恶。

7th Hall of Hell - Noisy Hell (热恼地狱) ,also known as Human Flesh Jam Hell (碓磨肉酱地狱)
King:  Dong, King Taishan (泰山王董)
Birthday: 27th day of 3rd lunar month
- Believed to be Dong Ji (董极) of the Later Han Dynasty
Crime : Rebelling against authorities , Spreading false rumors , Using drugs, causing quarrels
Punishment : Torn apart by dogs, Have your tongue pulled out , Thrown into a pot of boiling water

第七殿，泰山王董，三月二十七日诞辰，司掌热恼地狱，又名碓磨肉酱地狱，另设十六小狱。凡阳世取骸合药、离人至戚者，发入此狱。再发小狱。受苦满日，转解第八殿，收狱查治。又，凡盗窃、诬告、敲诈、谋财害命者，均将遭受下油锅之刑罚。

8th Hall of Hell - Grand Noisy Hell (大热大恼大地狱), also known as the Suffocation Hell 恼闷锅地狱)
King:  King Dushi (都市王黃)
Birthday: 1st day of 4th lunar month
-Believed to be Huang Sile (黃思樂) of the Five Dynasties period
Crime : Committing crimes against Confucianism and operating houses for immoral purposes
Punishment : Crushed under carriage wheels, sliced, disemboweled, struck by lighting, and having tongues, arms and legs cut off

第八殿，都市王黄，四月初一日诞辰，司掌大热大恼大地狱，又名恼闷锅地狱，另设十六小狱。凡在世不孝，使父母翁姑愁闷烦恼者，掷入此狱。再交各小狱加刑，受尽痛苦，解交第十殿，改头换面，永为畜类。

9th Hall of Hell - Avici Hell （阿鼻地狱）
King:  Lu, King Pingdeng (平等王陆) 
Birthday: 8th day of 4th lunar month
Crime : Smuggling, committing arson , Writing or painting erotic literature or scenes
Punishment :Attacked by snakes, stung by bees, tortured or trafficking drugs in boiling oil
Flattened between two planks, have your head crushed in an iron ring, skull steamed, bones scraped and tendons pulled out

第九殿，平等王陆，四月初八日诞辰，司掌丰都城铁网阿鼻地狱，另设十六小狱。凡阳世杀人放火、斩绞正法者，解到本殿，用空心铜桩，链其手足相抱，煽火焚烧，烫烬心肝，随发阿鼻地狱受刑。直到被害者个个投生，方准提出，解交第十殿发生六道（天道、人道、地道、阿修罗道、地狱道、畜生道）。

10th Hall of Hell
King: Xue, King Zhuanlun (转轮王薛)
Birthday: 17th day of 4th lunar month

King Zhuanlun (转轮王薛) passes his final judgment and the sinner goes through one of the seven-ways in the Wheel of Reincarnation. Shaped like a wheel, wind and clouds billow out from the circle in the centre and the six other circles surrounding it. Depending on the sinner's past life, he will enter a particular way which will determine how he or she will be reborn. The rebirth of souls might become saints, human, spirits, animal, ghost or staying in the Hell.

When the reincarnation is decided, the sinner is usually shown with his future reincarnation (for example, the kind of animal), on his back. The sinner is then brought to a 'Pavilion of Forgetfulness' or 'Hell of Oblivion' where an old lady - MENG PO (孟婆) hands him a cup of magic tea that when drunk, make him forget his past life. He is then directed across one of the six bridges leading to 18,000 roads, each of which leads to some part of the world and to his particular form of reincarnation.


第十殿，转轮王薛，四月十七日诞辰，专司各殿解到鬼魂，分别善恶，核定等级，发四大部州投生。男女寿夭，富贵贫贱，逐名详细开载，每月汇知第一殿注册。凡有作孽极恶之鬼，着令更变卵胎湿化，朝生暮死，罪满之后，再复人生，投胎蛮夷之地。凡发往投生者，先令押交孟婆神，酴忘台下，灌饮迷汤，使忘前生之事。

Miscellaneous Information of the Kings

Initially, Yen Lo Wang (閻羅王包) was in charge of the 1st Hall of Hell. However, he had send those who died of injustices to clear up their false charge back into the mortal world  too many times that in the end he was sent to the 5th hall of hell.

Worshiping

After the Ming and Qing Dynasties, the story of the Yamas Of The Ten Halls Of Hell (十殿阎王) became so popular that it came to replace Daoism's Great Emperor Dongyue (东岳大帝 - Dong Yue Da Di), acting as the controller of a man's life.

In folk culture, however, there were rarely temples dedicated to the Yamas of the Ten Halls except for some in Fengdu (丰都), Sichuan province. Usually, worship of the Yamas of the Ten Halls (十殿阎王) took place in the City God Temple ( 城隍廟 Chenghuang Miao).

On their birthdays, there were small-scale worshipping services. The main worship for the Yamas of the Ten Halls (十殿阎王) occured during ritual offerings for the dead. The kings of the different halls were petitioned to release the souls of the dead and send them to heaven quickly.

36 Heavens Of Taoism

Base on the Taoist Scripture - Yun Ji Qi Qian (云笈七签) - The Seven Slips of a Cloudy Satchel, Volume 21 - Ministry Of Heaven and Earth (卷二十一“天地部”), There are altogether 36 levels of Heavens.

The Taoist Heavens are Divided into Ten Directions (十方世界).

The Thirty-Two Heavens arising out from the Great Matrix (元纲 - Yuan Gang) are located in the four cardinal directions, with eight heavens per cardinal direction.

To these four directions can further be added Northeast, Southeast, Southwest and Northwest, as well as above and below. In addition to these Thirty-Two Heavens, there are also four other Heavens. All of these Heavens are distributed among the Eight Directions, as well as above and below, for a total of ten directions (十方世界).

List of the Thirty-Six Heavens Of Taoism

The Original Matrix of the Great Tao gave birth to Thirty-Two Heavens. These Heavens are subject to calamities , Live & Death and universal cycles (Kalpas); they therefore undergo birth and death. The other four Heavens are not subject to Kalpas: they include the Three Pure Heavens (三清界 - San Qing) , and the Great Overarching Heaven (大罗天 - Da Luo Tian). In total, there are Thirty-Six Heavens.

The Thirty-Two Heavens:

The Eight Heavens of the East
1) 太皇黄曾天 - Tai Huang Huang Ceng Heaven
2) 太明玉完天 - Tai Ming Yu Wan Heaven
3) 清明何童天 - Qing Ming He Tong Heaven
4) 玄胎平育天 - Xuan Tai Ping Yu Heaven
5) 元明文举天 - Yuan Ming Wen Ju Heaven
6) 七曜摩夷天 - Qi Yao Mo Yi Heaven

The above 6 Heavens belong to the Realms Of Desire (欲界) - Realms Of Secular Life (現世界 - Xian Shi Jie). In this Realm, there is visible form and desire, men and women have intercourse, and give birth to descendants.

7) 虚无越衡天 - Xu Wu Yue Heng Heaven
8) 太极蒙翳天 - Tai Ji Meng Yi Heaven

The Eight Heavens of the South
9) 赤明和阳天 - Ci Ming He Yang Heaven
10) 玄明恭华天 - Xuan Ming Gong Hua Heaven
11) 耀明宗飘天 - Yao Ming Zhong Piao Heaven
12) 竺落皇笳天 - Zhu Luo Huang Jia Heaven
13) 虚明堂曜天 - Xu Ming Tang Liao Heaven
14) 观明端靖天 - Guan Ming Duan Jing Heaven
15) 玄明恭庆天 - Xuan Ming Gong Qing Heaven
16) 太焕极瑶天 - Tai Huan Ji Yao Heaven

The Eight Heavens of the West
17) 元载孔升天 - Yuan Zai Kong Shen Heaven
18) 太安皇崖天 - Tai An Wang Ya Heaven
19) 显定极风天 - Xian Ding Ji Feng Heaven
20) 始黄孝芒天 - Si Huang Xiao Mang Heaven
21) 翁重浮容天 - Weng Chong Fu Rong Heaven
22) 无思江由天 - Wu Si Jiang You Heaven
23) 上揲阮乐天 - Shang She Ruan Le Heaven
24) 无极昙誓天 - Wu Ji Tan Shi Heaven

The above 18 Heavens (虚无越衡天 - Xu Wu Yue Heng Heaven TO 无极昙誓天 - Wu Ji Tan Shi Heaven) belong to The Realms Of Form (色界 - Se Jie) - Realms Of  Tai-Ji (太极界 - Tai Ji Jie). In this Realm there is form but no desire; there is no sexual intercourse and people are directly born out of Vital Breath.

The Eight Heavens of the North
25) 皓庭霄度天 - Hao Ting Xiao Du Heaven
26) 渊通元洞天 - Yuan Tong Yuan Dong Heaven
27) 翰宠妙成天 - Han Chong Miao Cheng Heaven
28) 秀乐禁上天 - Xiu Le Jing Shang Heaven

The above 4 Heavens (皓庭霄度天 - Hao Ting Xiao Du Heaven TO 秀乐禁上天 - Xiu Le Jing Shang Heaven) belong to The Realms of Formlessness (无色界 - Wu Se Jie) - Realms Of Wu-Ji (无级界 - Tai Ji Jie) . In this Realm there is neither desire nor form; common people cannot see the people in this Realm, it can be seen only by Perfect Men, Immortals.

The Realms Of Desire, Realms Of Form and Realms Of Formlessness, are collectively known as The Three Realms (三界).

29) 无上常融天 - Wu Shang Chang Rong Heaven
30) 玉隆腾胜天 - Yu Long Teng Sheng Heaven
31) 龙变梵度天 - Long Bian Fan Du Heaven
32) 平育贾奕天 - Ping Yu Jia Yi Heaven

The higher 4 Realms of Formlessness are known as Si Min Zhi Tian (四民之天) / Shi Fan Tian (四梵天).

The Heavens of the Three Pure Ones (三清 - San Qing):

33) 太清境大赤天 - Tai Qing Jing Da Chi Heaven
- Heaven of Supreme Clarity (Tai Qing Heaven)
- Dao De Tian Zun (道德天尊) - Tai Shang Lao Jun (太上老君) resides here

34) 上清境禹余天 - Shang Qing Jing Yu Yu Heaven
- Heaven of Highest Clarity (Shang Qing Heaven)
- Ling Bao Tian Zun (灵宝天尊) resides here

35) 玉清境清微天 - Yu Qing Jing Qing Wei Heaven
- Heaven of Jade Clarity (Yu Qing Heaven)
- Yuan Shi Tian Zun (元始天尊) resides here

The Highest Level Of Heaven

36) 大罗天 - Da Luo Heaven - The Great Overarching Heaven

The 4 Highest Realms together are known as Sheng Jing Si Tian (圣境四天).

Thirty-five of the Thirty-Six Heavens are part of the Great Overarching Heaven (大罗天). The Great Overarching Heaven (大罗天) is infinite, while other heavens are all finite. It is the highest heaven, transcends all the other heavens, and has no limits. In space, the universe is infinite.

The Three Realms (三界) and outside

The Thirty-Six Heavens are divided into Three Realms (三界). The Three Realms are the Realm of Desire, the Realm of Form, and the Realm of Formlessness.

Altogether 28 heavens are included in the Three Realms (三界) . They are subject to Calamities and Kalpas (Universal Cycles). Those who are born in or enter these heavens do not escape from Reincarnation and Karma.

Outside of the Three Realms are a further eight heavens. Those who Cultivate Dao and leap out of the Three Realms can escape from Kalpas, Karma, and Reincarnation.

The Three Realms are the Realm of Desire, the Realm of Form, and the Realm of Formlessness

The Realms of Desire contains Six Heavens, from the Tai Huang Huang Ceng Heaven (太皇黄曾天) to the Qi Yao Mo Yi Heaven (七曜摩夷天). In this Realm, there is visible form and desire, men and women have intercourse, and give birth to descendants.

The Realms of Form includes Eighteen Heavens, from the Xu Wu Yue Heng Heaven (虚无越衡天) to the Wu Ji Tan Shi Heaven (无极昙誓天). In this Realm there is form but no desire; there is no sexual intercourse and people are directly born out of Vital Breath.

The Realms of Formlessness is made up of four Heavens, from the Hao Ting Xiao Du Heaven (皓庭霄度天) to the Xiu Le Zhi Shang Heaven (秀乐禁上天). In this Realm there is neither desire nor form; common people cannot see the people in this Realm, it can be seen only by Perfect Men, Immortals.

Outside of the Three Realms, the heavens can be divided into several levels including the Four Pure Heavens, the Three Pure Heavens (三清 - San Qing) and the Great Overarching Heaven (大罗天 - Da Luo Tian).

The Four Pure Heavens are also called the Four Heavens of the Seed People, from the Wu Shang Chang Rong Heaven (无上常融天) to the Ping Yu Jia Yi Heaven (平育贾奕天). They are called the Four Heavens of the Seed People (种民 - Zhong Min) because those who enter this realm have already escaped from the cycle of reincarnations; at the time of a Kalpa, they do not die but become the seeds of the people of the next Kalpa.

The Three Pure Heavens (三清 - San Qing) are also called the Three Pure/Pristine Realms (三清境 - San Qing Jing) , and are governed by the Supreme Venerable Sovereign (太上老君 - Tai Shang Lao Jun). The Great Overarching Heaven (大罗天 - Da Luo Heaven) is above all other Heavens and en-globes the entire universe. It is infinite, and contains the Jade Capital Mountain(玉京山 Yujing Shan) where the Primeval Lord of Heaven (原始天尊 - Yuan Shi Tian Zun) - ( 太上老君 Tai Shang Lao Jun) resides.

Outside of the Three Realms, everything is pure Vital Breath of Dao. All is formless and invisible; it is the abode of the Immortals (神仙 - Shen Xian). When they unite together they become forms; when they disperse they become Vital Breath; self-dependent, they wander about unfettered. In the Great Overarching Heaven, all is Pure Vital Breath (道氣 - Dao Qi). The Highest level of Cultivation of Immortality is the level of the Golden Immortality (金仙 - Jin Xian) of the Great Overarching Heaven (大罗天 - Da Luo Tian).

Note that the San Qing(三清) - San Qing - Three Pure Ones), which consist the Yuan Shi Tian Zun (元始天尊), Ling Bao Tian Zun (灵宝天尊) and Dao De Tian Zun (道德天尊) - Tai Shang Lao Jun (太上老君), are the highest divine in Taoism, and they are the Great Tao in divine forms.