The Ten Courts of Hell
In his story, Dante endured a rollercoaster of events before reaching hell. Luckily, the Chinese Ten Courts of Hell is far easier to visit today, as a version conveniently exists in the south of Singapore, at the heart of a largely ignored statue park known as Haw Par Villa.
This version of the 10 courts is most likely an accumulation of culture and beliefs over many centuries, but given that Justice Bao is one of the 10 kings, it can be deduced that the belief arrived no earlier than the Northern Song Dynasty (960–1127 CE).
Once a top tourist attraction of the country in the 1970s, Haw Par Villa is now a deserted, somewhat rundown, macabre spot free for all to enter. Its desolation greatly adds to the ambiance of its key attraction: a man-made cave depicting the gruesome Chinese Ten Courts of Hell.
In 1937, Myanmar-born businessman Aw Boon Haw bought the plot of land and built a mansion for his younger brother, Aw Boon Par, to thank him for helping with his business. However, their happiness was short-lived, and the brothers fled back to Myanmar when the Japanese invaded Singapore. During this time, Aw Boon Par passed away. When Aw Boon Haw returned after the war, he decided to demolish the villa and turn the area into what it is today – a sculpture park depicting traditional Chinese folktales and mythology for educational purposes.
First Court of Hell
Yama, or King of Death: King Qinguang In the First Court of Hell, King Qinguang conducts preliminary trials and each prisoner is judged according to his deeds in his past life. The “good” are distinguished from the “evil” and the King recommends appropriate reward or punishment. Punishment is then carried out in the various Courts.
Those with virtuous conduct in their past life will be led over the “Golden Bridge” to reach paradise.
Those whose past good deeds outweigh the crimes they committed will be sent to the “Silver Bridge” to reach paradise.
Those who were evildoers in their past life will be sent to repent before the “Mirror of Retribution” and then taken to a subsequent Court of Hell to be punished.
Second Court of Hell
Yama: King Chujiang
Crime: Inflicting physical injury, corruption, theft, gambling, prostitution Punishment: Thrown into a volcanic pit, frozen into blocks of ice, thrown into a pool of blood and drowned
Third Court of Hell
Yama: King Songdi Crime: Ungratefulness, disrespect to elders, escaping from prison, drug trafficking and addiction, tomb raiding Punishment:
Heart cut out, tied to red hot copper pillars and grilled
Fourth Court of Hell
Yama: King Wuguan Crime: Tax dodging, fraud, disobedience to one’s siblings Punishment: Pounded by a stone mallet, ground by a large stone
Fifth Court of Hell
Yama: King Yanluo
Crime: Plotting the death of someone for his property or wealth, moneylending with exorbitant interest rates Punishment: Thrown onto a hill of knives
Sixth Court of Hell
Yama: King Piencheng
Crime: Cheating, cursing, abduction, possession of pornographic material, misuse of books, breaking written rules and regulations, wasting food
Punishment: Thrown onto a tree of knives, body sawn into two
Seventh Court of Hell
Yama: King Taishan
Crime: Rumour mongering, sowing discord among family members, rape, driving someone to their death Punishment: Tongue pulled out, thrown into a wok of boiling oil
Eighth Court of Hell
Yama: King Dushi
Crime: Causing trouble for parents or family members, cheating during examinations, harming others to benefit oneself
Punishment: Intestines and organs pulled out, dismemberment
Ninth Court of Hell
Yama: King Pingdeng
Crime: Robbery, murder, rape, any other unlawful conduct, neglect of the old or young
Punishment: Head and arms chopped off, crushed under boulders
Tenth Court of Hell
Yama: King Zhuanlun
After serving their sentences, prisoners arrive at the Tenth Court, where King Zhuanlun passes final judgement. The prisoners are then brought to the “Pavilion of Forgetfulness”, where an old lady “Men Po” hands them a cup of magic tea which on drinking makes them forget their past lives.
They will then go through the “Wheel of Reincarnation” – Samsara. Depending on the prisoner’s past life, they will be reborn either as a human or an animal. Some will be reborn into a life of ease and comfort while others into sorrow and suffering.