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The Hell Tableau (地獄變), Niche 20, Baodingshan Dafowan Rock Carvings (寶頂山大佛灣摩崖造像) – Hell scenes (bottom layer 2)

From the Ground Up: Buddhism & East Asian Religions (FROGBEAR Project)

Baodingshan Dafowan Rock Carvings (寶頂山大佛灣摩崖造像) is situated in Baoding Town (寶頂鎮), Dazu District (大足區), Chongqing (重慶). The site contains 32 rock carving niches dated to the Southern Song Dynasty (1127–1279 CE). This niche depicts a complex Hell Tableau (地獄變) illustration in four layers. The upper layer contains a line of ten Buddha images representing the Buddhas of the Ten Directions. The middle layer has Kṣitigarbha (Dizang Bodhisattva, 地藏菩薩) flanked by the Ten Kings (shi wang, 十王), who are in charge of the Hells and their attendants. The bottom two layers depict the punishment scenes of the eighteen hells. The bottom layer of the tableau consists of eight punishment scenes that represent the eight hells. These hells are based on the texts in the Verses of the Transformation Tableau of the Hell (Diyu bian jingwen ji song, 地獄變經文偈頌). In addition, there are depictions that warn against alcohol. The eight hells, from left to right, are as follows: (1) Knee amputation Hell 截膝地獄, (2) Avīci Hell 鐵圍山阿鼻地獄, (3) Hungry Ghost Hell 餓鬼地獄, (4) Iron Wheel Hell 鐵輪地獄, (5) Sword Ship Hell 刀船地獄, (6) Boiling Cauldron Hell 鑊湯地獄, (7) Iron Wheel Hell 鐵輪地獄, (8) Hell of Feces and Filth 糞穢地獄. A pagoda image with a monk figure in front of it separates the first five and last three hell scenes. Above the scene of the Sword Ship Hell, there is a depiction that warns against raising animals with a lady raising chickens. Below the scene of the Hell of Feces and Filth, there is a depiction with a demon killing a man with a halberd. Descriptions of the photos: Key to the scenes [Image 01 to Image 03]. Overview of the scenes [Image 04 to Image 06]. Iron Wheel Hell [Image 07 to Image 11]. Hell of Feces and Filth [Image 12 to Image 14]. Pagoda image with a monk figure [Image 15 to Image 18]. Inscriptions on the right side of the monk figure [Image 19]. Metadata created by: Sau Ling Wendy Yu.

Chongqing (China); Dazu Qu (Chongqing, China); 29.75437; 105.794066

chi

Cluster 3.4: Typologies of Text-Image Relations

Vancouver : University of British Columbia Library

10.14288/1.0441478

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