Journey No,2 - Touring QingXin Chi (Happy Heart Pond) - 8th Moon 19th Day 12th Sep 1976

JiGong         : Yang Sheng, are you ready to tour Qingxin Chi in the Underworld?

 

Yang Sheng  : My dear Master, I have just returned from ‘Zhang Hua’ in Taiwan and

                      am feeling very tired. Can we postpone this tour to tomorrow?         

 

JiGong         : You are very lazy. Being a holy man you should be able to endure any

                     inconvenience and hardship. How can one expect you to do more good 

                     deeds?

 

Yang Sheng  : I am very sorry, Master. That being the case, I have now made up my 

                     mind to follow you.

      

JiGong         : Very well, now quickly climb up to the platform of the lotus flower and 

                     close your eyes…..now open your eyes and get down from the platform.

 

Yang Sheng  : Dear Master, why do you bring me to this place today? I see a very big

                      pond; the water is so clear that I can even see its bottom. I also see 

                      three words floating at the surface of the water: ‘Qingxin Chi.’

 

JiGong         : During the first journey a few days ago, I took you to the Cave of 

                     Xintou Shan and because you have human eyes you could see very little. 

                     So now I bring you to this pond Qingxin Chi to wash your eyes so that 

                     you will be able to see clearly like the Heavenly spirits.

 

Yang Sheng  : It is Autumn now and the water of the pond is so cold that I am afraid to

                     dip in it for fear of catching cold.

 

JiGong         : You want to visit the Underworld and yet you are afraid of the cold.

                     Nevertheless, I have to push you into the pond.

 

Yang Sheng  : Help me, help me dear Master. I do not know how to swim….You are

                     drowning me; please help me.

 

JiGong         : I want the water to clean your mind as well as your heart. 

                     (After JiGong had pushed Yang Sheng into the pond, the 

                     officer-in-charge of the pond approached JiGong and said.)

 

Officer        : I salute you, JiGong. I respectfully apologise for enquiring about this

                    incident. Just now I saw you pushing a man into this pond; I do not

                    know for what reason.

 

JiGong        : Officer, you do not know that on Earth many human beings are committing

                     much evil and sinful deeds; their original good nature has been lost and by

                     pushing this human being into this pond, the water in it will clean his mind

                    and heart and then he can regain his original good nature.

 

Officer        : Very well, because of your explanation I will pull him out.

 

JiGong        : Quick, quick; please pull him out before he sinks to the bottom of the pond.

 

Officer        : I have now rescued him but he is not breathing. How can you bring him back

                    to life?

 

JiGong         : This is just a small matter. His evil life has died with his fall into the pond. I

                    will now pass this magic fan over his body and you will soon see that he will

                    come back to life again……

 

Officer         : Look! He is opening his eyes.

 

Yang Sheng  : Dear Master, why did you push me into the pond?

 

JiGong         : At first, all human beings do not feel like doing good deeds but after some

                     persuasion they generally will do good. I have no time to reason with you 

                     now. 

 

Yang Sheng  : I thank you very much for teaching me. I now feel like a person reborn.

                      By the way, who is this third person?

 

JiGong         : He is the officer-in-charge of this pond and his duty is to see that no person

                     bathes in it except Heavenly Spirits. You are indeed very lucky to have 

                     bathed in this pond.

 

Officer        : JiGong, why did you bring this person here?

 

JiGong    : This person Yang Sheng is a righteous medium of the temple Sheng Xian Tang

               of Taiwan. The Jade Emperor of Heaven has specially chosen him to make this

               journey and write a book to be called ‘Journeys to the Underworld’ so that

               human beings on Earth who are very sinful and evil can read it. They should

               then repent and try to do good deeds. I have been given the job of conducting

               this person, Yang Sheng’s soul for this journey. Because he is just a human

               being his eyes cannot see so many things as the Heavenly Spirits can. That is

               why I had to push him into the pond in order to wash away any of his earthly

               sins and be reborn so that what the Heavenly Spirits can see, he also can see.

 

Officer       : Oh, I am sorry. I did not know the true reason of your action in pushing

                   him into the pond.

 

JiGong      : Time is running out, Yang Sheng, we must continue with our tour. 

                  So, goodbye Officer. Yang Sheng, quickly climb up the platform 

                  of the lotus flower.

 

Yang Sheng  : My dear Master, where are we going now?

 

JiGong         : No need to ask any question. When we arrive then you will know. 

                     Therefore, quickly close your eyes…..Now open your eyes and 

                     get down from the platform.

 

Yang Sheng  : Where is this place which is so windy and full of sand and dust blowing

                      strongly about and making walking unsteady?

 

JiGong         : This place is called Human/Devil Territory.

 

Yang Sheng   : Oh dear, I see coming from one direction so many beings all crying.

 

JiGong          : You do not know; these are the souls of the newly dead persons who 

                       have just arrived into the Underworld.

 

Yang Sheng  : I see before me, high up, a board having three words ‘Ying Yang Jie’

                      What is this place?

 

JiGong        : This place is called ‘Yin Yang Jie.’

 

Yang Sheng  : I also see two rows of tall towers. Let us visit the place.

 

JiGong         : Of course we will go there and see.

 

Yang Sheng  : At the entrance of one of the towers there are three characters:

                      ‘Registration Office’ and there are a number of separate departments.

 

JiGong    : Let us proceed.

              This Records Registration Office is under the charge of a Records Registration

              Officer.

 

Officer : Welcome, JiGong. I see you have brought along Yang Sheng here. On the 8^th

              Moon 15^th day I received Imperial edict from the Jade Emperor from Heaven

              that JiGong would soon be bringing Yang Sheng of Sheng Xian Tang to tour

              this place  and then return to Earth to write a book on what he had seen.

 

JiGong  : The time has now come for us to return to Earth but will come back and see

              you on our next visit.

 

Officer  : You are welcome, goodbye.

 

JiGong  : Yang Sheng, we have to return quickly to Earth. Get out of here, climb up the

               lotus platform and close your eyes.

 

Yang Sheng  : Yes, I will obey your instructions.

 

JiGong          :  We have now returned to Sheng Xian Tang. Yang Sheng, now open your 

                        eyes and get down; your soul can return to your body.

 

*** End of Journey No 2 ***

Journey No,1 - To the Cave of Xintou Shan (Heart Mountain) - 18th Moon 16th Day 9th Sep 1976

Jigong took a medium of Sheng Xian Tang named Yang Sheng to visit the Cave of Xintou Shan.

Jigong                 : Tonight we are going to the Cave of Xintou Shan. Would you like to follow me ?

Yang Sheng         : I am much obliged and I wish to thank you from the bottom of my heart for

                            giving me the opportunity to visit the Cave.

Jigong                 : Because of your good and charitable works in Sheng Xian Tang, the Jade

                            Emperor in Heaven, Yu Huang has chosen you to tour Hell so that when you

                            return to Earth you can write a book on what you have seen, for distribution

                            to human beings so that they can do good deeds.

Yang Sheng        : I thank you again for choosing me for the Honour. I understand that souls

                           of the dead visiting Hell ride on heavenly horses or sit on platforms of

                           lotus flowers.

Jigong                : Yang Sheng, you are very naive. The road to Hell is not so pleasant and easy 

                           as you imagine.There is no gateway to Hell and so the souls will have to 

                           encounter and overcome many obstacles and hardships before they can 

                           reach there.

Yang Sheng        : Master, I am afriad you have taken too much wine and have got drunk to say

                          such things.

Jigong                : Yes, I have drunk too much because, seeing that humanity have now committed

                          many sins, I purposely drink a lot in order to forget their mistakes and evil doings.

                          Now will you join me to drink some more?

Yang Sheng        : Master, I cannot drink and so please do not tease me.

 Jigong               : Well, let us not waste time. We willl make the journey. I will transform a lotus flower

                           into a platform and both if us can travel in it and we will tour hell.

 Yang Sheng       : I am much surprised. Your magical powers are so great that by just saving a few

                           prayers you have produced a lotus flower. I dare not step on the lotus flower 

                           platform because my feet are so dirty.

Jigong                : Do not worry your feet being dirty. If your heart is pure and clean, that is what

                           we want. Do you know that the lotus grow in ponds which are not clean and yet

                           the lotus flower is very clean?

Yang Sheng        : Well then, I will follow what you say and will sit on the lotus flower platform;

                            but which direction shall we go?

Jigong                : There us nothing to worry. Just close your eyes and I will bring you there.

Yang Sheng       : I will follow you obediently.

Jigong               : Now open your eyes.

 

Yang Sheng       : Oh, where is this place? I see a high mountain and at the side are there

                           shining golden letters : "Xintou Shan"

Jigong               : You do not know. The name of this mountain is XinTou Shan and if you

                          climb up to the top you will reach the gate of Tian-Tang. However, 

                          you can also see that on the side of this mountain there is a cave which

                          is very dark and it is bottomless. This  is the cave of Hell, DiYu Dong.

                          In the olden days, the Saints said that heart controls a person,

                          i.e your heart can tell you to do good or to do evil. If one does good,

                          the soul will go to Heaven, but if one does evil the soul will surely sent 

                          to hell. It all depends upon yourself, to do good or to do evil.

Yang Sheng       : Oh I see. Therefore one can choose to go to heaven or to Hell 

                          according to one's own actions. This ten means that we can be either

                          immortal or ghost.

Jigong               : Very true. you have sait it . Well, well, well, time is running short for 

                           tonight's visit and so we have to climb back onto the lotus flower

                           platform to bring us back to Earth.

Yang Sheng       : Master, I will follow your instructions.

Jigong               : Quickly close your eyes because the wind here is strong.

Yang Sheng       : Yes I agree. I cannot stand this strong wind.

Jigong               : Now we have reach Earth. Open your eyes and get down from this

                          lotus flower. Your soul will now return to your body.

*** End of Journey 1 ***

JADE EDICT

Yu Huang Da Tian Zhun has instructed that this Directive is about to be issue. He has commanded the God of City to travel 5miles to wait, and the God of Luck to travel 10miles also wait for his arrival. All of you must line up quietly for his arrival.
   
Jin Que Nei Xiang decends from Heaven.
"Tonight I will read the Directive to all of you.
All Saints and Human Beings must pay respect."

Yu Huang Da Tien Zhun's Directive states :
               
I, in Heaven, have the intention of helping and saving human beings; and from my place in Heaven,
looking towards Earth, the space appears to be filled with yellow dust. The moral obligations of
human beings have been lost or thrown away - males do not possess the sense of loyalty and filial
peity, while female have lost integrity, chastity and purity. All seem to think and say that there are            
no Buddhas and Saints. They do not believe in the existence of spirits and devils. That is why,
nowadays moral of society have eroded; so human sympathy and justice have been ruined.
Looking at the prevailing decadance of humanity, I am greatly distressed, and seeing that the
souls of the most eager to give whatever assistance I can to save human being. My investigations
reveals that the organization, Sheng Xian Tang is very active in trying to save human beings.
It devotes a great deal effort to be of service to human beings. This organization has published
a magazine known as "Sheng Xian Zazhi" (Sheng Xian Magazine) which has helped many readers
heart to follow the correct path. Its planchette writing sessions have progressed immensely.
All these actions and intentions have helped very much in the furtherance of the sacred doctrine
which  have now gained great brillance. This is why I have chosen to give Edict to Sheng Xian
Tang to write the book entitled "DiYu YouJi" (Journeys to the underworld) by commissioning
JiGong to guide Yang Sheng to tour the Ten Tribunals Hades in order to observe and gather
the happenings there so as to disclose to human beings through the Book so that they can
realise the extent of punishment and sufferings of sinful souls in Hades. These should make
those living to endeavour to lead a better and meaningful life. The Book will be most unusual
kind of book ; and believing that Shen Xian Tang and its members are very sincere in their
attempt towards human salvation. I have already directed the Heads of the Ten Tribunals
that when Jigong and Yang Sheng come to thier respective Tribunals, the gates must be opened
for them and they should be given every facilities and assistance. Should any Tribunal disobey
or refuse to cooperate, I will not hesitate to punish, much less to forgive, the offending Tribunal.
The moment I issue this Edict, your planchette sessions will commence and will stop only when
all worked hard for Heaven, and after the book has been completed, published, distributed
and circulated, I will assess the results and then dish out the awards and rewards. All of you
must follow my instructions and must in no way deviate from them.
Dated : 15th Day 8th Moon (8th September 1976)

All of us must thank the Merciful kindness of Yu Huang Da Tian Zhen for issuing the above Edict.

Outline of the Book

by Jin Que Zhu Mi (金闕主秘) On 13th of 4th Moon in 1978 (19th May 1978)

1. This book DiYu Youji (Journey to the Underworld) was written according to the Directive of Yu Huang Da Tian Zhun. The language is very simple but has profound meaning. This book serves ascetic practitioners as well as those who have the intention of leading good and meaningful lives.

2. If any mistake is found in the book or it is due to oversight, it should not be the reason to belittle this book.

3. The book is the fruits of two years of hard work put in by Saints and Human Beings and it reveals some of the secrets of Hades. The Laws, Regulations and Extent of punisment there, are now made known to Human Being. This sort of alarm bell to warn and help everyone. I hope those who read, will read it patiently. In this way you can understand and eventually evaluate the contents of the Book as in the Blog.

4. The book is the result of combine efforts of Heaven, Hades and Human Being on Earth. Its merits are equally shared.

5. The following categories of people will also earn merits :
    i) whether they help to print
   ii) whether they ask people to defray the cost
  iii) whether they read the book and explain the benefits to others
  iv) whether they help to distribute the Book

They will have the extent of thier earthly sins reduce. If they have already accumulated full merits earlier, then after death, thier souls will ascend to Heaven.

6. Those who pray long life, honour and rank, quick recovery from sickness, cancellation of thier earlier sins or wrong doings, cultivation of morality, relief of souls from suffering, bliss in the next world will have thier prayers answered, if they contribute in printing or distributing the book as stated in Rule 5 above.

All such people should pray with joss stick and explain to
  a. the God of Kitchen, or
  b. in the Temple, or
  c. to Heaven.

7. Where the book is placed, there will be good spirits ; therefore, make sure that it is kept in a clean and respectable place. Those who slander and slight the book, or obstruct its circulation/distribution, will eventually be sent down to Hades for punishment - there will be no mercy.

Its is hoped that all human beings will think positively and will do good wherever and whenever possible.

Introduction

This blog was created according to the Book of Journey to the Underworld, in Chinese "Di Yu You Ji", was originally issued in the chinese language and was the result of the Deity JiGong bringing the soul of Mr.YangSheng, a leading planchette handler of Sheng Xian Tang, Taiwan, to visit Hades on instruction of the Jade Emporer (Yu Huang Da Tian Zhun). The Jade Edict was issued on the 15th Day in 8th moon (8th September, 1976) with the express intention of helping and saving human beings.

The visits were completed in 62 journeys, the first being made on the 16th day of the 8th moon (9th September, 1976) and the last on the 26th day of the 8th moon (30th Jul, 1978).

The details and conversations of each Journey were written in Chinese characterers on the planchette board during each planchette session held in Sheng Xian Tang - the words were read aloud and recorded on paper for compilation - a very tedious and time-consuming process. The visits were generally made at night time.

Because this is not a story where the chapters must be read in sequence, each journey is completed in itself, not interconnected ; therefore narratives of the journey can be read in any order.

The origin of the book Journey to the Underworld was translated by Mr.Lee Teik Chong (Li DeZhong) in 1982. The translation was completed in May 1985 by Mr. Tan Eng Teik (Chen YinDe), lecturer at the Chinese Studies Department, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, edited the English translation twice. We wish to thank both of them for their excellent work.

As myself is reading the book, I intended to transfer the contents into this blog and share to as many people who did not have the book and to let all of us know about the underworld and to understand what happen to one's soul after death. If a percentage of readers can realise that it pays to do more goods deeds when still alive, then the humble attempt of the book and this blog is achieved.