Ten Kings of Hell - Jin Chushi

A detailed 1195 religious painting by Jin Chushi depicting the administrative and punitive realms of the Ten Kings of Hell.

This work is a segment from a larger series depicting the Ten Kings of Hell, a subject rooted in Buddhist cosmology and the afterlife. Jin Chushi, a painter active during the Southern Song period, produced this set of scrolls in 1195. The composition follows a hierarchical structure, placing the judge at the centre behind a desk, while attendants and supernatural figures occupy the surrounding space. The judge wears formal robes and a traditional cap, his posture conveying authority as he reviews documents related to the souls before him.

Below the judge, the scene shifts to the underworld, where demons and animal-headed figures manage the punishment of the deceased. The colour palette relies on muted earth tones, punctuated by the specific pigments used for the robes and the demonic figures. The silk surface provides a subtle texture that softens the lines of the figures and the architectural elements. The artist employs a clear division between the administrative realm of the judge and the chaotic environment of the lower register. This visual narrative serves to communicate the moral consequences of earthly actions within the framework of Buddhist belief. The attention to detail in the clothing, the facial expressions of the demons, and the posture of the judge reflects the technical skill associated with religious art of the twelfth century. This print captures the specific iconography of the Ten Kings, providing a window into the theological concerns of the period.