Precious Records of the Jade Calendar玉历宝钞

Also known as

Transmitted Digest of the Jade Calendar, Precious Records of the Jade Calendar (Yuli Zhibao Chao)

Author / transmission

attributed to a revelation received by Danchi Daoren and transmitted by Wumi Daoren

Period

attributed to the Song, with Qing circulating editions · Said to have been obtained by the Song-dynasty Daoist Danchi during his journey through the underworld and transmitted to the world by the Daoist Wumi; in fact most surviving circulating editions date from the Qing dynasty. One scroll, with illustrations.

Canon division

Outside the Canon (Ming–Qing morality book)

Collected in

Outside the Canon

Category

Morality Books (Shanshu)

Fascicles

1 juan (illustrated)

Synopsis

The Precious Records of the Jade Calendar is the most widely circulated illustrated morality book on hell, attributed to the Song-dynasty Daoist Danchi, who is said to have traveled through the underworld at the command of King Yanluo and recorded the judicial system of the Ten Kings of the underworld courts. The book gives a detailed list of the titles, birthdays, offices and hells under the jurisdiction of the Ten Kings — King Qinguang, King Chujiang, King Songdi, King Wuguan, King Yanluo, King Biancheng, King Taishan, King Dushi, King Pingdeng and King Zhuanlun — accompanied by images of punishments such as the mountain of knives, the cauldron of oil, freezing ice, and the pulling out of tongues, and it also records Mengpo's Soup (孟婆汤, the Broth of Forgetfulness), the six paths of rebirth, and the rites for taking on a new life, concluding with an appendix on rites for the resolution of grievances and methods for the deliverance of the dead. Its ideas are a product of the blending of Buddhist and Daoist popular belief: the system of the Ten Kings of the underworld courts derives from the Tang–Song Scripture of the Ten Kings (Shiwang jing), while the doctrines of chengfu (inherited burden), the determination of lifespan, and the remission of sins come from Daoism. The book uses vivid illustrations and forceful imagery to exhort people to cease from evil; from the Qing dynasty onward it was printed and distributed in great numbers by charitable halls, and circulating editions remain common today in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Southeast Asia. It is a core source for the study of Chinese popular conceptions of hell and visual religious culture.

Key Ideas

• The Ten Kings of the underworld courts and the system of judgment in hell
• Visual admonition through images of punishment
• Mengpo's Soup and the six paths of rebirth
• The blending of Buddhist and Daoist popular belief
• Circulation through printing and free distribution by charitable halls

Structure

One scroll, with text and images set side by side, arranged in the order of the Ten Courts.

Editions

• Various charitable-hall editions of the Qing dynasty
• Modern lithographic and color-printed circulating editions

Translations

• Multiple translations and picture-book editions produced within Southeast Asian Chinese communities

Full Text & Online Resources

• Wikipedia: Precious Records of the Jade Calendar
• CTEXT search

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