National Republican., 1883-07-09
THE JAPANESE HADES.
A Picture Of Its Tortures and a History Of is
Wars.
Satan Deposoi by the Damnsd-A cnrious
Suggestion OF " Paradise Lest"

According to a correspondent Of the San
Francisco Chronicle, who writes from Noko-
hama, the Buddhist hellis hot place indeed,
II tho popular conception Of II is any way cor
rect. Tho term Jigoku Is applied to the 10
cality. Whether it is above the earth or In
the bowels thereof seems 10 be according 70
the personal notion Of tho individual There
are oight principal districts or provinces ia
Jigolku, and these are subdividod into Us
minor precincts. Thoro Is supposed TO ee
king who rules over tho place. who has his
counsclors and ministers as earthly poton'
tates do. In fact, the state Of Affairs OF u.
poku appear TO be administered upon feudal
plans. The head man, devil snd king IL
known under tho namo Of Yemmao, who
lives in palace ovor forty miles IN
length and breadth, that Is surrounded by
moats and walls of granite forty yards IN
heiaht and hanked with towers OF immense
strength. 1t would appear as II the KING OF
Jigoku feared some power outside OF MS DO
miuions and had fortified his private resi-
dence against attack. From tho stories oil
the goings on IL must really be as insecure
for the king to reside there as 1t Is for the
emporor of all the Russias to remain WITHIN
the Boundaries of his dominions. Accounts
of feroe wars in hell are recorded, with
slaughter and carnage commensurate WIN
the great numbers Of subjects residing thcre
There is story told, and no doubt believed
by some, that not over three conturies ago
there was an insurrection in Jigoku, headed
by the warriors of renown who had the Tor
tune TO find themselves in the place after
they had done with the affairs Of this life and
who did not stomach tho torments which
,eere inflicted upon them by their torment
ors, acting under orders from the KING
Yenmao The preparations made by these
leaders were on a grand scale. They enlisted
s,I the workers in iron they could learn Of,
and after stealing all the iron utensils that
could be stolen, the iron workers made spears
and swords to arm the insurgents. ms was
all done In one night, and tho army OF con
spirators to tho number OF more than TON
millions, were marshaled in four divisions
and marched against the palace Of Yemmao
which was aarrisoned by about five million,
of demons. As Bclshazzar was surprised
while feastina so was Yommao. He with hi
demon crew were having high time ban
quoting whom the forces of the rebel insur
gents assaulted the palace walls Conster
nation took possession OF the aeVils ior tn'
moment as they comprehended the situation
but the walls and defenses were hlled witt
an immense multitude to resist the onslaught
that was being made by the rebels.
They used oil tho modes of defense KNOW
to them; but as they had not the experienc
in warfare that the rebels had, they neye
having been outside the confines OF Jigoku
il did not take long for the veteran warrior
from earth to make breach in the wall an
Storm the entire works. Sad havoc wa
wrought In hell that night. The palace wa
set on Are aud entirely consumed and tn
whole territory devastated. The accoun
given of the magnifcence of Jigoku Is mar
Yelous one. The city of the New Jerusalem
ms described by Sc. John the Evangelist, wa
not moro beautiful than was Jigoku. 1t ha
its palaces of fabulous beauty, sculptured ant
sdorned in the highest style of art known 7
Japanese minds. Gold and silver and PR
cious stones were the materials aud such lac
auer work was never known elsewhere; a
that would beautify the place had been uti
lied, sd that 1t Is without wonder that we al
, told that Yemmao was wild with mort
fication OF the capture OF the prio
Of hts eve. where he had held swe
for the cycles OF time which had wi
MESSED I'D anthority. Il is said that
p.rts Of his paiaes walls, together with son
5nfiiions of his demons and fhadc his way vii
them 70 broad and deep river called SANDS
After 6tossing this river they concluded The
could there mako an effectual stand IN ca
they Here agatp attacked, but Yemnao W
in fSplt In his reckoning, as these subjects
Iebeiiiop had learned on earth more than
ever knew. Ship carpenters were called
and so many presented Themselves for du
that thew constructed In two days over
thousand large tunks, each capable OF carr
ing hundred souls. With dismay the XII
of the demons saw this feet being prepar
and he thought 1t high time to seek for asst
ance from the gods in paradise or Gokurak
as IL is termed by the Japanese, but he ask
in vain; no assistance was extended to him
apy manner, his messengers even never
turned to tell him way. In the shock OF Z
force battle that ragged on the banks OF Z
Sandsu river Yemmao and his host OF demo
were completely routed, and thenceiorth
many o year there was no punishment
hicted in Jigoku, but il was thought b
Inv the gods after rebellion had been |
down in Gokuraku, which had be
melted by some disoontented denizens
that place, to reinstate Yammao in PoSv
again in Jigoku. So they mustered oil
demons who had escaped destruction in
war when Jigoku was destroyed, and Am
and his host of immortals were over twol
wears in rcc0nstructing 1t and makirl
e.ual to its former magni6cence, and prov
ing implements of torture ht for the pur
ment Of the victims who might be consigl
for chastsement The new Jigoku, or rat
the new city where resides the king is S
To be fully rs elegant as his old quarters We
His throne is covered with plates of solid 6
and at the four corners towers OF dlamo
a-d rubies are standing. On the lett SID
the throne is q pair of scales the weight
Thought Will TURN, IN WhlCh oIo Nc'6hou
merits and dement's Of mortals and on
right hand is mirror. in which is refiec
all the good or OWL which has been commit
in this world by those who stand before
Refore Yammao, on "a table, there are
heads known as MiruIne and Kaguht
These heads arc the judges of men. Mir
has eyes and judges by sight; kaguh4A
blind aud determines by the sense of 90
ing.
Ii man has lived bad life he is sent
one of the l2S districts pertaining to Jig
while good record is passport into
realm of GOkuraku, to enjoy the blessini
eternal felicity, Owing 10 the d6scrip
given of Jigoku, it is beyond The compre
sion of any ono to definitely locate it.
said TO have rivers that are as deep as
waters of the ocean, and towers that
higher than the clouds, as well ns mou1
ralges of terribly desolate chArs atcr,
with immense cayerns where are tcrme
tho unfortunate souls consigned 10 tor
There is one place described as being II
millions of miles down underneath the pi
of the king, where there Is an everlasting
kept burning over which are toasted the
of those considered the most wicked,
many BuddhsIs believe that Jigoku, wit
its belongings, is situated somewhere l.
the earth we inhabit. The fancy Of the
who planned this story OF hell to frighte
fellows with must have been almost vii
limit Que of his mountains was covered
needles, over which were driven the hi
ones making the journey to endure mo
fneA punishment in other quarters, bu