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Hell

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地獄 (じごく)
Hell
d͡ʑiɡ̃o̞kɯᵝ
New Hell[1][2]
Th01RottingWorldofFlame.png
The Rotting World of Flames of Hell as seen in Highly Responsive to Prayers
Location
Residents
Appearances
Official Games
Print Works

Hell (地獄 Jigoku), also New Hell (新地獄 Shin Jigoku)[1][2], is a collection of realms seperate from Gensokyo where sinful souls are imprisoned.[2] It is not to be confused with Former Hell, the previous location of Gensokyo's own Hell, or Makai, a similarly hellish realm filled with demons.

General Information

Hell is a collection of realms of the afterlife where one's soul is condemned to be imprisoned and tortured. Each world has it's own Hell and every Hell is managed by a coalition of yama and kishin called The Ministry of Right and Wrong. Hell is one of many realms of the afterlife one may go to after being judged by a yama at Higan, with the other two major realms being Heaven and the Netherworld.

Basis

Japanese mythology's Hell (Jigoku 地獄 lit. "Earth Prison") is based on the Chinese mythological realm of the same name, pronounced "Diyu". The Hell of China and Japan was based on a mixture of tradtional pre-Buddhist beliefs and the Buddhist concept of Naraka, itself being based on the Hindu Naraka. In Japan's tradition, souls must cross the Sanzu River to be judged at Higan. Souls are judged by ten judges known as the Ten Kings of Hell and are accordingly sent to whatever realm their lives' actions deserved. The main paths of the afterlife one may be sent to are called the Six Realms. Hell is the lowest realm, being succeeded by the Preta Realm, Animal Realm, Human Realm, Asura Realm and Deva Realm, also known as Heaven. There are many Hells within Hell in Buddhism, with each having a specialized torture suited for every particular kind of sinner. One's time in Hell, as in the other five realms, is not eternal, however. It may take many millennia but souls eventually burn up all their negative karma and are reincarnated in a new realm, as is the eternal cycle of Samsara.

Gensokyo's Hell

Hell was originally located in the Underworld in the exact location of Former Hell. At an unknown time (believed to be before Embodiment of Scarlet Devil), Hell moved to a new location due to over-population, and thus the place now called "Former Hell" became a forgotten land for vengeful spirits. It was later that the oni were given permission to live in the Former Hell, making it their paradise, and the subterranean youkai had to keep an eye on the vengeful spirits. Rin Kaenbyou made reference that she's lived here ever since Former Hell really was Hell.[4] Because of the Former Hell, the current Hell can be referred to as the "New Hell".[1][2] The New Hell is now located beyond Higan.[3]

According to Buddhism, there are ten yama for each Hell, where one of these known yama is Eiki Shiki, Yamaxanadu who belongs to the Ministry of Right and Wrong.[5] Shinigami are also known to live in Hell, who will guide and explain the details to the souls who are unfamiliar to the system of Hell due to their knowledge.[6] Unlike the Netherworld, Hell is smaller,[7] but apparently extremely spacious.[8] It is also desolate and not calm,[9] hence a wide array of torture devices could be used on the souls, but there are current economic conditions mean that many of these contraptions are in serious need of maintenance and repair.[5]

Hell's facilities naturally must be expanded in order to accommodate the increasing population.[10] However, due to financing issues, Hell had reached the point where it could no longer sustain itself merely from the ferrying fees levied on the departed.[11] Thus, the primary sources of income are fares from those crossing the River Sanzu, as well as concession stands and food carts operating on the Road of Liminality in an attempt to earn some more money.[5][11] As such, Hell can receive some money even from both the dead who aren't going there and from the living. However, those who run the stands are all criminals who were sentenced to Hell, so it's said many fall victim to their tricks. However, as soon as they're discovered, they're sent back to Hell. Hieda no Akyuu suggests that it's something like a graduation test from Hell. It is also known that Komachi Onozuka's boat was supplied by Hell for her to cross the River Sanzu, but it's old and worn due to finance issues.[10]

Rules

Once a soul has finally made it across the Road of Liminality and the River Sanzu to Higan, they'll wait there. Once they've being finally judged by the ten yama and were sent to Hell, then the soul will fall outside the cycle of reincarnation temporarily. On their journey, the kishin chiefs will take charge as the souls fall down to Hell and will command the lesser oni in their torment of the deceased.[5] Komachi Onozuka mentions that the oni of Hell are disciplined and injustices is quite rare, while the oni of Former Hell have too many close relationships with the ghosts of sinners, making them not wanting to leave.[12] Every hundred years, assassins from Hell will come and assassinate hermits and celestials. This is because even living is considered a sin, and thus it's necessary to perform pious acts to compensate for them.[13] This was shown to happen to Seiga Kaku in Wild and Horned Hermit chapter 12, where kishin chief Suiki was sent to assassinate her.

In order to avoid going to Hell in the afterlife, one must simply not commit a sin during their life. Even committing suicide will send you to Hell.[14] Even in free time, Eiki has an habit of lecturing people in the hope that they will change for the better so she won't have to send them to Hell, as shown in Phantasmagoria of Flower View. It's suggested from this game that even though you've sinned, you can still redeem yourself by changing your lifestyle, thus not going to Hell. Eiki says that Hell doesn't exists to punish sinners, but to ensure that nobody sins.[15]

Yuyuko Saigyouji's ability to manipulate departed souls enables her to manipulate ghosts and spirits, where she is able to let those from Hell stay eternally in the Netherworld. However, Yuyuko could also send a soul from the Netherworld to Hell by commanding her servant Youmu Konpaku to sever the circle of transmigration with her sword, then send it back to Higan, making it very likely that the soul will go to Hell.[7]

According to Hecatia Laspislazuli, Hell wasn't always a place that served to rehabilitate human criminals. It was originally created by people unaccustomed to living virtuously, people with hearts of pure evil, and valorous people who seek true freedom, and was meant to be a place for them to live however they wanted, with no concept of being a bother to others. Things like the Lake of Blood or the Sea of Fire were used for personal pleasures like drinking and roasting meat rather than as a punishment. This changed when the Yama and Kishin took over trying to create order in such a chaotic world, saying they'd bring Hell back to its former glory. Despite this, Hell continues to be what can be considered a world of pure freedom run by an absolutely meritocratic system, where it doesn't matter who one is as long as they have the power to back it up, making it possible for even fairies to become important if they get the job done. Likewise, this also makes it possible for even kishin to become irrelevant with just one failure.[16]

Other Hells

Hecatia Lapislazuli's Hell

According to Hecatia Lapislazuli's official profile of Legacy of Lunatic Kingdom, she is the Goddess of Hell, but it also states that there is a Hell for Earth, the Moon and the Otherworlds, where she governs all of them. Not much is known about these Hells. She holds a grudge against Chang'e because her husband, Houyi, shot down the sun, taking away the light Hell needs to exist, because without it, there would be no shadows and they'll become weak. Fairies are known to be found anywhere, where Hell is not an exception. They, along with Clownpiece, originally come from Earth's Hell, where under Hecatia's orders, immigrated to the Sea of Tranquility on the Moon in order to threaten the Lunar Capital. It became a fairy paradise that's said to be more comfortable than Hell, suggesting how awful the environment in Hell is. These fairies were transformed into pure lifeforce by Junko. According to Clownpiece, these refined fairy's energy exceeds even that of a kishin.[17]

Hell in the PC-98 Series

Hokora in PC-98's Hell

There was also a Hell in the PC-98, but due to the canonicity between the PC-98 and the Windows era, there is a difference between the Hell of both eras. ZUN wanted a "clean sweep" from the PC-98, but he stated that the settings for the PC-98 and Windows are essentially the same,[18] but this is troublesome due to different forms of Hell. However, he said to take reference from the Windows era to consider what is canon. Regardless however, in the PC-98 canon, there isn't really much known about Hell. A gate is located not far from the Hakurei Shrine that leads to Hell. Within Hell, there is "Hokora"[19] (), a place that's presumably where Mima originated as a vengeful spirit. There is also the "Rotting World of Flames"[19] (炎の腐界 Honoo no Fukai) where Kikuri appears, and the "Silent Temple"[19] (静かなる神殿 Shizukanaru Shinden) where Konngara resides.

In Lotus Land Story, Reimu Hakurei mentions about chasing Yuuka Kazami to the depths of Hell, while Yuuka says that she's not from Hell. It's unknown which Hell they're referring to, but it could just be generic.

Hell's Appearances

The Silent Temple in PC-98's Hell

PC-98 Games

Highly Responsive to Prayers

Hell first appeared in Highly Responsive to Prayers and it is one of the main locations of the game. Reimu Hakurei discovered a portal that had opened in her shrine. A being from either here or Makai came and destroyed the Hakurei Shrine, so Reimu has to go out and put a stop to their reckless nature. After beating the boss SinGyoku on Stage 5, the player will then decide which route to take: Makai or Hell. If they chose Hell, then the rest of the game will occur through here. Stages 6-10 takes place at Hokora, where the boss of Stage 10 is Mima. Once she is defeated, Reimu shall now go through the Rotting World of Flames on Stages 11-15. The Stage 15 boss is Kikuri, who is some sort of a moon disk that will try and put a stop to Reimu. Once she is defeated, Reimu will spend the final 5 stages at the Silent Temple, where she'll meet Konngara, the Final Boss, who must be defeated in order to clear the game.

Additional Information

See Also

  • Wikipedia's entry on Hell

References