Judges Of Hell

Hell Punishments, right side
Scene #21, Baodingshan, Dazu (map)

This elaborate hell relief vividly illustrates the deities and officials in charge, and the punishments meeted out to sinners. The standing figure at photo upper left is Ksitigarbha (Ch. Dizang, Jp. Jizo), a Bodhisattva who releases souls from hell. His appearance in this otherwise horrific scene expresses Zhou's feeling that anyone can be saved, no matter how dire the circumstances.