“Li Boyan” of Strange Tales from Liaozhai, tells of Li Boyan, an upright scholar from Yishui, Shandong. After suddenly falling ill, he informs his family he is summoned to the underworld as Yama (King of Hell) pro tempore. He instructs them not to bury him, awaiting his return. That day, Li dies.
In the underworld, donning Yama’s robes and crown, Li adjudicates cases:
- A tyrant who raped 82 women receives severe punishment per underworld law.
- Li’s distant relative Wang, accused of illegally purchasing a girl, pleads for exoneration. When Wang’s friend Zhou refuses to testify falsely, Zhou dies and is summoned to testify. During the trial, Li attempts to favor Wang, causing the courtroom to ignite in flames until he abandons partiality. Wang is ultimately flogged for willful violation.
After completing his duties, Li returns to the human realm. En route, headless or limbless ghosts beg for passage home, but Li — having resigned as Yama — cannot help. Back home, Li meets his friend Hu Shuxun, confirming Hu’s planned Buddhist rite mentioned by ghosts. Later, Wang (also returned) thanks Li for his attempted aid but reveals festering wounds from his flogging.
Allegorical Meaning
Impartiality as Sacred Duty:
The courtroom flames when Li favors Wang symbolize “cosmic intolerance for bias.” This warns that justice must transcend personal ties. Li Boyan discovered that justice in the underworld was far more impartial than in the mortal world, as even a flicker of bias would ignite purifying flames.
Karmic Retribution:
The tyrant’s harsh penalty and Wang’s flogging embody “deeds dictate consequences.” Evil escapes no judgment — even beyond death — reinforcing traditional morality.
Fluidity of Life and Death:
Li’s travel between realms reflects the blurred boundary in Chinese cosmology, emphasizing that earthly actions shape posthumous fate.
Personal Accountability:
Wang’s punishment for “knowing yet violating the law” underscores individual responsibility and societal norms.
In essence, Li Boyan weaves supernatural elements into profound themes of justice, karma, and ethics, urging reflection on moral conduct and social duty.
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