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Asia-Pacific in the Making of the Americas: Toward a Global HistoryMain MenuThe Spanish PacificThe China Trade Era19th-Century US PacificTimelineby Andrea LedesmaGalleryCollection of all images, documents, and photos featured on this site.AcknowledgementsCaroline Franka1a5e7e9a2c3dba76ecb2896a93bf66ac8d1635e
In addition to the depictions of real penalties in literary sources, Chinese art has a long tradition of portraying the punishments in the legendary Buddhist hells, since at least the introduction of Buddhism in China in the Han Dynasty. Through describing the severity of Buddhist hells, this artwork was intended to urge people to convert and live according to Buddhist creeds. For instance, paintings such as Hell Depiction (地狱图) by Zhang Xiaoshi or Depiction of Retribution in Hell (地獄變相圖) by Wu Daozi were believed to be authentic presentations of the cruelty in Buddhist hells, persuading people to convert. Portrayals of the eighteen hells in the Buddhist afterlife were especially popular among ordinary people, seen most spectacularly in the Dazu Rock Carvings in Chongqing, Sichuan Province (below). This tradition in artistic expression not only influenced later Chinese artwork of punishment scenes, but in addition Westerners in China most likely saw Buddhist hell depictions, further impacting their view that cruel tortures characterized the Chinese legal system.
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1media/Chinese punishment 1.pngmedia/chinesepunishmentbanner.jpg2016-02-26T12:37:33-08:00Caroline Franka1a5e7e9a2c3dba76ecb2896a93bf66ac8d1635eChinese Punishment in Export ArtAndrea Ledesma21by Jiang Yinghe. Trans. by Bohao Wuimage_header2423072017-02-01T08:20:04-08:00Andrea Ledesma3398f082e76a2c1c8a9101d91a66e1d764540d34
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12016-06-29T10:25:39-07:00Wing Tai Hing, Buddhist Hell Painting3"This is a case of dearly beloved burglary in which the thiefs are breaking open the boxes, and stealing therefrom clothing and valuables to the amount of 300 shekels; while the Mrs. of the house is sleeping very comfortably in her bed dreaming of her man and her servant-girl squatting under it, dream of her chow. The burglars are punished in the hell by being forced to climb up the hill of swords and by wearing hand-cuff. In their re-appearance in this world they are again punished, one by wearing cangue or wooden collar, and the other by decapitation."media/PunishmentHellPainting.jpgplain2016-09-21T08:40:41-07:00
