Book of Life and Death
| Book of Life and Death | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chinese | 生死簿 | ||||||||
| Literal meaning | Registry of Life and Death | ||||||||
| |||||||||
The Book of Life and Death, or Registry of Life and Death (Chinese: 生死簿; pinyin: Shēngsǐ bù) is a mythical registry in Chinese mythology and folk religion that records the lifespans, birth times, and exact times of death for all living beings across the Three Realms. According to legend, it is kept in the Underworld (Diyu) and serves as the absolute authority dictating the cycle of life and death.
Concept and function
The concept of a unified registry of life and death evolved from early Chinese astrological worship and Daoist cosmology. In early traditions, the jurisdiction over mortal lifespans was divided between two celestial deities rather than a single Underworld king. According to foundational texts such as Gan Bao's In Search of the Supernatural (搜神记), a central cosmological rule dictates: "The Southern Dipper decrees birth, the Northern Dipper decrees death" (南斗注生，北斗注死). Originally, the Southern Dipper star god maintained the "Birth Ledger" (生簿), while the Northern Dipper star god managed the "Death Ledger" (死簿). Over time, folklore merged these distinct registries into the singular Book of Life and Death managed by the Underworld bureaucracy.[1]
In traditional Chinese folk belief, the Book of Life and Death is strictly managed by Yanluo Wang (King Yama), the ruler of the Underworld, and physically held and maintained by his primary deputies, the Judges (Panguan, 判官).[2]
The book records the life cycle, accumulated karma, past lives up to 99 generations, and the allotted lifespan of every human and animal. When a life reaches its destined end, Yanluo Wang sends emissaries such as Heibai Wuchang (Black and White Impermanence) and Ox-Head and Horse-Face to collect the soul and bring it to the Underworld for judgment.[2]
According to mythology, the rules of the Book of Life and Death are absolute; once a date of death is written, no mortal or immortal can escape it. Its supernatural reach is considered limitless, requiring only a person's name and Bazi (Eight Characters of birth) to instantly determine their fate.[3]
Historical origins
While ancient Chinese people held general beliefs about predestined lifespans dictated by the heavens, the specific bureaucratic concept of an Underworld "registry" evolved over time. Early literary references to a physical book determining life and death can be found in the Song dynasty. For instance, the Yijian Zhi (夷坚志; Record of the Listener) compiled by Hong Mai includes a tale titled The Rebirth of Zheng Lin (郑邻再生), wherein the Underworld authorities check the Registry of Life and Death and discover that the protagonist still has a decade and a half of his lifespan remaining.[4][5]
In literature
Most stories associated with the Book of Life and Death originate from classical Chinese literature rather than formal religious canon.
In Journey to the West, Sun Wukong (the Monkey King) travels to the Underworld, confronts the Ten Kings of Hell, and demands to see the Book of Life and Death. After finding his name, he crosses out both his own name and the names of all the monkeys in his tribe, freeing them from death. Later in the novel, an Underworld judge secretly alters the Book to extend the lifespan of Emperor Taizong before returning his soul to the world of the living.[6]
In modern adaptations of Lotus Lantern, the protagonist Liu Chenxiang enters the 18 levels of Hell to save his family. During his journey, he destroys the Book of Life and Death, causing his villagers to become free from illness, aging, and death.[7]
In modern contemporary literature, the Book of Life and Death is frequently conceptualized as the "Book of Man" (人书), forming a cosmic triad alongside the Book of Heaven (天书; often represented by the Investiture of the Gods) and the Book of Earth (地书; represented by the Classic of Mountains and Seas).[8]
See also
- Diyu (Chinese Underworld)
- Yanluo Wang (King Yama)
- Heibai Wuchang
- Book of Life (Christian equivalent concept)
- Akashic records
References
- ^ Gan Bao. 搜神记 [In Search of the Supernatural] (in Chinese). Vol. 3.
- ^ a b Fabian Graham, ed. (2020). Voices from the Underworld: Chinese Hell deity worship in contemporary Singapore and Malaysia. Manchester University Press. ISBN 9781526140586.
- ^ Teiser, Stephen F. (1994). The Scripture on the Ten Kings and the Making of Purgatory in Medieval Chinese Buddhism (PDF). University of Hawaii Press. p. 171.
- ^ Hong Mai. "郑邻再生 (The Rebirth of Zheng Lin)". 夷坚志 (Record of the Listener) (in Chinese). 中华书局 (Zhonghua Book Company).
- ^ "生死簿". 重編國語辭典修訂本 (Revised Mandarin Chinese Dictionary) (in Chinese). Ministry of Education (Taiwan). Retrieved 2026-06-07.
- ^ Wu Cheng'en. "第三回：四海千山皆拱伏 九幽十类尽除名 (Chapter 3)". 西游记 (Journey to the West) (in Chinese). 人民文学出版社 (People's Literature Publishing House).
- ^ "09月22日CCTV-8 14：20 电视剧：宝莲灯21-23" (in Chinese). CCTV. 2007-09-18.
- ^ "天、地、人书都是什么？为何民间传说：看懂三部书，万事不用愁？ (What are the Books of Heaven, Earth, and Man?)" (in Chinese). 艺述史. 2022-03-10.