Vietnamese Mythology Retold: Creation of The 18 Levels of Hell
"Livin' hard, we make Death harder!" - said Mẫu Địa Phủ, Vietnamese's God of Death.
Thanatos woke up one day to laughter, a very rare occurrence indeed in the Land of the Death. He looked over to his twin brother, Hypnos, to see him at the same position a thousand years ago: face down on his pillow. Thanatos turned his brother around and tugged him in the blanket, then left to see the source of the commotion. He found it quickly, for the deceased at the Asphodel Meadows has formed a circle around four women.
From his vantage point high above, Thanatos recognized two of the women immediately. The intoxicating perfume of the Goddess of Love, Aphrodite, wafted up to him, while Athena's gleaming armor left no doubt as to her identity. However, the other two women, who appeared to be twins, were unfamiliar to him. They mirrored each other's actions and seemed strangely synchronized. They reminded him of Hel, daughter of Loki. While Hel’s other half was pale, like a corpse drained of blood, the twin had one half of their bodies completely rotten and shriveled, even the maggots that fed on them had starved, falling out of several crevasses on their faces and body.
"Thanatos, come. This fair lady asked specifically for you," Athena's voice echoed in his mind as he hovered above them. Goddesses’ intuition, Thanatos thought.
“M..e? Fo..r me?” - Thanatos said with confidence as he descended.
“Am Mẫu Địa Phủ.” - The twins spoke in unison, their accent strong, and embraced Thanatos even before his feet touched the ground.
“He… Hello, Mẫu. I am Thanatos.” - He managed to talk through crushed lungs, his eyes darted between them.
“I know ‘chu. ‘Chu Death like me. I nid help! Create my Hell.” - They spoke again, simultaneously.
Noticing his stares, Mẫu added:
“Oh. No mind her. She’s my shadow. My Hell dark. I lonely, created her for fun.” - She kneaded the waist of her tattered cloth, embarassed.
“Lady Mẫu here admires your realm, Thanatos, and would like to ask for your assistance in creating her own.” - Athena, ever the reader of moods, saved the conversation from the swift strike of awkwardness.
Even now, they do not know I do not own this place, Thanatos thought. The Gods of Olympus and their fear of Death.
“W…ould it not better to… to ask Lord Hades?”
"She believes your expertise aligns better with her vision, and you know how occupied Lord Hades can be," Athena reasoned.
And I’m not? He doesn’t do anything but the paperwork, I’m the once actually having to collect the souls here! He’s going to have to give them a piece of his mind!
“That… That’s fine. I can help. Of course. Lord Hades is busy anyway.” - Yeah, that showed them.
Athena, with her wisdom, sensed the hesitation in Thanatos' response and added, "Thanatos, your expertise in the matters of death and the afterlife is unparalleled. Mẫu Địa Phủ believes that your guidance and knowledge are essential in crafting her realm according to her unique vision. Your assistance would be greatly appreciated."
Not knowing what else to do, Thanatos nodded. "Very well. I shall help you the best I can.”
Mẫu Địa Phủ (and her shadow)'s shriveled half-smile remained as she replied, "Don't chu worry, Thanatos. Mẫu have plan.”
Well, she’s extremely creative, that’s for sure.
Under Mẫu Địa Phủ's guidance and with Thanatos's expertise, The 18 Levels of Hell, Vietnam’s version of the Underworld, was constructed. Mẫu had a vision for her domain, a “justice” she insisted on applying to the souls who entered her realm.
The 18 Levels of Hell were named and designed as follows:
Bạt Thiết Địa Ngục (The Hell of Flaying Tongues): Reserved for those who engaged in slander, insult, and hurtful speech towards others. Punishment involved having their tongues slowly ripped out with a pair of tongs.
Tiễn Đao Địa Ngục (The Hell of Matchmaking): Reserved for those who meddled in the relationships of married couples or played a role in extramarital affairs. Punishment involved the severing of fingers.
Thiết Thụ Địa Ngục (The Hell of Flesh-Rending Trees): Reserved for those who caused divisions within families, such as between parents and children or siblings. Punishment involved being impaled on trees, only these trees have knives and blades instead of branches.
Nguyệt Kính Địa Ngục (The Hell of Reflecting Mirrors): Souls were made to confront their past actions and their consequences before being assigned to other levels of Hell. Often reserved for those who escaped imprisonment after committing a crime. This Level is more for administrative purpose. Mẫu was an early adopter of sustainable development.
Chưng Lưng Địa Ngục (The Hell of Grinding Wheels): Reserved for those who engaged in malicious gossip, spreading false rumors, and slander. Punishment involved being put into human-sized freezers, then ground to dust on a millstone.
Đồng Trụ Địa Ngục (The Hell of Copper Poles): Souls who committed arson, or tried to destroy evidence of crime, are sent here. The severity of punishment depended on the gravity of their sins. For example, you smoked a cigar and caused an office fire: ten minutes of being burn alive on the titular Copper Poles. You caused a forest fire and killed hundreds of wildlife? You are sent straight into an active volcano.
Đao Sơn Địa Ngục (The Hell of Blade Mountains): Reserved for those who killed, no matter how small the life is. You better think again before squatting that mosquito, or you risked a lifetime of climbing on mountains that have razor blades jutted out of them, bare naked.
Băng Sơn Địa Ngục (The Hell of Icy Mountains): Souls were forced to climb icy mountains, symbolizing their transgressions related to lust, adultery, and sexual misconduct.
Dầu Oa Địa Ngục (The Hell of Boiling Oil): Reserved for those who engaged in deceit, theft, fraud, and exploitation. Punishment involved being stripped naked (again), then put on an automatic grill while demons pour oil on you, slowly cooking you like a stuffed pig.
Ngưu Khanh Địa Ngục (The Hell of Wild Bulls): Reserved for those who took pleasure in causing harm to others, including physical harm and violence. Punishment: The Bull Running Festival of Spain, but you can only lie down.
Thạch Áp Địa Ngục (The Hell of Stone): Reserved for those who committed infanticide or abandoned their children. This hell is a huge, empty room. At random intervals, stones will rain from the sky at meteor-speed.
Thung Cữu Địa Ngục (The Hell of Wastefulness): Souls who wasted food, resources, or showed disrespect for their elders were put into a giant mortar. The remains will be used to build the walls of other Hells. You are still fully conscious even in wall form.
Huyết Trì Địa Ngục (The Hell of Blood Rivers): Reserved for those who lacked respect for their parents. The sinners are thrown into boiling blood.
Uổng Tử Địa Ngục (The Hell of Self-Destruction): Souls who committed suicide were sent to this level, where they were transformed into animals, losing the chance to reincarnate.
Trách Hình Địa Ngục (The Hell of Body Shredders): Reserved for those who desecrated graves, or disturbed the resting places of the deceased. Punishment involved being torn apart, limp from limp, tooth after tooth.
Hoả Sơn Địa Ngục (The Hell of Volcanoes): Souls who embezzled, cheated, and engaged in corrupt practices were sent to this level. Remember the volcano we talked about earlier? The souls here have to wear suits AND PANTS made of lava.
Thạch Ma Địa Ngục (The Hell of Stone Horses): Reserved for those who goes against their beliefs (eating meat after declaring you’re vegan, having premarital sex as a Catholic…). Punishment involved being chased by stone horses, forever.
Đao Cư Địa Ngục (The Hell of Chopping Blocks): Reserved for those who harm children. Punishment involved being dissect from crotch to head with a saw.
As the 18 Levels of Hell took shape, the realm grew more horrifying and menacing, reflecting the unique vision and values of Mẫu Địa Phủ. Souls passing through these levels would face their sins head-on and undergo various forms of torment as a means of purification and atonement for their transgressions. When they are deemed “atone,” they have a chance for reincarnation (except if you land in Hell 14).
And that’s not even half of what Mẫu had in mind.