In the
syncretic and non-dogmatic world of
Chinese religious views, Yanluo Wang's interpretation can vary greatly from person to person. While some recognize him as a
Buddhist deity, others regard him as a
Daoist counterpart of Bodhisattva
Kṣitigarbha. Generally seen as a stern deity, Yanluo Wang is also a righteous and fair Supreme Judge in underworld or skillful advocate of
Dharma. Yanluo Wang is not only the ruler but also the judge of the
underworld and passes judgment on all the dead. He always appears in a male form, and his minions include a judge who holds in his hands a brush and a book listing every soul and the allotted death date for every life.
Ox-Head and Horse-Face, the fearsome guardians of hell, bring the newly dead, one by one, before Yan for judgement. Men or women with merit will be rewarded good future lives or even revival in their
previous life. Men or women who committed misdeeds will be sentenced to
suffering or miserable future lives. In some versions, Yanluo Wang divides Diyu into eight, ten, or eighteen courts each ruled by a different Yanluo Wang, such as King Chujiang, who rules the court reserved for thieves and murderers. The spirits of the dead, on being judged by Yanluo Wang, are supposed to either pass through a term of enjoyment in a region midway between the earth and the heaven of the gods or to undergo their measure of
punishment in the nether world. Neither location is permanent and after a time, they return to Earth in new bodies. Yanluo Wang was sometimes considered to be a position in the celestial
hierarchy, rather than an
individual. There were said to be cases in which an honest mortal was rewarded the post of Yanluo Wang and served as the judge and ruler of the underworld. Some said common people like
Bao Zheng became the Yanluo Wang at night or after death. Once a King of Hell has served out his sentence in Hell, he is able to reincarnate on Earth again or leave the cycle entirely. == Relationship with Indian religion==