Will Justice Be Served in the Afterlife? Find out in “Journey through Hell”
GuoGuang Opera Company’s Journey through Hell takes us on an extraordinary journey to the Underworld, where a disheartened scholar is appointed as Yama, the King of Hell, for twelve hours. Driven by a desire for justice, he seeks to bring fairness to the spirits who were wronged in life.
Sense of Wander: ★★★★☆
An Underworld official heightens the tension of hell by breathing fire onstage. Image courtesy of GuoGuang Opera Company.
TAIPEI, Taiwan — I first watched Journey through Hell (閻羅夢), an award-winning production by GuoGuang Opera Company, in 2020. It coincided with my temporary relocation to Taiwan during the pandemic. I have long been an amateur of Chinese opera, but this was my first encounter with what the troupe refers to as their “newly adapted Peking opera” (xīn biān jīng jù). In the years that followed, I attended nearly every new production by the company — yes, this single play made that much of an impact on me.
This fall, Journey through Hell was restaged at the Taiwan Traditional Theatre Centre, and I eagerly secured a ticket to see it again, knowing it would be my first time watching the same play twice. If you were to ask me whether my second experience was, in any way, similar to the first, I would tell you that it was very different. Here’s how.
After accusing the senior official of corruption, Sima Mao is beaten by the guards. Image courtesy of GuoGuang Opera Company.
Journey through Hell follows Sima Mao, a scholar struggling to secure a civil position because he is too poor to bribe the senior official for a seat. One night, while he sleeps, his spirit is summoned by Yama.
In East Asian culture, Yama is seen as the King of Hell, overseeing the Underworld and passing judgment on the dead, whose afterlives depend on their past deeds. Upon discovering the wronged spirits wandering in the Underworld, the proud scholar questions Yama’s abilities.
He pens a missive to the Jade Emperor — the Ruler of all Heavens — proposing that the spirits would be better cared for if he could replace Yama as the King of Hell and restore justice in the Underworld. Remarkably, his wish is granted.
While asleep, Sima Mao’s spirit, summoned by Yama, wanders in the Underworld among restless souls. Image courtesy of GuoGuang Opera Company.
Sima Mao has only twelve hours to fulfill the role of Yama. He begins by proposing a retrial of old cases involving notable historical figures: Xiang Yu (232-202 B.C), a charismatic military leader renowned for his prowess on the battlefield; Yu Ji (circa 230-202 B.C), Xiang Yu’s wife, celebrated for her tragic loyalty; and Han Xin (circa 230-196 B.C), a brilliant strategist and general instrumental in establishing the Han Dynasty. Unfortunately, Han Xin’s influence later led to him being framed for plotting treason against Emperor Gaozu of Han (reigned 202-195 B.C).
After learning the injustices they faced, the interim Yama decides on their reincarnations. Xiang Yu will be reborn as Guan Yu (160-220), ensuring he becomes literate in the classics and will found a new empire alongside his sworn brothers. Yu Ji will be reincarnated as the wife of Liu Bei, one of Guan Yu’s sworn brothers, so she can avoid suffering a tragic death once more. In this new life, Guan Yu will protect his “sister-in-law” to make amends for her sacrifice in the past. Lastly, Han Xin will reincarnate as Cao Cao (155-220), who will rise to lead during the decline of the Han Empire.
The substitute Yama witnesses the fall of Xiang Yu. According to legend, Xiang Yu’s loyal steed, Wuzhui (personified as the character on the right), leapt into the Wu River to die alongside its master. Image courtesy of GuoGuang Opera Company.
Audiences familiar with Records of the Three Kingdoms (Sān Guó Zhì) will already know the power dynamics and the ultimate fates of these characters. In the Underworld, the spirit of Liu Bei’s wife expresses her frustration, feeling that her existence merely serves to further Guan Yu’s legacy. Guan Yu, in turn, laments that loyalty and righteousness are difficult to sever, noting that not all noble deeds — such as allowing Cao Cao to escape at Huarong Pass — are recognised or remembered in history. Cao Cao also voices his discontent: while his dominance is recorded in the annals of history, public opinion tells a different story. On stage, he is always depicted with a white-painted face — a symbol of treachery — and portrayed as a power-hungry tyrant.
To bring about justice, Sima Mao issues another judgment, reincarnating Guan Yu as Li Yu (937-978), the last lord of the Southern Tang dynasty. Li Yu is captured by Zhao Kuangyin (927-976), the founding emperor of the Song dynasty and a reincarnation of Cao Cao. In this new life, Li’s empress, Queen Zhou the Younger, is the reincarnation of Liu Bei’s wife.
I remember watching this play for the first time and feeling overwhelmed by the various reincarnations, missing the irony woven throughout the story. However, while watching it for the second time, I was able to easily grasp the nuances.
In the Underworld, Cao Cao (left) and Guan Yu (right) lament the imperfections of their lives, longing for a better reincarnation in the next. Image courtesy of GuoGuang Opera Company.
At this point, most audience members would understand what the playwright of Journey through Hell is trying to convey through this story: the cycle of suffering and injustice — regardless of the reincarnations these spirits have taken on — can be endless. Our poor scholar also realises he has overlooked the old Yama’s abilities, as he too once made the same judgments as Sima Mao, hundreds of years ago.
As the old Yama exclaims, “In life, things rarely go as we wish.” While we long for good deeds to be rewarded and evil ones to be punished, maintaining a clear distinction between kindness and wrongdoing may only perpetuate this cycle.
The play reaches its climax when all the spirits in hell gather to demand justice. Unexpectedly, some of those wronged in life conclude that perhaps it would be better to be reincarnated as a simple, poor scholar in their next life — just like Sima Mao, who is clearly dissatisfied with his own existence and laments that corruption in the system prevents him from realising his ambitions.
In a moment of epiphany, the proud Sima Mao comes to realise that his judgment is no different from those made by the old Yama hundreds of years ago. Image courtesy of GuoGuang Opera Company.
“What a life-changing experience for Sima Mao,” we might think. Once the twelve hours are up, Sima Mao relinquishes his seat back to the old Yama and returns to the living world. Yet, it seems that his memories of the Underworld have faded entirely. The scholar awakens from this “dream” without any recollection, crying out his desire to fulfill his ambitions.
It’s worth noting that the theme of dreams weaves throughout the play, with each section titled accordingly: Pursuing Dream, Entering Dream, The Dream, and Awakening from the Dream. This concept recalls the troupe’s earlier production, A Dream of Death and Life, in 2023. It’s fitting that after experiencing the various stages of dream, the scholar returns to “Pursuing Dream,” bringing the narrative full circle.
Do you see yourself as someone like our poor scholar, Sima Mao, whose life lacks opportunities to showcase your talents and abilities? If so, consider making a wish before you go to bed tonight. Who knows? You might just be summoned by Yama and embark on a unique journey that could change your life, or at least transform the way you experience it.
Some final thoughts — Looking back, this edition of Journey through Hell differs slightly from the version performed in 2020. New elements have been introduced, such as the personification of Xiang Yu and Guan Yu’s steeds on stage. However, some scenes have been removed, most notably my favourite from the 2020 performance. In that scene, the Underworld official, or panguan, made a grand entrance, standing on an elevated platform and blowing fire in all cardinal directions, heightening the tension of Hell. In the latest edition, however, the panguan’s presence is diminished, blending into the crowd of Underworld officials without making his solo entrance.
While this change may be slightly disappointing, Journey through Hell remains a modern classic in Peking opera, captivating newcomers with its vivid depiction of the Underworld and offering fresh nuances for returning viewers.
GuoGuang Opera Company’s Journey through Hell was performed at the Taiwan Traditional Theatre Centre in Taipei from September 27 to 29, 2024.