WanlingsiChinese Underworld Atlas
Places · NO. 021

Mirror of Deeds

孽镜台

A lifetime of hidden acts comes into view.

Niejing Tai · Revealing wrongdoingPopular morality literature

Evidence that cannot be concealed

The Mirror of Deeds reveals conduct that a soul may have hidden during life. In the first-court account of Yuli Baochao, those whose wrongdoing outweighs their good deeds are brought to a raised mirror before being sent onward for judgment. The device gives visible form to the warning that secrecy cannot cancel moral consequences.

A setting with a textual history

Buddhist karmic mirrors and Daoist spirit-revealing mirrors provide broader parallels, but this named terrace and its detailed placement should be tied to the particular morality-book tradition. Earlier prototypes and exact dates need separate investigation. Fengdu displays, popular performances, and modern fiction further developed its appearance and powers. A mirror that replays every past life is an artistic extension, not a detail that should automatically be attributed to all older sources. The atlas uses the familiar scene while making its narrative setting clear.

Games

You’ve met the spirits. Write your own story.

These fictional games are for entertainment. Scores, probabilities and character outcomes do not represent traditional karma or actual destiny.

Play the game
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