King Yan

In both ancient and modern times, Yan is portrayed as a large man with a scowling red face, bulging eyes, and a long beard.

He wears traditional robes and a judge's cap or a crown which bears the Chinese character for "king" (王).

He typically appears on Chinese hell money in the position reserved for political figures on regular currency.

When Sun Wukong met King Yan, he said "Since you have attained to the position of Judge in Hell, you should clearly understand the grounds of rewards and punishments.

Generally seen as a stern deity, King Yan is also a righteous and fair Supreme Judge in underworld or skillful advocate of Dharma.

[2] 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.

[4] The spirits of the dead, on being judged by Yan, 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.

[6] Drawing from various Indian texts and local culture, the Chinese tradition proposes several versions concerning the number of hells and deities who are at their head.

The other nine kings are: Qinguangwang (秦廣王), Chujiangwang (楚江王), Songdiwang (宋帝王), Wuguanwang (五官王), Bianchengwang (卞城王), Taishanwang (泰山王), Pingdengwang (平等王) Dushiwang (都市王) Zhuanlunwang (轉輪王), typically Taoist names.

[7] However, Yanluo Wang later disappears completely from the list, giving way to a historical figure, a magistrate appointed during his lifetime as judge of the dead by a superior deity.