King of Hell: The Ten Judgments of Hell (Detail)

The central figure is a high-ranking deity or judge in the Chinese underworld, depicted with a stout build, a heavy beard, and a crown, wearing elaborate red, green, and gold-trimmed armor reminiscent of Qing-dynasty military costume. He gestures with his right hand while sitting on a traditional chair. To his right, an attendant in a red robe stands clutching a scroll or plaque, while a guardian figure below is partially visible, holding a long pole-arm with a blade. The painting style uses bold color blocking with visible mineral pigments on a light, aged paper background.

This artwork belongs to the 'Ten Kings' (Shiwang) tradition of Chinese Buddhism, where the deceased are judged by ten kings over the course of forty-nine days to several years following death. These scenes often integrate Buddhist morality with Daoist bureaucracy, drawing from the 'Sutra of the Ten Kings' to visualize the administrative machinery of the afterlife.