The Cat Judge of the Underworld

The Cat Judge of the Underworld, 2025
Watercolor & ink
18"x12"

Born in Taiwan and now living in the United States, I’ve been inspired by the cultural contrasts in religious beliefs. In Taiwan, the Buddhist concept of the Eighteen Levels of Hell fascinated me, so I reimagined it with cats. Wanting to protect my beloved cat characters, I designed gentler punishments, such as a boiling hot spring and a sushi-making station with near-cutting blades. The scene features a Meng Po Soup stall, where souls drink to forget their past lives, and the Naihe Bridge, which leads to the Cat Yama King’s court. I used purples, reds, blues, and greens in watercolor to evoke a mysterious, spiritual atmosphere of judgment and reincarnation.