Mingbaoji 冥報記

Mingbaoji 冥報記 "Requitals from the netherworld" is a collection of Buddhist stories compiled during the Tang period 唐 (618-907) by Tang Lin 唐臨 (600-659), courtesy name Bende 本德. In the bibliographical chapter of the official dynastic history Jiutangshu 舊唐書, the book is categorised as "miscellaneous biographies" (zazhuan 雜傳). Still, from the Xintangshu 新唐書 onwards, it was regarded as fiction and classified among the novellas.

While ancient book catalogues indicate a length of 2 juan, the transmitted version is arranged into 3 juan. The text of the book is quoted in the Buddhist encyclopaedia Fayuan zhulin 法苑珠林 and the Song-period 宋 (960-1279) collection Taiping guangji 太平廣記. The contents of Tang's 53 stories all relate to karmic retribution and strange, supernatural tales. Seven of them are dated historically to the pre-Tang period. In his preface, Tang Lin explains that the purpose of this book was "to clarify good and evil, to admonish future generations, and to inspire deep reflection in all who hear it". Moreover, at the end of each chapter, he explains the sources of what he has heard and seen to verify their authenticity.

Only a small number of stories concern Buddhist monks, whereas the majority focus on high-ranking officials and their deeds. The accounts of Xinxing 信行 (540-594), the founder of the "Three-Stages Teaching" (sanjie jiao 三階教), and his disciple Huiru 慧如 help to supplement what is lacking in the Buddhist bibliography Da-Tang neidian lu 大唐內典錄 and the biographical collection Xu gaoseng zhuan 續高僧傳.

The book is also included in the series Hanfenlou miji 涵芬樓秘笈. An annotated modern edition was published in 1992 by the Zhonghua Shuju Press 中華書局.