A common figure in the final hell, Madame Meng (far left) brews her tea of forgetfulness which all those who pass through hell must drink. Because of that tea, we have no remembrance of hell or lives past. As the Vidor collection (p. 46) describes her establishment: "She is the presiding goddess of the Terrace of Oblivion. Messengers are being dispatched by her to collect leaves for the "Tea of Five Tastes" and water from earthly ponds. From those ingredients she skillfully prepares beverages which are sweet, sour, pungent, bitter, or salty for the migrating souls. After drinking these potions each soul forgets everything which has happened in its former life, and then it proceeds to the tenth court." For other depictions of Madame Meng, see B10, C6, I1, J3, K10, S3 and S5. For a description of Madame Meng by a Taiwanese spiritual medium who had engaged in a series of hell tours between 1976 and 1979, see Voyages to hell, Chapter 57.
