本文主要以現存南朝各種應驗記為材料，探討了在南朝民眾佛教信徒中廣泛存在的地獄信仰。正是這種民眾地獄信仰，在中國傳統中，潛移默化地注入了因果報應、六道輪迴等佛教信仰。生前作惡，死後在地獄中受苦，受苦贖罪完畢，亡者可以昇天轉世，這是南朝地獄信仰的基本模式；而為了儘早結束地獄之苦，齋醮誦經，經像崇拜等各種佛教因緣元素紛紛加入地獄信仰之中，這也迫切要求最終出現一位佛教的度人師，總管惡鬼超拔。由此可見，南朝佛教的地獄信仰，幾乎能夠整合當時中國人所有的佛教信仰實踐，並產生了許多新的中國佛教信仰元素。

This paper discusses the pervasive belief in Buddhist hell amongst common Buddhist laities in the Southern Dynasties, based on various records of miraculous responses. It is this belief in hell that changed and influenced the Chinese traditional culture unobtrusively and imperceptibly, by infusing the Buddhist notions of karma and samsara. The basic patterns of belief in hell in the Southern Dynasties were as follows: if one did evil things during a lifetime, one would suffer in hell after death; but when finished expiating sins, the deceased could ascend to the heaven and become reborn. As a response to the demand to end the sufferings in the hell as soon as possible, many Buddhist practices were added into the system of beliefs in hell, such as chanting, setting up an altar and praying, worshipping Buddhist statues and scriptures, as well as a Buddhist master who was in charge of releasing the souls of evil ghosts from purgatory. The author argues that the beliefs in hell in the Southern Dynasties, not only integrated almost all the Buddhist practices at that time, but also led to many new Chinese Buddhist elements.