The Buddhistic abortion/delivery death portraits such as ”Dohtai-chanwang-yanhan-dashu-guhuzhong”(墮胎產亡嚴寒大暑孤魂眾) and ”Dohta-ichanwang-chouyuan-baohen-zhuguishenzhong” (墮胎產亡讎冤抱恨諸鬼神眾) revealed the problems of abortion, delivery death and baby drowning in Ming Dynasty. These problems are a consequence of contemporary sexual liberation, and these portraits also exhibit the social functions of Buddhism in providing a mental remediation regarding the aforementioned problems. Abortion was thought to be a serious moral defect, these women usually sought nun for the drugs for abortion. Infraction or not depended on the motive in administrating these drugs. Improper usage of these drugs certainly led to an increase in delivery deaths. Baby drowning is an even worse sin for a new life, but the laws and also the Buddhistic concept of ”transmigration of soul” did not effectively inhibit these tragedies. Moral educations and religious ceremonies were therefore conducted.
