Japaneses myths: The White Butterfly....

 

 

 

 

                                      The White Butterfly

An old man named Takahama lived in a little house behind the cemetery of the temple of Sozanji. He was extremely amiable and generally liked by his neighbors, though most of them considered him to be a little mad. His madness, it would appear, entirely rested upon the fact that he had never married or showed any  desire for intimate companionship with women.

One summer day he became very ill, so ill, in fact, that he sent for his sister-in-law and her son. They both came and did all they could to bring comfort during his last hours. While they watched, Takahama fell asleep; but he had no sooner done so than a large white butterfly flew into the room and rested on the old man's pillow. The young man tried to drive it away with a fan; but it came back three times, as if loath to leave the sufferer.

At last Takahama's nephew chased it out into the garden, through the gate, and into the cemetery beyond, where it lingered over a woman's tomb, and then mysteriously disappeared. On examining the tomb the young man found the name "Akiko" written upon it, together with a description narrating how Akiko died when she was eighteen. Though the tomb was covered with moss and must have been erected fifty years previously, the boy saw that it was surrounded with flowers, and that the little water tank had been recently filled.

When the young man returned to the house he found that Takahama had passed away, and he returned to his mother and told her what he had seen in the cemetery.

"Akiko?" murmured his mother. "When your uncle was young he was betrothed to Akiko. She died of consumption shortly before her wedding day. 

When Akiko left this world your uncle resolved never to marry, and to live ever near her grave. For all these years he has remained faithful to his vow, and kept in his heart all the sweet memories of his one and only love. Every day Takahama went to the cemetery, whether the air was fragrant with summer breeze or thick with falling snow.

 Every day he would visit her grave and pray for her happiness, swept the tomb and set flowers there. 

When Takahama was dying, and he could no longer perform his loving task, Akiko came for him. That white butterfly was her sweet and loving soul."

 

Cross in the Sky. ☁️✝️☁️

On Friday April 18th 2025 (Good Friday) people witnessed a cloud shaped like a glowing cross in the night sky over Sydney, Australian.

The cross appeared to be glowing while being lit up by the moonlight breaking through, created a striking and symbolic image that many found moving, especially given the timing that close to Easter. 

However, meteorologists trying to rain on everyone's parade claim it was a nothing more then a natural optical phenomenon caused by light interacting with turbulent weather patterns. Whether you see it as a religious sign or simply a beautiful natural effect doesn't matter, it still looks cool.

Solitude ..

 

Solitude

BY ELLA WHEELER WILCOX

Laugh, and the world laughs with you;

Weep, and you weep alone;

For the sad old earth must borrow its mirth,

But has trouble enough of its own.

Sing, and the hills will answer;

Sigh, it is lost on the air;

The echoes bound to a joyful sound,

But shrink from voicing care.

Rejoice, and men will seek you;

Grieve, and they turn and go;

They want full measure of all your pleasure,

But they do not need your woe.

Be glad, and your friends are many;

Be sad, and you lose them all,—

There are none to decline your nectared wine,

But alone you must drink life’s gall.

Feast, and your halls are crowded;

Fast, and the world goes by.

Succeed and give, and it helps you live,

But no man can help you die.

There is room in the halls of pleasure

For a large and lordly train,

But one by one we must all file on

Through the narrow aisles of pain.

Luna: Goddess of the Moon 🌕

            🌕Moon goddesses 🌕           

The moon has captivated humans since the beginning of time.

Every culture in every corner of the globe has some myth or legend regarding it's origin or the god or goddess's that represents it.

Luna the Roman Goddess of the Moon.

Luna is the Roman goddesses of the moon, and her Greek counterparts we're often formed in a triadic manner hence Luna was associated with two further goddesses, Diana and Hecate. Luna was the goddess in heaven and of the full moon (Greek counterpart being Selene), Diana was the goddess on earth and of the halfmoon (Greek Artemis) and Hecate (or Hekate) was the goddess in the underworld and of the dark moon.

Diana was originally a goddess of fertility and was worshipped by women as the giver of fertility and easy births.

 She was also the goddess of nature and of hunting. 

Hecate was the underworld goddess of magic and witchcraf, she is often linked with Luna and  Diana but is also further association with other goddesses linked to chastity and childbirth such as Prosperina and Juno Lucina, an ancient maternal character. The latter may even have been a more central figure within the triad of moon goddesses with Hecate being a later addition.

The multiple facets of women, femininity and childbirth were believed to be associated with the phases of the moon: the new moon represented the maiden goddess, Diana, always new, virginal, reborn and ready for the hunt whereas the waxing moon increasing in size represented the fertile mother goddess, pregnant with life. 

The darkening moon reflected the wise crone or witch, Hecate, with power to heal and transform.and Luna being a literal representation of the moon and sky in all it's beauty.

🌖🌕🌘

HEKATE (Hecate) was the guardian of the crossways and goddess of magic, witchcraft, the night, moon, ghosts and necromancy. She was the only child of the Titanes Perses and Asteria from whom she received her power over heaven, earth, and sea. She also represents the Maiden, Mother and Croon with statues often showing three faces.

The Romans believed that the moon controlled many other facets of  life including the wind, rain, tides, animal life, mineral growth and earthquakes. Suetonius (Roman historian AD69 - AD122) wrote ‘The moon is a great magnet of vapour and all substances characterised by moisture. When the moon grows so do all fruits, and as it was, so they also shrink’. 

Luna was also believed to have the power to mask reality, to pierce illusion, to awaken intuition and to spark visions. This latter arising from association of the night and the moon with dreams.

 She was also known as a patron of solutions which came to people in dreams, when the subconscious mind processes information.

🌕Other Moon Goddess's 🌕

Rhiannona A Welsh, Celtic Goddess of the moon, horse's fertility rebirth and forgiveness.

Devana, A Slavic Moon Goddess also associate with nature, forests and hunting. She the equivalent of the Greek goddess Artemis and the Roman goddess Diana.

Selene Titan goddess and personification of the moon. She was depicted as a woman riding sidesaddle on a horse or driving a chariot drawn by a pair of winged horse's 

 

Goddess Myeongwol; Korean goddess of the moon her beauty shins brightest during the full moon.

Chang'e Originally known as Heng'e, is the goddess of the Moon and wife of Yi, the great archer. Renowned by her beauty, Chang'e is also known for her ascending to the moon with her pet Yu Tu, the Moon Rabbit and living in the Moon

These are only a few of the more well known goddess's. But there are So many more. I will do separate posts on some of the other later.

Yokai,The Ippondatara

 

The Ippondatara is a famous one legged Yokai that haunts the mountains of Japan.

In some villages, its  considered to be a cousin  to the kappa called gōrai who leave their river homes in in winter then transform from river yokai into mountain spirits called kashambo until they return to the rivers in spring. 

This one legged Yokai tends to keep to itself and is relatively harmless with the exception of December 20th, once per year on this day it turns very violent and will kill any human it encounters. 

. Those entering the mountains on December 20th and are unlucky enough to run into the ippondatara are immediately attacked and squashed squashed by  its powerful foot. Because of this, December 20th is considered an unlucky day in the areas where this yōkai lives and people (at least the  ones) stay out of the mountains on that day.

It's name comes from the man powered bellows that a blacksmith would use before the industrialization of the smithies shops  because this yōkai resembles a master blacksmith who lost the use of one eye from years of starting at the bright flames, and has one large leg from years of heavy work pumping the bellows.

It seems to prefer the mountains near Wakayama and Nara Prefectures (old Kii and Yamato Provinces), though it has also been sighted have other neighboring prefectures .

 Some believe it's possibly the ghost of a famous one-legged, one-eyed robber named Hitotsudatara who lived in the mountains of Wakayama and had supernatural strength.

Others think it may be a former mountain kami (God/powerful nature Spirit) that became  corrupted over time and transformed into a yōkai. The  one eyed appearance is a well known feature on  mountain spirits, and other one-eyed yōkai like the hitotsume kozō that was originally a mountain kami.

Korean Urban Legend: The Jangsan Tiger 🐯

 

🇰🇷The Jangsan Tiger 🐯

Korean mythology often depicts the tiger as a guardian or protector, especially a white tiger which is seen as a a symbol of bravery and wisdom.

However there is nothing benevolent about the tiger in this urban legend .

The Jangsan tiger, or Jangsan beom, is an Urban Legend about a frightening supernatural tiger or tiger like creature that originated in  South Korean in 2010.

It was first reported in September 2010. It has  been sighted multiple times in Busan. Other sightings in the Haeundae District of Busan were reported in June 2012. Sightings have also been reported  around, or near Gyeongju, Gyeongsan, Changnyeong and Incheon.

According to the legend,  it  lives on or near Jangsan mountain in Busan. 

It's most well know for it's ability to perfectly mimic human voices, especially a woman's cry/scream, to lure it's victims into the mountains then attacking them. In some versions it can mimic a person's appearance as well as they're voice. 

This cryptid walks on all fours and can move fast on most terrain even steep hills, it has long, white fur, very sharp teeth, and claws,  longer front legs, short back legs and depending on which version of the story you hear it can  resemble a tiger, dog, sloth or lion.

It's main hunting strategy is  its vocal mimicry to used to trick people and lure them into the forest so it can  attack. 

The legend is specifically tied to Jangsan mountain in Busan, Though it's not an actual cryptid as there are no sightings or mention of it before 2010 so as of this writing it's considered an Urban Legend.

The story has gained enough popularity to become an movie....

"The Mimic" (2017).

Korean Myth: Jeoseung Saja.

The Jeoseung Saja..저승사자💀

The Korean Grim Reaper/ Messenger of Death.

 In Korean mythology, the god of death is known as Yeomra (also spelled Yeomra-Daewang). 

He is the fifth of the ten Kings of the Underworld, collectively known as Shi-wang, and is considered the supreme ruler of the afterlife. 

Yeomra's main role is to judge the sins of the deceased and determine their fate in the afterlife. He is the Korean equivalent of Yama, the Hindu and Buddhist god of death. 

Though he is not alone in this role,he has servants that collect the souls and bring them to the afterlife/underworld. 

The Jeoseung Saja," or the traditional Korean Grim Reaper.

Depicted as a  pale-faced man, draped in black robes and wearing a gat, a traditional Korean hat made of horsehair and silk.

The modern look is a bit different then the original version, According to the Encyclopedia of Korean Culture by Kim Deok-mook, the jeoseung saja originally appeared in shamanistic rituals as a military officer, dressed in official armor.

Even though he is frightening (a literal grim reaper ), he was not treated with hostility. In traditional funerary rites, he's regarded with respect.

“Since the reaper also serves as a guide through the long and difficult journey to the afterlife, mistreating him could bring misfortune to the deceased,” That’s why families treat him with care during rituals.”

In a traditional funerary ritual from Hwanghae Province, families prepare three bowls of rice, three pairs of straw shoes, and three sets of spoons and chopsticks. These offerings are meant to honor the three reapers guiding the soul from this world to the next .

Well the western Grim Reaper is seen  as a solitary figure,his Korean counterpart can very  in the number of reapers

.....

In many paintings from the Joseon era he is depicted wearing bright red armor. Instead of the black / darker clothes we usually associate with death.

 The Joseon dynasty, also known as the Yi dynasty, was the last and longest-ruling Korean dynasty, lasting from 1392 to 1897. It was founded by Yi Seong-gye, who established the capital in Hanyang, (modern day ) Seoul. 

The word Saja can also mean lion.

In the 2016  Korean Drama-  K-drama "Goblin" (also called  "Guardian: The Lonely and Great God"), the show features a popular character, played by Lee Dong-wook, who is a Jeoseung Saja, showcasing a more humanized version of the traditional Grim Reaper figure.

(Goblin info)..In his quest for a bride to break his immortal curse, Dokkaebi, a 939-year-old guardian of souls, encounters a grim reaper and a student with a tragic past

 In a more recent depiction they were demons on the Netflix hit Kpop Demon Hunters,though in the actual lore they are more akin to afterlife government workers.  

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