Showing posts with label Korea. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Korea. Show all posts

Tuesday, August 25, 2026

Paranormal Folklore, Gomuls..



In Scandinavia Folklore Gรถmul refers to a river that originally comes from a spring called  Hvergelmir ( bubbling cauldron)  in Niflheim the river flowers into the land of the gods( Asgard ) and also has ties to the world tree.




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In Korea the would Gรถmul refers to a variety  of  decorative powders fillings toppings or dips......some common  food filling are mashed red beans, crushed sesame seeds or soybean powder..

 (konggomul), mashed red beans (patgomul), mung bean powder, and crushed sesame seeds

Also used on Rice Cake to coat the outer layers or fill spaces in injeolmi, gyeongdan, and danja.




.........




And in Russia's Far East the word  Gomul / Gomuls is the name of  a race of mythic giants that live in the numerus volcanoes found in the Kamchatka region.

Folklore from the Itelmen tribe,  describes a race of giants or large mountain spirits that live at the top of the volcanoes, the giants are so massive they hunt whales on a regular basis.

According to the legend, they leave they're mountain tops and fly out at night to spear whale  ( some versions of the story claim they spear whales with their finger tips)....  then carry them back home and roast them over an open fire .. in this case, the active volcano/ lava. 

The Itelmen people believed the fiery glow, smoke and occasional volcanic eruption where the results of  these  giants enjoying a feasts or bonfire atop their mountain home.

 ๐Ÿ‹๐ŸŒ‹๐Ÿ‘ป



Monday, September 8, 2025

Ghost Fire.

 



Japanese and Korean Ghost

 ๐Ÿ”ฅ๐Ÿ‘ป๐Ÿ”ฅ


There are stories of supernatural flames or lights in almost every culture.

 Some believe they are fairies or ghost's others think they are monster goblins or demons. 

 The more modern belief is that it's nothing more than swamp gas or ball lightning.

But whatever you call  it's a global phenomena.

 Japanese folklore, such as  Hitodama (literally a  "Human Soul" as a ball of energy), Hi no Tama (Ball of Flame), A few other yokai associated with fire or strange lights are the Kasha, Nekomata, Aburagae, Koemonbi, Ushionibi, etc. 


All theses lights are always associated with graveyards or swamps. 

Kitsune ( demon fox) and other yokai or demons, are also similar to the European will 'o the wisp.


When two kitsune are married they produce kitsune-bi (็‹็ซ),  meaning 'fox-fire' in celebration,  Though they can also do this whenever they like not just during a celebration's.


....


In Korea the lights are often associated with rice paddies, old trees, mountains or even in some houses and were called 'dokkebi bul’ (Hangul: ๋„๊นจ๋น„ ๋ถˆ), meaning goblin fire (or goblin light). 


They were deemed malevolent and impish, as they confused and lured passersby to lose their way or fall into pits at night.

Same as a Will of the wisp in bog's and swamp's will lead you off the path.

 ....


More on the Dokkebi in a upcoming post ...







Monday, August 25, 2025

Luna: Goddess of the Moon ๐ŸŒ•



            ๐ŸŒ•Moon goddesses ๐ŸŒ•           



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.


๐ŸŒ–๐ŸŒ•๐ŸŒ˜

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.



๐ŸŒ•Other Moon Goddess's ๐ŸŒ•


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.


Saturday, August 2, 2025

Korean Urban Legend: The Jangsan Tiger ๐Ÿฏ

 




๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ทThe Jangsan Tiger ๐Ÿฏ


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).









Friday, August 1, 2025

Korean Myth: Jeoseung Saja.




The Jeoseung Saja..์ €์Šน์‚ฌ์ž๐Ÿ’€

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.  




.





Friday, February 7, 2020

Demons of Love: the Kumiho / Gumiho..The Korean Fox Girl



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(Next week's post will be the Succubus, Happy early Valentines Day................
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                                           Ahri League of Legends  by  ASTELTAINN


A kumiho (gumiho)
is a type of fox spirit in Korean mythology

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The Kumiho like the Japanese Kitsune is a supernatural fox creature ..

Fox spirits are popular east Asian figures Korea, Japan and China  all have ancient myths and folklore regarding them.

According to legend a  fox that manages to live a thousand years turns into a kumiho, like other fox legend's the kumiho can transform at will usually taking on a female form they  will then  set out to seduce men, and according to some versions on the myth eat there heart or liver.


===============
Fox spirits are in a way similar to the Succubus in that they take the form of seductive young woman....
===================

         Shin Min-ah plays a fox girl in the South Korean comedy romance My Girlfriend is a Gumiho  ..





===================

The encyclopedic Compendium of Korean Oral Literature contains a lot of story's regarding the gumiho..
=========================


Even though the Gumiho has the power to transform into a human (Most often a beautiful woman). They  still something retain one or more fox-like features.

For example  in her human form she may still have , a fox like face or  pointed ears hidden under her hair, or maybe even  nine fox tails that only become visible when her  wedding dress is removed. Though able to change between human and fox forms, a Kumiho is very cautions and  guards her true identity.

 It is believed that a  kumiho can transform into the identical likeness of a  bride at a wedding and is only discovered when her clothes are removed on the honeymoon and her fox tail is reveled.  

Bakh Mun-su and the Kumiho (๋ฐ•๋ฌธ์ˆ˜์™€ ๊ตฌ๋ฏธํ˜ธ) records an encounter that Pak Munsu has with a girl, living alone in the woods, that has a fox-like appearance. In The Maiden who Discovered a Kumiho through a Chinese Poem (ํ•œ์‹œ๋กœ ๊ตฌ๋ฏธํ˜ธ๋ฅผ ์•Œ์•„๋‚ธ ์ฒ˜๋…€), the kumiho is ultimately revealed when a hunting dog catches the scent of a fox and attacks the girl. Although they have the ability to change physical forms, a kumiho dose not change there true nature.
 However it is believed that kumiho how  abstains from killing and eating humans for a thousand days, can become human.



=========================


Nine tailed fox myths and legends seem to have Originated  in China  centuries ago and later being introduced to introduced to both Korean and Japanese mythology.

The  Korean Kumiho / Gumiho  shares many similarities to the Chinese Huli Jing and the Japanese Kitsune  an old Chinese text, claims a fox with nine tails lives in an area called Qingqiu (้‘ไธ˜).

As the kumiho and other versions of the nine-tailed fox myths originated from China, they all have a similar concept.

 The all describe  fox spirits as being the result of extreme longevity or the accumulation of energy.

Usually foxes who have lived for at least thousand years, will gain  the power of shape-shifting.

However there is still some differences between the legends , while the Chinese  huli jing and the Japanese  kitsune are usually said to have a more ambiguous moral compasses, possibly good or evil, the kumiho is almost always treated as a malevolent figure who feasts on human energy and sometimes there flesh.

                                    Ahri League of Legends  found on Wallpaper HD

======



It is unclear at which point in time Koreans began viewing the kumiho as a evil creature, since many ancient texts from China mention a more benevolent kumiho helping humans (and even make mentions of bad humans tricking kind but naรฏve kumiho).

In later text, kumiho were often depicted as bloodthirsty half-fox, half-human creatures that wandered cemeteries at night, digging human hearts out from graves simelar to Ghoules.
 ---------------


The fairy tale The Fox Sister A fox spirit preying on a family for their livers.

 However, according to Gyuwon Sahwa, kumiho is described as an auspicious fox spirit with a book in its mouth. Considering the text is thought to be written in 1675, some speculate that the modern violent image of kumiho is influenced during the Japanese occupation in Korea.

Nevertheless, foxes often contained a negative image during the Koryo Dynasty  (Shin Don)  was described as an old fox spirit due to his love for women and drinks despite his being a buddhist monk), suggesting two different views could have co-existed in ancient Korea.

 ===============
The  Gyuwon Sahwa  was written in 1675, and describes ancient Korean  history including the creation of the universe. Today, its principal value is generally seen in its role as a historical story reflecting the consciousness of the period, rather than as a historical record. Similar contents are also found in Hwandan Gogi, which is generally believed to have been influenced by the Gyuwon Sahwa
 The Gyuwon Sahwa is now kept at the National Library or Korea.

 ---------------------------------

The most distinctive feature that separates the kumiho from its two counterparts is the existence of a 'yeowoo guseul' (์—ฌ์šฐ๊ตฌ์Šฌ, literally meaning fox marble/bead) which is said to consist of knowledge.

According to Korean mythology, the yeowoo guseul provides power to the kumiho and knowledge (and intelligence) to people if they can steal and swallow one.

The kumiho can absorb humans' energy with it. The method of absorbing energy with the "yeowoo guseul" resembles a "deep kiss" (a kiss using the  tongue). The kumiho sends the yeowoo guseul into people's mouths and then retakes it with their tongues. If that person swallows the yeowoo guseul, however, and then observes "sky, land, and people", each observation gives the observer preternatural knowledge. But the person fails to watch the "sky" in most tales, so they get a special ability but not the most important one.
 .................................................


Just like Vampire's, Witches and Werewolf story's in Western folklore, there are always going to by slightly different variations on the myth depending on the person  recounting them.

In one older version of this  myth, says  that with enough will, a kumiho could ascend from its yokai  form and  become permanently human there by lose its evil characteristics.

Explanations of how this could be possible vary, but sometimes include aspects such as refraining from killing or tasting meat for a thousand days, or obtaining a cintamani   and making sure that the Yeoiju saw the full moon  at least every month during the ordeal. Unlike Yeoiju-wielding dragon  , kumiho were not believed to be capable of optioning omnipotence or creation at will, since they were lesser creatures.
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9 Tails fox's power's and abilitys----

Fox spirits can create and control Fox Fire lightning ......
Image result for teen wolf kitsuneAside from heightened intelligent and extreme longevity, 9 tailed fox's are said to have  many different ability's and supernatural powers


Image result for teen wolf kitsune
 Include possession, generating fire or lightning, and  manifesting in the dreams of others at will.

                           











Image result for teen wolf kitsune lighning

Friday, November 1, 2019

Cryptids and Myths: Vampiers..

                     Hotel Transylvania Mavis 2 by alecyl on Deviantart  Mavis Dracula art by alecyl
                                 

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Human history is filled with unexplained event's and creatures beyond imagination.

From childhood and onward we go through our lives in fear what lurks within the shadow just out of sight, from the monster under the bed, to the boogeyman and every-other monster imaginable whether real or imagined in ancient times this was an advantageous means of survival against very real threats wolves bears ext. This survival  mechanism has been deeply ingrained into our psyche

But what may be hiding in the darkness just out of sight waiting for you..

Vampires....The immortal undead with an unsavory taste for human blood.

There have been many famous monsters through  out human history, but none so recognizable as the Vampire. Through classic Myth, Legend and folklore to modern  TV, Movies,  Dramas and more this creature of the night has haunted our imaginations since time immemorial..

Every culture around the world has legends regarding the Vampire in one form or another..




=====================================================
============ European  Vampire =======
===================================

The vampire is a reanimated corpse that feeds on the blood of the living to prevent its body from decomposing.

 The slender  pale-skinned vampire we know of to today is a relatively new interpretation of this creature that started around the  early 19th century with the publication of (The Vampyre ) — a short story by John Polidori  in 1819.

In the original vampire legend from  Eastern Europe the creature was described as a bloated corpse  with  dark or ruddy skin as a result from feeding on blood. 



==============================
=Somewhat Graphic Description ahead==
==============================
When the body of a suspected vampire was disinterred (dug up), it would sometimes look as if it  hadn't decomposed at all, often the   hair, teeth and fingernails appear too have grow longer.

Other times the body would look, bloated with blood seeping from the nose and mouth.

Today we know now this is just common  decomposition with the  rate of decomposition   varying  slightly  depending  on number of different factors.

Normally temperature and soil composition; decrease or accelerate the rate dead flesh loses fluids, which in turn causes it to pull back exposing  the roots of hair, teeth and nails; and that gases from decomposition build up in the torso, making the body look bloated and forcing blood to ooze from the nose and mouth.

Common beliefs about vampires include that they are most active at night, but not necessarily vulnerable to sunlight. Garlic, crucifixes and holy water were common devices for warding off vampire attacks .

 It was believed that driving a wooden stake into the body would somehow release the evil spirit, with decapitation also being a way to hasten the evil soul's departure. in some areas they would piece the heart with a pin before burial others would drive a stake through the heart regardless of vampire sighting in the area as a sort of preventative measure.
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=========================================================
======Russian and East Europe===============================
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The Russian upir and the Greek vrykolakas. In these traditions, sinners, unbaptized babies and other people outside the Christian faith were more likely to be reanimated after death.

Those who practiced witchcraft were particularly susceptible because they had already given their soul to the devil in life. Once the undead corpses rose from the grave, they would terrorize the community, feeding on the living.

Western Europe, has the vampir, or vampyr,  Russian upir and Romania the Strigoi.





                                        
                                                      -`-`-`-`-`-` Strigoi-`-`-`-``-`-


Vampires in Moldavia, Wallachia and Transylvania (now modern  Romania) were called strigoi.

Strigoi were almost always human spirits who had returned from the dead.

Unlike the upir or vrykolakas, the strigoi would pass through different stages after rising from the grave. Initially, a strigo might be a poltergeist like being tormenting its former family members by moving furniture around. After some time, it would eventually  become visible, looking just  the way it  did in life.

After returning to physical form , the strigo would return to its family once more, and torment them in various ways such as  stealing cattle, begging for food and bringing disease. Strigoi would feed on humans, first their family members and then anyone else they happened to come across. In some accounts, the strigoi would suck their victims' blood directly from the heart.


Initially, a strigo needed to return to the grave regularly, just like an upir.

If the town people suspected someone of being a strigo, they would exhume the body and burn it, or run spikes through it. But after seven years, if a strigo was still around, it could live wherever it pleased. It was said that strigoi would travel to distant towns to begin new lives as ordinary people, and that these secret vampires would meet with each other in weekly gatherings. similar to a witches gathering....


In the middle-ages people that lost  there lives to  the Black Plague where thought to be victims of vampire attacks.

Much like the Witch hunts and werewolf hunts that proceeded it Vampire hysteria was running rampant  Europe during the 17th and 18th century.

People would often  reported seeing their dead relatives walking around and attacking the living. This got so bad that authorities began digging up  graves, burning and staking the corpses.

Word of the vampire scare eventually  spread to western Europe, leading to  academic speculations on the creatures, as well as vampire poems and paintings. These works in turn inspired an Irishman named Bram Stoker to write his vampire novel, "Dracula."






                                                     Bela Lugosi as Dracula




...............................................................................................


When you mention the word Vampire most people automatically think of Dracula.

Based on Vlad The Impaler , though not actually a vampire was none the less just as feared by his enemies .



Vlad III Dracula, Also known as Vlad the Impaler or Vlad Dracula, He is considered one of the most important rulers in Wallachian (Modern Romania)  history and a national hero of Romania.
........................................................................................................................................

The Count St Germain was said to possibly be a vampire...

Germain was a European adventurer and traveler, with an interest in alchemy and science.

He associated with several members of European high society  in the mid-1700s.

It was said that Prince Charles of Hesse-Kassel considered him to be "one of the greatest philosophers who ever lived".

 St. Germain used a variety of names and titles, an accepted practice among royalty and nobility at the time. These include the Marquis de Montferrat, Comte Bellamarre, Chevalier Schoening, Count Weldon, Comte Soltikoff, Graf Tzarogy, and Prinz Ragoczy. In order to deflect inquiries

 ......Germains life across the pond...

Vampires, werewolf's (Loupgaru) witch craft and voodoo can all be found in New Orleans

But was Jacque St. Germain an alchemic genius that discovered the secret too immortality or was he in fact a vampire?

St Germains or at least a man claiming too be him moved into a  home located at 1039 Royal Street in New Orleans.



                                                        ...Germains house..


St. Germain was  lady’s man, often seen with a beautiful woman on his arm while strolling through the French Quarter, or clubbing in elegant locales late into the night.

 He would in throwing dinner parties for the members of the city’s high society   .

His parties were highly anticipated due to their lavish cuisine, fine wine, and entertainment. St. Germain fascinated his guests with stories of France, Italy, Africa, and many other places

 During dinner he would tell tales his guests tales of his adventures around the world.

However he seemed to have an odd habit of not eating  at his own party's, choosing only to drink presumably wine from a chalice instead,  this coupled with his uncanny resemblance to the Comte St. Germain portrait that hung in his home, had many in the city suggesting (Jokingly at first) that perhaps the mysterious man was in fact a vampire.

 
These rumors would soon take dark turn,.

One night the police were called to St. Germain’s home to investigate  a woman who had seemingly fallen from his balcony on the second floor.

His guest, that night was a woman who was rumored to have been a prostitute, had in fact leapt from his balcony, rather than fallen, as bystanders had originally recounted .

While she survived the fall, she was terrified.  People on the street surrounded her and tended to her needs while help was called .

 Hysterical, the woman ranted that she had jumped to escape St. Germain, who had bitten her neck. She screamed and sobbed out her story, claiming she was only able to escape when her assailant was briefly distracted by aloud knocking on his door.

Police at first did not believe her as Germain was a well respected member of the community after all.

However he soon completely vanished from the city..

After witch according too legends The police went too investigate   and on the second floor of the house they discovered a series of open but corked wine bottles. filled with a  mixture of wine and large quantities of human blood.

Jacque St. Germain was allegedly never seen in New Orleans again...
.
;;;;;;;ON A SIDE NOTE;;;;;;;
Saint Germain-Wine bar is located at  3054 St Claude Ave. Opens at 5.00PM  :)
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                                                        ~~~~~'St Germain`~~~~
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======================
======= Asian Vampire===
======================  
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China

Jiangshi or Hopping Vampire
................
Korea -Gangsi

Hangul  -  ๊ฐ•์‹œ

Hanja -   ๆฎญๅฑ
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Japan - Kyonshi
Kana ใ‚ญใƒงใƒณใ‚ทใƒผ
 ----------------------------------------



             =======Jiangshi== The Hopping Vampire=====


 A jiangshi, is also known as a Chinese "hopping vampire" but it's more like a type of zombie.

Jiangshi" is read geung-si in Cantonese, Phi Dip Chin in Thai, cฦฐฦกng thi in Vietnamese, gangsi in Korean, kyonshฤซ in Japanese, and "hantu pocong" in Malay and Indonesia.

It is usually described as a stiff corpse dressed in official garments  from the Qing Dynasty and it moves around by hopping, with its arms outstretched. It kills living creatures to absorb their qi/chi, or "life force", usually at night, during the day, it rests in a coffin or hides in dark places abandon buildings caves etc.

..........................................


A Jiangshi's appearance can range from somewhat normal  (Someone that was just recently buried to horrifying (rotting flesh  and / or full rigor mortise typical of corpses that has been in the ground for an extended piriod of time.

. The Chinese character for "jiang" (ๅƒต) in "jiangshi" literally means "hard" or "stiff". It is believed that the jiangshi is so stiff that it cannot bend its limbs and body, so it has to move around by hopping while keeping its arms stretched out for mobility.

Jiangshi are depicted in popular culture to have a paper Talisman (with a sealing spell) attached to and hanging off the forehead in portrait orientation, and wear a coat-like robe and round-top tall rimmed hat characteristic of a mandarin  (Chinese official from the Qing dynasty).

Its is often described as having a  greenish-white skin; one theory is that this greenish color comes from mold or fungus on the deceased body

 It is also  said to have long white hair  and may behave like an animal.

 The influence of western vampire stories brought the blood-sucking aspect to the Chinese myth in more modern times also sometimes combined with the story's of the hungry ghost.

However in traditional versions of the creature  they only feed on the qi (Lfe Force) of the  living  in order to grow more powerful.


Jiangshi are also sad to be terrified d of there own reflections.


Jiangshi in modern media

These creatures though not as prevalent in media as there western counterpart have been in many Anime, games and moves of the years..


Anime Yozakura Quartet and   Rosario+ Vampire



                           ==========Rin Azuma from Yozakura Quartet======

                           and below is LingLing from Rosario+ Vampire
                                  .................................................................



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Vampires like most monsters can be found on every continent so don't stay out too late and  maybe cary some garlic just in case lol

.......


Monday, October 7, 2019

Cryptids: The Boogeyman legends from around the world..







                  ===============THE BOOGEYMAN==========



No doubt you've heard of this creature of the shadows at some point or another during your lifetime.

He is the creature of nightmares, the monster under your bed, or that strange thing lurking in your closet late at night...he is the Boogeyman.

This cryptid appears in story's and myth's around the globe, here are a few of his other names ...

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Korea -

In Gyungsang province, Dokebi (๋„๊นจ๋น„)  a monster that show's up  to take misbehaving children.

 The word kokemi, however, is derived from a word Kotgahm (๊ณถ๊ฐ), dried persimmon. According to Korean folklore, a woman, in an attempt to soothe her crying child, said "Here comes a tiger to come and get you.

I'll let him in unless you stop crying." Accidentally, a tiger passed by, overheard her and decided to wait for his free meal. Instead of opening the door of the house, to the tiger's disappointment, the mother offered her child a dried persimon saying "Here's a kotgahm." Of course, the child, busy eating, stopped crying.

The tiger, not knowing what a Kotgahm is, ran away thinking "this must be a scary monster for whom even I am no match." (Tigers are revered by Koreans as most powerful and fearsome creatures.) Other variations include mangtae younggam (๋งํƒœ ์˜๊ฐ) an oldman (younggam) who carries a mesh sack (mahngtae) to put his kidnapped children in. In some regions, mangtae younggam is replaced by mangtae halmum (๋งํƒœ ํ• ๋ฉˆ), an old woman with a mesh sack.



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Japan -the bogeyman is called Namahage he is a type of  demons that warns children not to be lazy or cry, during the Namahage Sedo Matsuri, or "Demon Mask Festival", when villagers wear demon masks or (Oni Mask) and pretend to be these spirits.







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Denmark and some area's of Norway --

The Boogeyman in Danish is called bussemanden. It hides under the bed and grabs children who will not sleep. It is also a slang term for nasal mucus. 



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Germany -

in Germany the Boogeyman is known as Der schwarze Mann (the black man), the "Buhmann" or the Butzemann. "Schwarz" does not refer to the color of skin but to his preference for hiding in dark places, like the closet, under the bed of children or in forests at night. There is also a children's game called Wer hat Angst vorm schwarzen Mann? (Who is afraid of the black man?).



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Norway* - "nรธkken" and in some areas Busemannen , the norwaegian bogeyman is often described as a monster in the lake, he was said to come and take children which did not come in when they were told too.

                                                                 Nokken




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Netherlands - Boeman, The Dutch Boogeyman is  a creature that resembles the a adult male, dressed completely black, with sharp claws and fangs. The Bogeyman takes bad children or those who refuse to sleep and locks them in his basement for a period of time.






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 Sweden -

The Swedish  Boogeyman is most often called the  Monstret under sรคngen which basically means "the monster under the bed".


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France-


In France the Bogeyman is le croque-mitaine ("the mitten-biter" or rather "the hand-cruncher"—mitaine means mitt in an informal way) 

Another version of a Boogyman like bing from french mythology is called Bonhomme sept heures or (Seven o'clock man) he was said to take children who stayed outside past 7pm. He is described as an old man wearing a hat and cape, and having a cane and a bag full of sand that is uses to throw in the eyes of the children he targets....





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 Russia, Ukraine and Belarus-

 Here the Boogeyman is usually said to be hiding under the bed, babay ("ะฑะฐะฑะฐะน") or babayka ("ะฑะฐะฑะฐะนะบะฐ") this version of teh story is used to keep children in bed at night  or stop them from misbehaving. 'Babay' means 'old man' in Tatar. Children are told that "babay" is an old man with a bag or in some versions a monster, and that it will take them away if they misbehave.

The eastern part of Ukraine has babay as well, possibly due to Russian influence. Slovenia

 The Slovenian Bogeyman is called Bavbav. It doesn't have a particular shape or form. often it isn't even defined as a man or anything human. It can be thought of as a kind of sprite or spirit.


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Romania -

In Romania the Boogeyman is called a bau-bau (pronounced "bow-bow"). Bau-bau stories are used by parents to scare children who misbehave. The babau (babao or barabao) also appears in Italy.


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The Boogeyman can be found in many places world wide so behave yourselves or you just may meet him lol and don't forget to check under your bed...










Saturday, August 24, 2019

Korea, Japan and China: Dragon's of East Asia..



                                             East Asian Dragon's, or The Oriental Dragon...

Dragon myth's can be found in all corners of the world East Asia Korean Japan and China have their  own unique dragon legends too, however the East Asian dragon is often seen as a more benevolent being as apposed to it's European counterpart...


When you hear the word Dragon what comes to mind, for most of us it's a massive winged beast of fire and destruction terrorizing some poor medieval village. or in more recent times Viking flying their fire breathing friends (How To Train Your Dragon)..

Or maybe from your next adventure driven campaign of DnD (Dungeons and Dragons) it would seem that dragons real or imagined hold a special place in our hearts and mind's from  classic literature, too modern entertainment dragons can be found in some form or another in every corner of the world.

However Dragons differ in appearance slightly from culture to culture, where most European dragons are usually large winged fire breathing creatures of  destruction, East Asian dragons are often seen as lean flying creatures often  associated with the elements Earth, Fire, Water and Air...

In Korean mythology dragons are mostly seen as benevolent beings related to water and agriculture,
treated with reverence and respect, these dragons are considered bringers of good fortune, rain and clouds.

Many Korean dragons are said to make their homes in rivers, lakes, deep mountain ponds and even the ocean.

Korean culture is full of dragon's both in ancient art and mythology.

Intelligent sentient  dragons, capable of understanding speech and complex emotions are mentioned in ancient myth's these beings often show very human emotions
such as devotion, kindness, and gratitude.


One of the more popular and well known legends is that of The great King Munmu, who on his deathbed wished to become a Dragon of the East Sea in order to protect Korea forever.

The Korean dragon  differs slightly in appearance  when compered to other East Asian dragons like the Japanese and  Chinese.


The Korean dragon was said to have certain specific traits: for example it could fly but it dose not have  wings  in addition to a slightly longer  beard.

East Asian dragons share a common mythology and as far as physical appearance the  Korean dragon look's a lot like the Japanese or Chinese dragon's.

In some depictions this  dragon may be shown carrying a dragon orb known as the Yeo-ui-ju (์—ฌ์˜์ฃผ) in one or more of its claws.

Legend has it that  whoever could wield the Yeo-ui-ju was blessed with the abilities of omnipotence and creation at will, and that only four-toed dragons (those with  thumbs to hold the orbs) were both wise and powerful enough to wield these orbs (as opposed to the lesser, three-toed dragons


As with China, the number nine is significant in Korea, and dragons were said to have 81 (9×9) scales on their backs, representing yang essence.

Korea also has legends of the cockatrice (Chicken like reptile), a type of chimera in European mythology that is capable of breathing fire and turning it's victims to stone just by looking at
them,  similar to a basilisk a large serpent like reptile that also turns it's victims to stone, but where the cockatrice can breath fire the basilisk is venomous so much so that even
it's breath is toxic


The Korean cockatrice is known as a gye-lyong they do not appear in myth's as often as actual dragons.

Cockatrice are sometimes seen as  chariot-pulling beasts for important figures or for the parents of mythological heroes.



Dragons and Naga's

Though very similar in appearance the East Asian Dragon should not be confused with another massive serpent of myth the Naga.


Dragon's, Imugi and Naga..

In Korean mythology it is said that most dragons were originally Imugis (์ด๋ฌด๊ธฐ), or lesser dragons, these creature resemble a gigantic serpents.

There are a few different versions of the Imugi myth differing slightly be regions, these myths describe both what imugis are and how they wish to become full dragons.

According to legend's an Imugi can become a  true dragon, or yong or mireu, if it was able to catch a Yeouiju that had fallen from heaven.

Another myth says that they are hornless creatures closely resembling dragons that  had  been cursed and were unable to become real dragons.

In either case they are said to be large, benevolent,  python-like creatures that live in water or caves, and their sighting is often associated with good luck.

In Hindu mythology the Naga is often described as being  somewhat human in appearance, a Half Serpent Half Human creature whereas a more traditional Naga is said to be more serpentine in appearance.. as seen below.

On the left is the Hindu Goddess..Naga Kanya The  Guardian of the three Realms, and on the right is a classic Serpent style Naga.



Korea also has a large variety of festivals and events ranging from cultural heritage or just fun and game's with great food. Feel free too join in on if your in the area :)


                                            Muju Firefly Festival..

 Kick of the beginning of fall season with the ( Link too site  Muju Firefly Festival ) which takes place from August 31st  to September 8th.

This  fall Korean festival celebrates the beauty of nature and fireflies, it also offers guests the opportunity to participate in nighttime activities that involve  observing fireflies in their natural habitat.

There are also plenty of outdoor activities during the daytime for festival attendees.
  

Address ... 326-17 Hanpungnu-ro, Muju-eup, Muju, Jeollabuk-do, South Korea

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                                        7080 Chungjang Recollection Festival
 
Also if your a fan of retro 70's -80's then check out the Chungjang Recollection Festival in October
                                       
                                            The 7080 Chungjang Recollection Festival

7080 Chungjang Recollection Festival is a popular  Gwangsan-gu festival  that is centered around reviving the culture of the ‘70’s and the ‘80’s that thrived on Chungjang-ro Street. Food drink's and a family friendly parade and events October 7th - 11th

 These are just two of the many many festivals to visit this time of year :)

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Chinese Dragons and History..



 In ancient times the dragon was the symbol of the Emperor of China.

 In the Zhou Dynasty, the 5-clawed dragon was assigned to the Son of Heaven, the 4-clawed dragon to the nobles (zhuhou, seigneur), and the 3-clawed dragon to the ministers (daifu).

In the Qin Dynasty, the 5-clawed dragon was assigned to represent the Emperor while the 4-clawed and 3-clawed dragons were assigned to the commoners. The dragon in the Qing Dynasty appeared on national flags.

The Statue of the goddess Xihe charioteering the sun, being pulled by a dragon, in Hangzhou The dragon is sometimes used in the West as a national emblem of China. However, this usage within both the People's Republic of China and the Republic of China on Taiwan as the symbol of nation is not common. Instead, it is generally used as the symbol of culture.

In Hong Kong, the dragon is part of the Hong Kong Brand a symbol of Kong, a symbol used to promote the city  as an international brand name of sorts. 
 
Sometimes Chinese people use the term Descendants of the Dragon as a sign of ethnic identity, as part of a trend started in the 1970s when different Asian nationalities were looking for animal symbols for representations. The wolf was used among the Mongols, the monkey among Tibetans.

In Chinese culture today, the dragon is mostly used for decorative purposes. It is a taboo to disfigure a depiction of a dragon.

 The C-shaped jade totem of Hongshan culture (Pig Dragon)  was carved dragon  ornament from the Warring States period (403 BC-221 BC). Gilded-bronze handle in the shape of a dragon's head and neck, made during the Eastern Han period (25–220 AD)

The origin of the Chinese dragon is not certain. The presence of dragons within the Chinese culture dates back  thousands of years  one archeological dig  discovered  a dragon statue dating back to at least  the fifth millennium BC from the Yangshao culture in Henan in 1987, there where also several  jade badges of different rank in coiled form excavated from the Hongshan culture dating to roughly  4700-2900 BC.
 
The coiled snake or dragon form played an important role in early Chinese culture. The character for "dragon" in the earliest Chinese writing has a similar coiled form, as do later jade dragon amulets from the Shang period.



                   Hongshan Coiled Snake or Pig Dragon Jade carving

A pig dragon or zhลซlรณng is a type of jade artifact from the Hongshan culture of neolithic China as discribed above. Pig dragons are zoomorphic forms with a pig-like head and elongated limbless body coiled around to the head

Ancient Chinese referred to unearthed dinosaur bones as dragon bones and documented them as such. For example in 300 BC Chang Qu documented the discovery of Dragon Bones in Sichuan and the modern word for dinosaur is konglong meaning Terrible Dragon.

A Chinese Dragons and their relation to the water and the weather....

During the Ming Dynasty Chinese dragons were strongly associated with water in many Chinese myths. they are believed to be the rulers of moving bodies of water, such as waterfalls, rivers, or seas.

They can show themselves as water spouts (tornado or twister over water). In this capacity as the rulers of water and weather, the dragon is more anthropomorphic in form, often depicted as a humanoid, dressed in a king's costume, but with a dragon head wearing a king's headdress.

There are four major Dragon Kings, representing each of the four seas: the East Sea (corresponding to the East China Sea), the South Sea (corresponding to the South China Sea), the West Sea (sometimes seen as the Indian Ocean and beyond), and the North Sea (sometimes seen as Lake Baikal).

Because of this association, they are seen as "in charge" of water-related weather phenomenon.

In the past, many Chinese villages (especially those close to rivers and seas) had temples dedicated to their local "dragon king". In times of drought or flooding, it was customary for the local gentry and government officials to lead the community in offering sacrifices and conducting other religious rites to appease the dragon, either to ask for rain or a cessation thereof.

The King of Wu-Yue in the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period was often known as the "Dragon King" or the "Sea Dragon King" because of his extensive hydro-engineering


No matter were you are or were you go there are dragon  legends  in every corner of the globe.

 I  will be going more post's on Dragons and other Mythological creatures soon, thank you for reading.