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Shikigami
(also read as ) is the term for a being from Japanese folklore. According to the Shinto scholar Inoue Nobutaka, it is thought to be some sort of , represented by a small ghost. The belief of ''shikigami'' originates from ''Onmyōdō''. According to the tradition of ''Onmyōdō'', ''shikigami'' is a symbol of ''onmyōji''s power because ''onmyōji'' can freely use ''shikigami'' with magical powers. It has been associated with "curses" since the 1000s of the Heian period, and was often depicted as a bird or a child in Japanese literature and ''Emakimono''. Description ''Shikigami'' are conjured beings, made alive through a complex conjuring ceremony. Their power is connected to the spiritual force of their master, where if the invoker is well introduced and has much experience, their ''shiki'' can possess animals and even people and manipulate them, but if the invoker is careless, their ''shikigami'' may get out of control in time, gaining its own will and consciousness and can ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Familiar
In European folklore of the medieval and early modern periods, familiars (sometimes referred to as familiar spirits) were believed to be supernatural entities that would assist witches and cunning folk in their practice of magic. According to records of the time, those alleging to have had contact with familiar spirits reported that they could manifest as numerous forms, usually as an animal, but sometimes as a human or humanoid figure, and were described as "clearly defined, three-dimensional... forms, vivid with colour and animated with movement and sound", as opposed to descriptions of ghosts with their "smoky, undefined form . When they served witches, they were often thought to be malevolent, but when working for cunning folk they were often considered benevolent (although there was some ambiguity in both cases). The former were often categorized as demons, while the latter were more commonly thought of and described as fairies. The main purpose of familiars was to serve the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Zuijin
In Shinto, - are ''Kami'' or supernatural warrior-guardian figures, ''Kami'' that guard over shrine gates are considered to be ''Kado-Mori-no-Kami'' or ''Kadomori-no-Kami'', the gods who watch over the gates. They're often depicted as holding bows and arrows although some versions have them holding swords or spears, or wearing three silver rings. It appears on glass-like materials. The name was originally applied to the bodyguards of the Emperor of Japan. Statues of ''Zuijin'' are now often placed flanking ''shrine'' gates, similar to the ''Niō'' and '' Gozu and Mezu''. The ''Zuijin'' are also associated with ''Dosojin'', protector of crossroads and other boundary areas. '' Zuijin '' can also be described as guardians, helpers, or protectors of people from epidemic and evil spirits Similar to a guardian angel, zuijin follow,guide and protect persons them or defend groups or nations from evil. History Zuijin (also called as zuishin) was a government official in Konoefu ( ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Voodoo Doll
The term Voodoo doll commonly describes an effigy into which pins are inserted. Such practices are found in various forms in the magical traditions of many cultures around the world. Despite its name, the dolls are not prominent in Haitian Vodou and not used in Louisiana Voodoo. The practise has been denounced and declared irrelevant to Voodoo religion by those in High Priesthood of Louisiana Voodoo. Depictions in Culture 20th-century link with Forces The link between this magical practice and Voodoo was established through the presentation of the latter in Western popular culture, enduring the first half of the 20th century. In this, the myth of this magical practice being closely linked to Voodoo and Vodou was promoted as part of the wider negative depictions of blacks and Afro-Caribbean religious practices in the United States. In John Houston Craige's 1933 book ''Black Bagdad: The Arabian Nights Adventures of a Marine Captain in Haiti'', he described a Haitian prisoner st ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ushabti
The ushabti (also called shabti or shawabti, with a number of variant spellings) was a funerary figurine used in ancient Egyptian funerary practices. The Egyptological term is derived from , which replaced earlier , perhaps the nisba of "'' Persea'' tree". Ushabtis were placed in tombs among the grave goods and were intended to act as servants or minions for the deceased, should they be called upon to do manual labor in the afterlife. The figurines frequently carried a hoe on their shoulder and a basket on their backs, implying they were intended to farm for the deceased. They were usually written on by the use of hieroglyphs typically found on the legs. They carried inscriptions asserting their readiness to answer the gods' summons to work. The practice of using ushabtis originated in the Old Kingdom of Egypt (c. 2600 to 2100 BCE), with the use of life-sized reserve heads made from limestone, which were buried with the mummy. Most ushabtis were of minor size, and many pr ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Onmyōdō
is a system of natural science, astronomy, almanac, divination and Magic (supernatural), magic that developed independently in Japan based on the Chinese philosophies of yin and yang and Wuxing (Chinese philosophy), wuxing (five elements). The philosophy of yin and yang and wu xing was introduced to Japan at the beginning of the 6th century, and, influenced by Taoism, Buddhism, and Confucianism, evolved into the earliest system of ''Onmyōdō'' around the late 7th century. In 701, the Taiho Code established the departments and posts of ''onmyōji'' who practiced ''Onmyōdō'' in the Imperial Court, and ''Onmyōdō'' was institutionalized. From around the 9th century during the Heian period, ''Onmyōdō'' interacted with Shinto and in Japan, and developed into a system unique to Japan. Abe no Seimei, who was active during Heian period, is the most famous ''onmyōji'' (''Onmyōdō'' practitioner) in Japanese history and has appeared in various Japanese literature in later years. '' ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Onmyōji
was one of the official positions belonging to the of the Ministry of the Center under the ritsuryō system in ancient Japan, and was assigned as a technical officer in charge of divination and geomorphology based on the theory of the yin-and-yang five phases. In the middle ages and early modern period, the term was used to refer to those who performed prayers and divination in the private sector, and some of them were regarded as a kind of clergy. History Introduction of the yin-and-yang five phases philosophy and the establishment of the Bureau of Onmyō Based on the ancient Chinese concept of yin and yang and five phases, which began in the Xia and Shang dynasties and was almost completed in the Zhou dynasty, that all phenomena are based on the combination of yin-and-yang five phases of wood, fire, earth, metal, and water, onmyōji is a uniquely Japanese profession that is responsible for astrology, calendar, I Ching, water clock, etc., which are closely related to t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
:Category:Japanese Words And Phrases ...
{{Commons Words and phrases by language Words Words Words A word is a basic element of language that carries an objective or practical meaning, can be used on its own, and is uninterruptible. Despite the fact that language speakers often have an intuitive grasp of what a word is, there is no consen ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Japanese Ghosts
Japanese may refer to: * Something from or related to Japan, an island country in East Asia * Japanese language, spoken mainly in Japan * Japanese people, the ethnic group that identifies with Japan through ancestry or culture ** Japanese diaspora, Japanese emigrants and their descendants around the world * Japanese citizens, nationals of Japan under Japanese nationality law ** Foreign-born Japanese, naturalized citizens of Japan * Japanese writing system, consisting of kanji and kana * Japanese cuisine, the food and food culture of Japan See also * List of Japanese people * * Japonica (other) * Japonicum * Japonicus * Japanese studies Japanese studies (Japanese: ) or Japan studies (sometimes Japanology in Europe), is a sub-field of area studies or East Asian studies involved in social sciences and humanities research on Japan. It incorporates fields such as the study of Japanese ... {{disambiguation Language and nationality disambiguation pages ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Japanese Folklore
Japanese folklore encompasses the informally learned folk traditions of Japan and the Japanese people as expressed in its oral traditions, customs, and material culture. In Japanese, the term is used to describe folklore. The academic study of folklore is known as . Folklorists also employ the term or to refer to the objects and arts they study. Folk religion Men dressed as namahage, wearing ogre-like masks and traditional straw capes (''mino'') make rounds of homes, in an annual ritual of the Oga Peninsula area of the Northeast region. These ogre-men masquerade as kami looking to instill fear in the children who are lazily idling around the fire. This is a particularly colorful example of folk practice still kept alive. A parallel custom is the secretive ritual of the Yaeyama Islands, Okinawa which does not allow itself to be photographed. Many, though increasingly fewer households maintain a kamidana or a small Shinto altar shelf. The Shinto version of the kitchen go ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Totem
A totem (from oj, ᑑᑌᒼ, italics=no or ''doodem'') is a spirit being, sacred object, or symbol that serves as an emblem of a group of people, such as a family, clan, lineage, or tribe, such as in the Anishinaabe clan system. While ''the word'' totem itself is an anglicisation of the Ojibwe term (and both the word and beliefs associated with it are part of the Ojibwe language and culture), belief in tutelary spirits and deities is not limited to the Ojibwe people. Similar concepts, under differing names and with variations in beliefs and practices, may be found in a number of cultures worldwide. The term has also been adopted, and at times redefined, by anthropologists and philosophers of different cultures. Contemporary neoshamanic, New Age, and mythopoetic men's movements not otherwise involved in the practice of a traditional, tribal religion have been known to use "totem" terminology for the personal identification with a tutelary spirit or spirit guide. However, this ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Poppet
In folk magic and witchcraft, a poppet (also known as poppit, moppet, mommet or pippy) is a doll made to represent a person, for casting spells on that person or to aid that person through magic. They are occasionally found lodged in chimneys. These dolls may be fashioned from such materials as a carved root, grain or corn shafts, a fruit, paper, wax, a potato, clay, branches, or cloth stuffed with herbs with the intent that any actions performed upon the effigy will be transferred to the subject based on sympathetic magic. Poppets are also used as kitchen witch figures. Etymology The word ''poppet'' is an older spelling of ''puppet'', from Middle English ''popet'', meaning a small child or a doll. In British English it continues to hold this meaning. ''Poppet'' is also a chiefly British term of endearment or diminutive referring to a young child or girl, [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Pelesit
Pelesit () is a type of familiar spirit in Malay folklore. It is generally a cricket, or occasionally a grasshopper. The term literally means "buzzer" from the root word ''lesit'' meaning to buzz or whizz, as an insect does. They are also called Palasik. Belief in the pelesit traces back to Malay animism before the introduction of monotheism. Generally speaking, a pelesit can only be owned by a woman, and were said to have been prevalent in Kedah. The male equivalent is another hereditary spirit, the bajang. Due to the similarity, the two are sometimes confused in folklore. Two rituals exist for acquiring a pelesit, both of which involve recitation of the correct incantations and biting off the tongue of a dead child. This tongue, if kept properly with the appropriate rituals, is what becomes the pelesit. Pelesit attack their victims by entering the person's mouth tail-first. A person afflicted by the pelesit will insanely rave about cats. By itself, the pelesit does nothing els ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
