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In Japanese traditional beliefs and literature, are a type of ghost () believed to be capable of causing harm in the world of the living, injuring or killing enemies, or even causing natural disasters to exact vengeance to "redress" the wrongs it received while alive, then taking their spirits from their dying bodies. are often depicted as wronged women, who are traumatized, envious, disappointed, bitter, or just infuriated by what happened during life and exact revenge in death. These kinds of ghosts appear extremely vengeful, ruthless, heartless, brutal, cruel, deranged, egotistical, selfish, bloodthirsty, and cold-hearted.
Emperor Sutoku was the 75th emperor of Japan,Imperial Household Agency (''Kunaichō'') 崇徳天皇 (75)/ref> according to the traditional order of succession. Sutoku's reign spanned the years from 1123 through 1142. Genealogy Before his ascension to the Chr ...
,
Taira no Masakado was a Heian period provincial magnate (''gōzoku'') and samurai based in eastern Japan, notable for leading the first recorded uprising against the central government in Kyōto. Along with Sugawara no Michizane and Emperor Sutoku, he is of ...
, and Sugawara no Michizane are called the because they are considered to be the most powerful and revered in Japanese history. After they died with resentment and anger, there was a series of deaths of political opponents, natural disasters, and wars, and the rulers enshrined them as and deified them in
Shinto shrines A Stuart D. B. Picken, 1994. p. xxiii is a structure whose main purpose is to house ("enshrine") one or more kami, , the deities of the Shinto religion. The Also called the . is where a shrine's patron is or are enshrined.Iwanami Japanese dic ...
to appease the resentment and anger that had turned them into . are used as subjects in various traditional Japanese performing arts such as Noh,
Kabuki is a classical form of Theatre of Japan, Japanese theatre, mixing dramatic performance with Japanese traditional dance, traditional dance. Kabuki theatre is known for its heavily stylised performances, its glamorous, highly decorated costumes ...
, and
Rakugo is a form of Japanese verbal comedy, traditionally performed in '' yose'' theatres. (Bibliographyvolume 38(1)article
T ...
; for example, is a Noh mask representing a female . The Japanese people's reverence for has been passed down to the present day. , located between skyscrapers near
Tokyo Station Tōkyō Station (, ) is a major railway station in Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan. The original station is located in Chiyoda's Marunouchi business district near the Tokyo Imperial Palace, Imperial Palace grounds. The newer Eastern extension is not far ...
, was to be moved several times as part of urban redevelopment projects, but each move resulted in the death of a construction worker and a series of accidents. Although the buildings surrounding the Taira no Masakado mound have been rebuilt many times, the mound has remained intact between the high-rise buildings. Even today, the mound is carefully maintained. The term is often used as a synonym for , but the term is more commonly used to refer to the that have become the object of the people's reverence after a noble person has died a politically unjust death. refers to the belief that the of people who have died unfortunate deaths cause hauntings and disasters, and the belief that they are enshrined as to appease them.


Origin

While the origin of is unclear, belief in their existence can be traced back to the 8th century and was based on the idea that powerful and enraged souls of the dead could influence, harm, and kill the living. The earliest cult that developed was around
Prince Nagaya Nagaya ( ') (684 – 20 March 729) was a politician of the Nara period and an imperial prince of Japan, a son of Prince Takechi (grandson of Emperor Tenmu). His father was Prince Takechi and his mother Princess Minabe (a daughter of Emperor ...
who died in 729; and the first record of possession by the spirit affecting health is found in the chronicle (797), which states that "'s soul harmed Genbō to death" (Hirotsugu having died in a failed insurrection, named the "
Fujiwara no Hirotsugu Rebellion The was an unsuccessful Nara period rebellion led by in the Japanese archipelago, Japanese islands, in the year 740. Hirotsugu, dissatisfied with the political powers, raised an army in Dazaifu (local government), Dazaifu, Kyushu but was defeat ...
", after failing to remove his rival, the priest Genbō, from power).


Vengeance

According to the belief of
Ikiryō , also known as , , or , is a disembodied spirit or ghost in Japanese popular belief and fiction that leaves the body of a living person and subsequently haunts other people or places, sometimes across great distances. The term(s) are used in c ...
, a person's soul or spirit exists naturally when it is stable or in balance. When too much hatred or resentment brews, it can become separated from the body, resulting in the spirit becoming an . This can allegedly also occur in individuals who died an untimely death. Traditionally in Japan, driven by vengeance were thought capable of causing not only their enemy's death, as in the case of Hirotsugu's vengeful spirit held responsible for killing the priest Genbō, but also causing natural disasters such as
earthquake An earthquakealso called a quake, tremor, or tembloris the shaking of the Earth's surface resulting from a sudden release of energy in the lithosphere that creates seismic waves. Earthquakes can range in intensity, from those so weak they ...
s,
fire Fire is the rapid oxidation of a fuel in the exothermic chemical process of combustion, releasing heat, light, and various reaction Product (chemistry), products. Flames, the most visible portion of the fire, are produced in the combustion re ...
s,
storm A storm is any disturbed state of the natural environment or the atmosphere of an astronomical body. It may be marked by significant disruptions to normal conditions such as strong wind, tornadoes, hail, thunder and lightning (a thunderstor ...
s,
drought A drought is a period of drier-than-normal conditions.Douville, H., K. Raghavan, J. Renwick, R.P. Allan, P.A. Arias, M. Barlow, R. Cerezo-Mota, A. Cherchi, T.Y. Gan, J. Gergis, D.  Jiang, A.  Khan, W.  Pokam Mba, D.  Rosenfeld, J. Tierney, ...
,
famine A famine is a widespread scarcity of food caused by several possible factors, including, but not limited to war, natural disasters, crop failure, widespread poverty, an Financial crisis, economic catastrophe or government policies. This phenom ...
and pestilence, as in the case of
Prince Sawara (circa 750 – November 8, 785) was the fifth son of Prince Shirakabe (later Emperor Kōnin), by Takano no Niigasa. Biography In 781 he was named heir-presumptive after his elder brother succeeded the abdicated Emperor Kōnin as the Emperor ...
's spirit embittered against his brother, the
Emperor Kanmu , or Kammu, was the 50th emperor of Japan,Imperial Household Agency (''Kunaichō'') 桓武天皇 (50) retrieved 2013-8-22. according to the traditional order of succession. Kammu reigned from 781 to 806, and it was during his reign that the scop ...
. In common parlance, such vengeance exacted by supernatural beings or forces is termed . The
Emperor Kanmu , or Kammu, was the 50th emperor of Japan,Imperial Household Agency (''Kunaichō'') 桓武天皇 (50) retrieved 2013-8-22. according to the traditional order of succession. Kammu reigned from 781 to 806, and it was during his reign that the scop ...
had accused his brother Sawara, possibly falsely, of plotting to remove him from the throne. Sawara was then exiled, and died by fasting. According to a number of scholars, the reason that the Emperor moved the capital to
Nagaoka-kyō was the capital of Japan from 784 to 794. Its location was in Otokuni District, Yamashiro Province, corresponding to a 4.3 x 5.3 kilometer area spanning the borders of modern cities of Mukō and Nagaokakyō, Kyoto, the town of Ōyamazaki ...
thence to
Kyoto Kyoto ( or ; Japanese language, Japanese: , ''Kyōto'' ), officially , is the capital city of Kyoto Prefecture in the Kansai region of Japan's largest and most populous island of Honshu. , the city had a population of 1.46 million, making it t ...
was an attempt to avoid the wrath of his brother's spirit, according to a number of scholars. This not succeeding entirely, the emperor tried to lift the curse by appeasing his brother's ghost, by performing Buddhist rites to pay respect, and granting Prince Sawara the posthumous title of emperor. A well-known example of appeasement of the spirit is the case of Sugawara no Michizane, who had been politically disgraced and died in exile. It was believed to cause the death of his calumniators in quick succession, as well as catastrophes (especially lightning damage), and the court tried to appease the wrathful spirit by restoring Michizane's old rank and position. Michizane became deified in the cult of the Tenjin, with Tenman-gū shrines erected around him.


Examples

Possibly the most famous is Oiwa, from the . In this story, the husband remains unharmed; however, he is the target of the 's vengeance. Oiwa's vengeance on him is not physical retribution, but rather psychological torment. Other examples include: ; How a Man's Wife Became a Vengeful Ghost and How Her Malignity Was Diverted by a Master of Divination : In this tale from the medieval collection , an abandoned wife is found dead with a full head of hair intact and her bones still attached. The husband, fearing retribution from her spirit, asks a diviner for aid. The husband must endure while grabbing her hair and riding astride her corpse. She complains of the heavy load and leaves the house to "go looking" (presumably for her husband), but after a day, she gives up and returns, after which the diviner is able to complete her exorcism with an incantation. ; Of a Promise Broken : In this tale from the
Izumo Izumo (出雲) may refer to: Locations * Izumo Province, an old province of Japan * Izumo, Shimane, a city located in Shimane Prefecture ** Izumo Airport * Izumo-taisha, one of Japan's most ancient and important Shinto shrines Ships * ''Izumo ...
area recorded by
Lafcadio Hearn was a Greek-born Irish and Japanese writer, translator, and teacher who introduced the culture and literature of Japan to the Western world. His writings offered unprecedented insight into Japanese culture, especially his collections of legend ...
, a
samurai The samurai () were members of the warrior class in Japan. They were originally provincial warriors who came from wealthy landowning families who could afford to train their men to be mounted archers. In the 8th century AD, the imperial court d ...
vows to his dying wife never to remarry. He soon breaks this promise, and the ghost of the deceased wife murders her husband's new young bride, ripping her head off. A watchman chases down the apparition, and, while slashing his sword, recites a
Buddhist Buddhism, also known as Buddhadharma and Dharmavinaya, is an Indian religion and List of philosophies, philosophical tradition based on Pre-sectarian Buddhism, teachings attributed to the Buddha, a wandering teacher who lived in the 6th or ...
prayer, destroying the ghost of the dead wife.


In media

The is a staple of the J-Horror genre, most notable being
Sadako Yamamura is a fictional character and the main antagonist of Koji Suzuki's ''Ring'' novel series and its eponymous film series. Her backstory varies between continuities, but all depict her as the vengeful ghost of a young psychic who was murdered and ...
and Kayako Saeki from the ''
Ring (The) Ring(s) may refer to: * Ring (jewellery), a round band, usually made of metal, worn as ornamental jewelry * To make a sound with a bell, and the sound made by a bell Arts, entertainment, and media Film and TV * ''The Ring'' (franchise), a ...
'' and '' Ju-On'' franchises, respectively. The characters in these works are usually women who were wronged in life and returned as to wreak havoc on the living and obtain revenge. In '' The Ring'',
Sadako Yamamura is a fictional character and the main antagonist of Koji Suzuki's ''Ring'' novel series and its eponymous film series. Her backstory varies between continuities, but all depict her as the vengeful ghost of a young psychic who was murdered and ...
is the main antagonist. Her origin is from the ''Ring'' novel series by
Koji Suzuki is a Japanese writer, who was born in Hamamatsu and lives in Tokyo. Suzuki is the author of the Ring (novel series), ''Ring'' novels, which have been adapted into other formats, including films, manga, TV series and video games. He has written ...
, where she haunts and kills people through tapes on a TV. Before her death, she is raped by a doctor with smallpox, who seals her in a well where she dies. Before Sadako dies, she promises to take revenge on the world, and becomes an . The aforementioned has been made into numerous movies and retold many times over the course of Japanese history. The story revolves around Tamiya Iemon and his wife Oiwa. Their relationship is not a happy one, and through some set of circumstances, Iemon gives Oiwa a powder that permanently disfigures her face. Upon realizing this, Oiwa takes her own life and that of her baby. After her death, she comes back to haunt Iemon and his new wife, becoming an . is another Japanese ghost story that has been retold many ways. In this story, Okiku, a beautiful maid, is the target of desire for the samurai whose house she works at, Aoyama Tessan. She continually refuses his advances, and in a fit of rage, Tessan hides one of 10 expensive plates that Okiku is in charge of counting. When Okiku cannot find the 10th plate, she recounts them obsessively, panicking more each time. Tessan tells her he will forgive her losing the plate if she becomes his mistress, but even then, she refuses him. At her refusal, Tessan throws her into a well on the property, where she dies. After this, every night Okiku rises from the well, softly counting to 9, and then letting out a horrendous shriek once she reaches 10. She has become an . , from the third entry of the fighting game ''
Killer Instinct ''Killer Instinct'' is a series of fighting game, fighting video games originally created by Rare (company), Rare and published by Midway Games, Midway, Nintendo, and Microsoft Studios, Xbox Game Studios. The original Killer Instinct (1994 vide ...
'', is an who died while defending her village. She still haunts her old village and will take vengeance on anyone who desecrates its ruins with her . She has pale white skin and long black hair like most . In 2018, the asymmetrical horror game '' Dead by Daylight'' released the ''Shattered Bloodline'' chapter DLC, and with it came Rin Yamaoka, The Spirit. The Spirit is an who returns from the dead after being brutally murdered by her father. In March 2022, Sadako Yamamura was added as a playable character. The term is also present in the game '' Phasmophobia''. It is one of 24 ghost types that the player can identify, and is noted for treating lit candles like a crucifix. Yoshie Kimura, the main antagonist from '' Death Forest'', is an ''onryō''. She died when exploring the forest with her classmate, from being beaten to death by an unknown person. Mizu, the protagonist of the 2023
Netflix Netflix is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service. The service primarily distributes original and acquired films and television shows from various genres, and it is available internationally in multiple lang ...
series '' Blue Eye Samurai'' shares many similarities with, and is often compared diegetically to, an ''onryō''. In ''Jujutsu Kaisen'', the Gojo clan is said to have descended from the ''onryō'' Sugawara no Michizane.


Physical appearance

Traditionally, and other (ghosts) had no particular appearance. However, with the rising of popularity of
kabuki is a classical form of Theatre of Japan, Japanese theatre, mixing dramatic performance with Japanese traditional dance, traditional dance. Kabuki theatre is known for its heavily stylised performances, its glamorous, highly decorated costumes ...
during the
Edo period The , also known as the , is the period between 1600 or 1603 and 1868 in the history of Japan, when the country was under the rule of the Tokugawa shogunate and some 300 regional ''daimyo'', or feudal lords. Emerging from the chaos of the Sengok ...
, a specific
costume Costume is the distinctive style of dress and/or makeup of an individual or group that reflects class, gender, occupation, ethnicity, nationality, activity or epoch—in short, culture. The term also was traditionally used to describe typica ...
was developed. Highly visual in nature, and with a single actor often assuming various roles within a play, kabuki developed a system of visual shorthand that allowed the audience to instantly recognize which character is on stage, as well as emphasize the emotions and expressions of the actor. A ghost costume consisted of three main elements: * or . This garment was also worn during . *Wild, unkempt long black hair that often hides their face until they choose to reveal it. *Face makeup consisting of coupled with dramatic face painting () of , much like villains are depicted in kabuki makeup artistry.


See also

* Eidolon * ''
Fatal Frame ''Fatal Frame'', titled in Japan and ''Project Zero'' in Europe and Australia, is a Japanese survival horror video game series that was created, published and developed by Koei Tecmo (originally Tecmo). Debuting in 2001 with the Fatal Frame (vi ...
'' (video game series) * Hisako * * Ghosts in Vietnamese culture * Japanese urban legends * Kayako Saeki * List of ghosts * List of supernatural beings in Chinese folklore * '' Muoi: The Legend of a Portrait'' (film) * Neko-dera * S-Ko *
Sadako Yamamura is a fictional character and the main antagonist of Koji Suzuki's ''Ring'' novel series and its eponymous film series. Her backstory varies between continuities, but all depict her as the vengeful ghost of a young psychic who was murdered and ...
*
Taira no Masakado was a Heian period provincial magnate (''gōzoku'') and samurai based in eastern Japan, notable for leading the first recorded uprising against the central government in Kyōto. Along with Sugawara no Michizane and Emperor Sutoku, he is of ...
*
Vengeful ghost In mythology and folklore, a vengeful ghost or vengeful spirit is said to be the spirit of a dead person who returns from the afterlife to seek revenge for a cruel, unnatural or unjust death. In certain cultures where funeral and burial or crem ...


Notes


Citations


Bibliography

*Iwasaka, Michiko and Toelken, Barre. ''Ghosts and the Japanese: Cultural Experiences in Japanese Death Legends'',
Utah State University Press The University Press of Colorado is a nonprofit publisher that was established in 1965. It is currently a member of the Association of University Presses and has been since 1982. Initially associated with Colorado public universities, the Univ ...
, 1994.


External links


Ghoul Power - Onryou in the Movies
''Japanzine'' by Jon Wilks
Yūrei-ga gallery at Zenshoan Temple
{{DEFAULTSORT:Onryo Japanese ghosts Undead Japanese folklore * Mythological creatures Supernatural legends Goryō faith