Magic in East Asia
Taoist talismans, the I Ching and feng shui, onmyodo and the omamori, and the mudang of Korea. 308 entries on EveryJaadu so far.
Places of magic
Kyoto 5Beijing 3Edo 3Mount Tai 3Shikoku 3Akita 2Asakusa 2Guangdong 2Himeji Castle 2Kifune Shrine 2Kumano Sanzan 2Mount Hiei 2Mount Ōmine 2Mukden 2Nagano Prefecture 2Sado Island 2Sendai 2Seoul 2Shimane Prefecture 2Aikoku Station 1Aizu region 1Akishino-dera 1Amami Ōshima 1Amoy 1Anyang 1Aojiang 1Aomori prefecture 1Ariake Sea 1Asagaya 1Awaji Island 1
Rites of the region
Writing and burning a fu talismanJoss paper and the Hungry Ghost offeringKau cim and jiaobeiThe I Ching and the yarrow stalksFeng shui placementSetsubun bean-throwingHarai, the Shinto rite of purificationOmamori and ofuda renewalOmikuji fortune slipsGut, the Korean shaman rite
Countries
PurposeProtectionHealingSeeing and foretellingLuck and prosperityLove and attractionCursing and harmCleansing and purificationSpeaking with spirits and the deadChange and initiationBinding and oathsPower and authorityWonder and entertainment
WhoShamansFolk healersPriests and ritual specialistsWitches, sorcerers and cunning folkDiviners and readersMediums and the possessedCeremonial magicians and alchemistsHouseholds and ordinary peopleStage magiciansScholars and sceptics
BeliefHindu and TantricBuddhistJainMuslim and SufiJewishChristianSikhZoroastrianShinto and TaoistIndigenous and shamanicAfrican and Afro-diasporicPagan and NeopaganEsoteric and occultFolk and village customSecular and stageOther traditions
🇯🇵 JapanKamo no Yasunori賀茂 保憲
A Heian-era onmyōji and teacher of Abe no Seimei in Japanese esoteric artsFigure · Seeing and foretelling · Cursing and harm Historical
🇨🇳 ChinaNian年兽 (Nián shòu)
A mythical creature linked to Chinese New Year customs and the lion danceFigure · Cursing and harm · Wonder and entertainment Legendary
🇯🇵 Japan and 2 moreTamamo-no-Mae玉藻前
A nine-tailed fox spirit from Japanese legend who possessed emperors and concubines across Asia.Figure · Cursing and harm · Power and authority Legendary
🇯🇵 JapanAshiya Dōman蘆屋道満
A legendary Heian onmyōji known for his rivalry with Abe no Seimei and his use of cursesFigure · Cursing and harm · Power and authority Legendary
🇨🇳 China and 2 moreJiang Ziya姜子牙
A historical strategist and war god who helped establish the Zhou dynastyFigure · Power and authority · Cursing and harm Historical
🇨🇳 ChinaTaotie饕餮
A zoomorphic mask on ancient Chinese bronzes and a mythological creature of gluttonyFigure · Protection · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇯🇵 JapanShikome黄泉醜女 (Yomotsu-shikome)
A hag from the Japanese underworld who pursued Izanagi after he shamed Izanami.Figure · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇨🇳 China and 1 moreLegend of the White Snake白蛇傳
A Chinese folktale about a snake spirit who becomes human to love a mortal manFigure · Love and attraction · Cursing and harm Historical
🇯🇵 JapanKiyohime清姫
A Japanese folktale about a woman who becomes a serpent after being rejected by a monkFigure · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇯🇵 JapanBanchō Sarayashiki番町皿屋敷
A Japanese ghost story about a servant who dies unjustly and haunts her murderer by counting plates.Figure · Cursing and harm · Wonder and entertainment Legendary
🇰🇷 South KoreaGangcheori강철이
A fire-breathing dragon from Korean folklore that scorches the land in its wakeFigure · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇯🇵 JapanHashihime橋姫
A Japanese bridge spirit linked to jealousy and demonic transformation in folklore and Noh theatre.Being · Protection · Cursing and harm Historical
🇷🇺 Russia and 2 moreVerliokaВерлиока
A cross-eyed monster from East Slavic folk talesFigure · Cursing and harm Historical
🇯🇵 Japan and 2 moreTamamo-no-Mae玉藻前
A nine-tailed fox spirit from Japanese legend who possessed emperors and concubines across Asia.Figure · Cursing and harm · Power and authority Legendary
🇯🇵 JapanAshiya Dōman蘆屋道満
A legendary Heian onmyōji known for his rivalry with Abe no Seimei and his use of cursesFigure · Cursing and harm · Power and authority Legendary
🇨🇳 China and 2 moreJiang Ziya姜子牙
A historical strategist and war god who helped establish the Zhou dynastyFigure · Power and authority · Cursing and harm Historical
🇨🇳 ChinaTaotie饕餮
A zoomorphic mask on ancient Chinese bronzes and a mythological creature of gluttonyFigure · Protection · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇯🇵 JapanShikome黄泉醜女 (Yomotsu-shikome)
A hag from the Japanese underworld who pursued Izanagi after he shamed Izanami.Figure · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇨🇳 China and 1 moreLegend of the White Snake白蛇傳
A Chinese folktale about a snake spirit who becomes human to love a mortal manFigure · Love and attraction · Cursing and harm Historical
🇯🇵 JapanKiyohime清姫
A Japanese folktale about a woman who becomes a serpent after being rejected by a monkFigure · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇯🇵 JapanBanchō Sarayashiki番町皿屋敷
A Japanese ghost story about a servant who dies unjustly and haunts her murderer by counting plates.Figure · Cursing and harm · Wonder and entertainment Legendary
🇰🇷 South KoreaGangcheori강철이
A fire-breathing dragon from Korean folklore that scorches the land in its wakeFigure · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇯🇵 JapanHashihime橋姫
A Japanese bridge spirit linked to jealousy and demonic transformation in folklore and Noh theatre.Being · Protection · Cursing and harm Historical
🇷🇺 Russia and 2 moreVerliokaВерлиока
A cross-eyed monster from East Slavic folk talesFigure · Cursing and harm Historical
Photo credits on this page
The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.
- Ashiya Dōman: Unknown author, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Kiyohime: Unknown author, Public domain, source
- Shikome: Raita Futo, CC BY 2.0, source
- Banchō Sarayashiki: Tsukioka Yoshitoshi, Okiku ,, Public domain, source
- Taotie: anonymous, CC0, source
- Tamamo-no-Mae: ウィキ太郎 Wiki Taro, Public domain, source
- Jiang Ziya: Wang Qi, Public domain, source
- Legend of the White Snake: Unknown author, CC BY-SA 3.0, source