Magic in East Asia
Taoist talismans, the I Ching and feng shui, onmyodo and the omamori, and the mudang of Korea. 311 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
🇯🇵 JapanMazoku魔族
Supernatural beings in Japanese myth and fantasy, often evil.Being · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇨🇳 ChinaQiongqi窮奇
A winged beast from Chinese myth that rewards wickedness and punishes virtueBeing · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇯🇵 JapanTesso鉄鼠
A Japanese yōkai born from a monk’s curse and the destructive power of ratsBeing · Cursing and harm · Power and authority Legendary
🇯🇵 Japan and 2 moreChimimōryō魑魅魍魎
A Chinese term for mountain and river spirits that spread to Japan and VietnamBeing · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇰🇷 South KoreaEgg ghost달걀귀신
A headless Korean spirit shaped like an egg, said to bring death upon sightingBeing · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇰🇷 South KoreaKorean virgin ghost처녀귀신 (cheonyeo-gwisin)
A spirit of an unmarried woman who died with resentment in Korean folklore.Being · Cursing and harm · Binding and oaths Historical
🇨🇳 ChinaNine-headed bird九頭鳥
A mythical creature from ancient China that became a symbol of deceit.Being · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇨🇳 China and 1 moreFengxi封豨
A two-headed boar monster and ancient rain deity from Chinese mythBeing · Cursing and harm · Seeing and foretelling Legendary
🇨🇳 China and 1 moreKakuen玃猿 (Jué yuán)
A legendary ape-like creature from Chinese and Japanese folklore known for abducting humans.Being · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇹🇼 TaiwanMo-sin-a魔神仔
A short, furry forest demon from Taiwanese folklore said to lure travelers into the mountains.Being · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇯🇵 JapanSakabashira逆柱
A reversed wooden pillar in Japanese folk belief, said to cause misfortune or ward off disasterBelief · Protection · Cursing and harm Historical
🇯🇵 JapanShichinin misaki七人ミサキ
A group of seven vengeful ghosts from Japan that appear near water and kill those who see them.Being · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇯🇵 JapanHitotsume-nyūdō独眼僧
A one-eyed Japanese monk spirit from folklore and legendBeing · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇯🇵 Japan and 1 moreBake-danuki化け狸
A shape-shifting raccoon dog spirit from Japanese folklore known for pranks and illusions.Being · Cursing and harm · Luck and prosperity Legendary
🇯🇵 JapanShinigami死神
A Japanese spirit or deity associated with inviting humans toward deathBeing · Cursing and harm Historical
🇯🇵 JapanYosuzume夜雀
A Japanese mountain spirit that appears as a bird or butterfly and signals the presence of wolves.Being · Cursing and harm · Protection Historical
🇯🇵 JapanNyūdō-bōzu入道坊主
A Japanese yokai that grows taller when stared at and can kill or vanish depending on the responseBeing · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇯🇵 JapanKamikiri髪切り
A Japanese yōkai blamed for the sudden disappearance of human hairBeing · Cursing and harm Historical
🇯🇵 JapanUmi zatō海座頭
A sea yōkai depicted as a giant blind musician that threatens shipsBeing · Cursing and harm Historical
🇨🇳 ChinaChang伥
A Chinese ghost enslaved by a tiger to lure new victimsBeing · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇯🇵 JapanShidaidaka次第高
A tall spirit in Japan that grows when you look up and shrinks when you look down.Being · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇨🇳 China and 2 moreOx-Head and Horse-Face牛頭馬面
Guardians of the underworld who escort souls to judgment in East Asian myth.Being · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇯🇵 JapanYamajijii山爺
A one-eyed mountain spirit from Shikoku folklore known for its thunderous voice and unpredictable nature.Being · Cursing and harm · Luck and prosperity Historical
🇨🇳 China and 1 moreMōryō魍魎
Spirits of nature and graves in East Asian folklore, often linked to corpse theft.Being · 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
🇯🇵 JapanNoderabō野寺坊
A Japanese yōkai of abandoned temples and broken vowsBeing · Cursing and harm Historical
🇯🇵 JapanHannya般若
A Noh theater mask depicting a jealous female spirit or demonessText · Cursing and harm Living
🇯🇵 JapanKeneō懸衣翁
A Japanese oni who judges souls by the weight of their clothes at the Sanzu RiverBeing · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇯🇵 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
🇨🇳 ChinaChinese sorcery scares
A series of moral panics in Imperial China driven by fears of magical harm and hair cuttingBelief · Cursing and harm · Power and authority Historical
🇯🇵 JapanYama-uba山姥
A Japanese mountain spirit depicted as either a cannibalistic monster or a benevolent guardian.Being · Cursing and harm · Luck and prosperity Legendary
🇯🇵 JapanDaigensuihō大元帥法
An Esoteric Shingon Buddhist rite for military defense and cursing enemiesRite · Cursing and harm · Protection Historical
🇰🇷 South KoreaGangcheori강철이
A fire-breathing dragon from Korean folklore that scorches the land in its wakeFigure · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇯🇵 JapanAyakashi妖
Water spirits and ghost lights in Japanese folkloreBeing · Cursing and harm · Luck and prosperity Historical
🇯🇵 JapanDatsue-ba奪衣婆
A Japanese underworld figure who strips clothes from spirits at the river of deathBeing · Cursing and harm Historical
🇯🇵 JapanSankai産怪
A yōkai born from a woman during childbirth if proper care is neglectedBeing · 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
🇯🇵 JapanŌnyūdō大僧正
A giant monk spirit in Japanese folklore, ranging from helpful helpers to menacing shadows.Being · Cursing and harm · Healing Legendary
🇨🇳 ChinaHuodou祸斗
A fire-spitting dog from southern Chinese folklore that signals disasterBeing · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇯🇵 JapanMakuragaeshi枕返し
A Japanese spirit that flips pillows and turns sleepers upside downBeing · Cursing and harm · Luck and prosperity Legendary
🇯🇵 JapanAzukibabaaあずきばばあ
A Japanese yōkai that mimics the sound of red beans to lure or frighten peopleBeing · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇯🇵 JapanTesso鉄鼠
A Japanese yōkai born from a monk’s curse and the destructive power of ratsBeing · Cursing and harm · Power and authority Legendary
🇯🇵 Japan and 2 moreChimimōryō魑魅魍魎
A Chinese term for mountain and river spirits that spread to Japan and VietnamBeing · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇰🇷 South KoreaEgg ghost달걀귀신
A headless Korean spirit shaped like an egg, said to bring death upon sightingBeing · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇰🇷 South KoreaKorean virgin ghost처녀귀신 (cheonyeo-gwisin)
A spirit of an unmarried woman who died with resentment in Korean folklore.Being · Cursing and harm · Binding and oaths Historical
🇨🇳 ChinaNine-headed bird九頭鳥
A mythical creature from ancient China that became a symbol of deceit.Being · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇨🇳 China and 1 moreFengxi封豨
A two-headed boar monster and ancient rain deity from Chinese mythBeing · Cursing and harm · Seeing and foretelling Legendary
🇨🇳 China and 1 moreKakuen玃猿 (Jué yuán)
A legendary ape-like creature from Chinese and Japanese folklore known for abducting humans.Being · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇹🇼 TaiwanMo-sin-a魔神仔
A short, furry forest demon from Taiwanese folklore said to lure travelers into the mountains.Being · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇯🇵 JapanSakabashira逆柱
A reversed wooden pillar in Japanese folk belief, said to cause misfortune or ward off disasterBelief · Protection · Cursing and harm Historical
🇯🇵 JapanShichinin misaki七人ミサキ
A group of seven vengeful ghosts from Japan that appear near water and kill those who see them.Being · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇯🇵 JapanHitotsume-nyūdō独眼僧
A one-eyed Japanese monk spirit from folklore and legendBeing · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇯🇵 Japan and 1 moreBake-danuki化け狸
A shape-shifting raccoon dog spirit from Japanese folklore known for pranks and illusions.Being · Cursing and harm · Luck and prosperity Legendary
🇯🇵 JapanShinigami死神
A Japanese spirit or deity associated with inviting humans toward deathBeing · Cursing and harm Historical
🇯🇵 JapanYosuzume夜雀
A Japanese mountain spirit that appears as a bird or butterfly and signals the presence of wolves.Being · Cursing and harm · Protection Historical
🇯🇵 JapanNyūdō-bōzu入道坊主
A Japanese yokai that grows taller when stared at and can kill or vanish depending on the responseBeing · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇯🇵 JapanKamikiri髪切り
A Japanese yōkai blamed for the sudden disappearance of human hairBeing · Cursing and harm Historical
🇯🇵 JapanUmi zatō海座頭
A sea yōkai depicted as a giant blind musician that threatens shipsBeing · Cursing and harm Historical
🇨🇳 ChinaChang伥
A Chinese ghost enslaved by a tiger to lure new victimsBeing · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇯🇵 JapanShidaidaka次第高
A tall spirit in Japan that grows when you look up and shrinks when you look down.Being · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇨🇳 China and 2 moreOx-Head and Horse-Face牛頭馬面
Guardians of the underworld who escort souls to judgment in East Asian myth.Being · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇯🇵 JapanYamajijii山爺
A one-eyed mountain spirit from Shikoku folklore known for its thunderous voice and unpredictable nature.Being · Cursing and harm · Luck and prosperity Historical
🇨🇳 China and 1 moreMōryō魍魎
Spirits of nature and graves in East Asian folklore, often linked to corpse theft.Being · 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
🇯🇵 JapanNoderabō野寺坊
A Japanese yōkai of abandoned temples and broken vowsBeing · Cursing and harm Historical
🇯🇵 JapanHannya般若
A Noh theater mask depicting a jealous female spirit or demonessText · Cursing and harm Living
🇯🇵 JapanKeneō懸衣翁
A Japanese oni who judges souls by the weight of their clothes at the Sanzu RiverBeing · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇯🇵 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
🇨🇳 ChinaChinese sorcery scares
A series of moral panics in Imperial China driven by fears of magical harm and hair cuttingBelief · Cursing and harm · Power and authority Historical
🇯🇵 JapanYama-uba山姥
A Japanese mountain spirit depicted as either a cannibalistic monster or a benevolent guardian.Being · Cursing and harm · Luck and prosperity Legendary
🇯🇵 JapanDaigensuihō大元帥法
An Esoteric Shingon Buddhist rite for military defense and cursing enemiesRite · Cursing and harm · Protection Historical
🇰🇷 South KoreaGangcheori강철이
A fire-breathing dragon from Korean folklore that scorches the land in its wakeFigure · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇯🇵 JapanAyakashi妖
Water spirits and ghost lights in Japanese folkloreBeing · Cursing and harm · Luck and prosperity Historical
🇯🇵 JapanDatsue-ba奪衣婆
A Japanese underworld figure who strips clothes from spirits at the river of deathBeing · Cursing and harm Historical
🇯🇵 JapanSankai産怪
A yōkai born from a woman during childbirth if proper care is neglectedBeing · 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
🇯🇵 JapanŌnyūdō大僧正
A giant monk spirit in Japanese folklore, ranging from helpful helpers to menacing shadows.Being · Cursing and harm · Healing Legendary
🇨🇳 ChinaHuodou祸斗
A fire-spitting dog from southern Chinese folklore that signals disasterBeing · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇯🇵 JapanMakuragaeshi枕返し
A Japanese spirit that flips pillows and turns sleepers upside downBeing · Cursing and harm · Luck and prosperity Legendary
🇯🇵 JapanAzukibabaaあずきばばあ
A Japanese yōkai that mimics the sound of red beans to lure or frighten peopleBeing · Cursing and harm Legendary
Photo credits on this page
The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.
- Tesso: Katsushika Hokusai, Public domain, source
- Korean virgin ghost: 국립국어원, CC BY-SA 2.0 kr, source
- Shinigami: 日: Jnn, CC BY 2.1 jp, source
- Datsue-ba: Fred Cherrygarden, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Kiyohime: Unknown author, Public domain, source
- Hannya: Daderot, Public domain, source
- Nine-headed bird: Unknown author, Public domain, source
- Banchō Sarayashiki: Tsukioka Yoshitoshi, Okiku ,, Public domain, source
- Yama-uba: Unknown author, Public domain, source
- Daigensuihō: Kamakura-period artist; photo by Kudo Risaburo (工藤利三郎), Public domain, source
- Bake-danuki: Poposhka at English Wikipedia, Public domain, source
- Hitotsume-nyūdō: Kashiwa Seiho (柏正甫), Public domain, source
- Kamikiri: Sawaki Suushi (佐脇嵩之, Japanese, *1707, †1772), Public domain, source
- Shidaidaka: by Reggaeman, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Ox-Head and Horse-Face: ScribblingGeek, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Legend of the White Snake: Unknown author, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Sakabashira: Unknown author, Public domain, source