Japanese Horror Stories
Yurey
Yurei ( ⁇ ) is a figure in Japanese folklore, which corresponds to a ghost. The term consists of two kanji letters, ⁇ (yu), meaning "redup" or "vague", and ⁇ (rei), meaning "soul" or "spirit." Alternative names include Borei ( ⁇ ) which means the spirit of the deceased, Shiryo ( ⁇ ) means the soul of the dead, or in a broader sense include Yokai ( ⁇ ) or Obake ( ⁇ ). Like their equivalents in Chinese and Western mythology, they are believed to be souls after death.
MYTHOLOGY
According to Japanese beliefs, humans have a spirit or soul called reikon ( ⁇ ). When a person dies, the reikon leaves the body and enters the sanctuary, where they wait during the funeral service and the funeral procession is properly carried out, so that they can gather with the ancestors. If the ritual is performed correctly, then reikon is believed to be the protector of his family who is still alive and will return every year in August during the feast of Obon to receive an expression of gratitude.
For a person who is killed in an unusual or sadistic way, such as being killed or committing suicide, and if the correct ritual is not performed, or if the deceased is still influenced by strong emotions such as revenge, romance, jealousy, hatred, or sadness, then the reikon is believed to turn into yurei, who can cross the boundary between the afterlife and the mortal realm (the human world).
Yurei is in the human world until she becomes calm, either by praying for her through a proper and proper funeral, or by fulfilling an unattainable wish that still holds her in the mortal world. If the ceremony does not take place properly, or if his wishes have not been fulfilled, then the yurei will continue to float.
CHARACTERISTIC
In the late 17th century, a game called Hyakumonogatari Kaidankai became popular, and kaidan (ghost stories) increasingly became the subject of theatrical performances, literature, and other branches of art. At that time, certain attributes were pinned to distinguish the yurei from ordinary humans, so that the yurei character was easier to recognize.
Ukiyo-e artist Maruyama Okyo makes the first famous example of what is now known as the traditional yurei figure, in the Oyuki Ghost painting.
Today, the appearance of the yurei seems to be uniform, which simply indicates its supernatural nature, and the authenticity of the cultural features of the figure is very pronounced.
White dress: usually Yurei dressed in all white, characterizing the tradition of white kimonos during funeral ceremonies used since the Edo period funeral service. In Shintoism, white clothing is worn because white is the color that symbolizes ceremonial purity, traditionally worn by priests and buried bodies. The kimono can be either katabira (plain, white, unlined kimono) or kyokatabira (white katabira written in Buddhist sutras). Sometimes yurei wears a hitaikakushi ("head tie"), a triangular piece of cloth tied around the forehead.
Black hair: Usually yurei hair is long, black, and disheveled.
Hitodama: Often the yurei is accompanied by a fireball or hitodama, in blue, green, or purple. The fireball is a separate part of the yurei and is not a ghost in itself.
CLASSIFICATION
Although the Japanese ghost category creatures are called yurei, within that category there are several types of ghosts with special characteristics, which are classified primarily as apostatizing the way of death or the reason they return to the human world.
Onryo: Curious spirits who return from sanctification because of evil deeds done to them while they are still alive.
Ubume: Ghost of a mother who died during childbirth, or left her newborn baby. Yurei is fond of feeling how to babysit and often gives sweets to children.
Goryo: The curious spirit of the class of officials or nobles, especially for those sentenced to death in order to maintain their principles or because of political problems.
Funayrei: Ghosts of people who died at sea. The ghost is usually depicted as a human figure scaly fish and some of them are mermaids.
Zashiki-warashi: Ghosts of children, often misbehaving rather than dangerous.
Ghosts of the Samurai: Veterans of the Genpei War who died in battle. Ghost Knights usually appear special in Noh performances. Unlike most yurei, this ghost is usually depicted as legged.
Attraction Ghosts: Ghosts of women or men who desire to feel love after their death, as told in Botan Doro.
