Onryo
Encyclopedia
{Context|date=November 2011}}
Onryō (怨霊) is a mythological spirit from Japanese folklore
who is able to return to the physical world in order to seek vengeance
.
While male onryō can be found, mainly in kabuki
, the majority are women. Powerless in the physical world, they often suffer at the capricious whims of their male lovers. In death they become strong.
and was based on the idea that powerful and enraged souls of the dead could exert influence on the land of the living.
The traditional Japan
ese spirit world
consists of two layers: the world of living and the world of the dead. Regardless of who the person was before death, all spirits go to Yomi
when they died, even the kami
(deities). While it is impossible for the dead to come back to the world of the living anymore according to Japanese mythology, powerful dead spirits could influence the living either out of good will or malice. Kojiki
(711-2), the oldest Japanese book which narrates Japanese history beginning from its creation mythology, tells that when the goddess Izanami
died she was able cast a curse from Yomi on the land of living. In a smiliar sense, onryō refers specifically to human souls transformed by extreme emotions to do such harm. The earliest remaining record of onryō is found in Shoku Nihongi
(797): a high ranked courtier Fujiwara no Hirotsugu (died in 740
:ja:藤原広嗣), who lost power and was defeated in a failed rebellion against Genbō
is mentioned after his death as "Hirotsugu's soul harmed Genbō to death".
, as the example of Hirotsugu against Genbō. Appearance of their revenges were however believed vary from their former enemies' misfortune to natural disasters: earthquakes, fires, storms, famine and pestilence.
Shoku Nihongi
does not however give clear relations between those disasters and onryō without minor exceptions like courtiers, it records several disasters in the late 8th centuries and rehabilitation of some then deceased royals in punishment and similar high ranked courtiers, as if the latter was response to the former. The form of rehabilitation by the imperial court sometimes culminated to their worship, their elevation to kami
and thus dedication of shrines to those then deities, for example, as Prince Sawara
and Sugawara no Michizane
.
Though they do not always follow the ideal of justified revenge
, for example, several tales involve abusive husbands, but these husbands are rarely the target of the onryō's vengeance.
Possibly the most famous onryō is Oiwa, from Yotsuya Kaidan
. In this story the husband remains unharmed; however, he is the target of the onryō’s vengeance. Oiwa's vengeance on him isn't physical retribution, but rather psychological torment.
had no particular appearance. However, with the rising of popularity of Kabuki
during the Edo period
, a specific costume
was developed.
Highly visual in nature, and with a single actor often assuming various roles within a play, Kabuki developed several visual shorthands that allowed the audience to instantly clue in as to which character is on stage, as well as emphasize the emotions and expressions of the actor.
A ghost costume consisted of three main elements:
Onryō (怨霊) is a mythological spirit from Japanese folklore
Yurei
are figures in Japanese folklore, analogous to Western legends of ghosts. The name consists of two kanji, 幽 , meaning "faint" or "dim" and 霊 , meaning "soul" or "spirit." Alternative names include 亡霊 meaning ruined or departed spirit, 死霊 meaning dead spirit, or the more encompassing 妖怪 or お化け...
who is able to return to the physical world in order to seek vengeance
Revenge
Revenge is a harmful action against a person or group in response to a grievance, be it real or perceived. It is also called payback, retribution, retaliation or vengeance; it may be characterized, justly or unjustly, as a form of justice.-Function in society:Some societies believe that the...
.
While male onryō can be found, mainly in kabuki
Kabuki
is classical Japanese dance-drama. Kabuki theatre is known for the stylization of its drama and for the elaborate make-up worn by some of its performers.The individual kanji characters, from left to right, mean sing , dance , and skill...
, the majority are women. Powerless in the physical world, they often suffer at the capricious whims of their male lovers. In death they become strong.
Origin of onryō
While origin of onryō is uncertain, it can be traced back to the 8th Century8th century
The 8th century is the period from 701 to 800 in accordance with the Julian calendar in the Christian/Common Era.-Overview:During this century, the Middle East, the coast of North Africa and the Iberian Peninsula rapidly come under Islamic Arab domination...
and was based on the idea that powerful and enraged souls of the dead could exert influence on the land of the living.
The traditional Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese spirit world
Spirit
The English word spirit has many differing meanings and connotations, most of them relating to a non-corporeal substance contrasted with the material body.The spirit of a living thing usually refers to or explains its consciousness.The notions of a person's "spirit" and "soul" often also overlap,...
consists of two layers: the world of living and the world of the dead. Regardless of who the person was before death, all spirits go to Yomi
Yomi
, the Japanese word for the underworld in which horrible creatures guard the exits; according to Shinto mythology as related in Kojiki, this is where the dead go to dwell and apparently rot indefinitely. Once one has eaten at the hearth of Yomi it is impossible to return to the land of the living...
when they died, even the kami
Kami
is the Japanese word for the spirits, natural forces, or essence in the Shinto faith. Although the word is sometimes translated as "god" or "deity", some Shinto scholars argue that such a translation can cause a misunderstanding of the term...
(deities). While it is impossible for the dead to come back to the world of the living anymore according to Japanese mythology, powerful dead spirits could influence the living either out of good will or malice. Kojiki
Kojiki
is the oldest extant chronicle in Japan, dating from the early 8th century and composed by Ō no Yasumaro at the request of Empress Gemmei. The Kojiki is a collection of myths concerning the origin of the four home islands of Japan, and the Kami...
(711-2), the oldest Japanese book which narrates Japanese history beginning from its creation mythology, tells that when the goddess Izanami
Izanami
In Japanese mythology, is a goddess of both creation and death, as well as the former wife of the god Izanagi-no-Mikoto. She is also referred to as Izanami-no-kami.-Goddess of Creation:...
died she was able cast a curse from Yomi on the land of living. In a smiliar sense, onryō refers specifically to human souls transformed by extreme emotions to do such harm. The earliest remaining record of onryō is found in Shoku Nihongi
Shoku Nihongi
The is an imperially commissioned Japanese history text. Completed in 797, it is the second of the Six National Histories, coming directly after the Nihon Shoki and followed by Nihon Kōki. Fujiwara no Tsugutada and Sugano no Mamichi served as the primary editors...
(797): a high ranked courtier Fujiwara no Hirotsugu (died in 740
740
Year 740 was a leap year starting on Friday of the Julian calendar. The denomination 740 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.- Europe :* October 26 – An earthquake strikes...
:ja:藤原広嗣), who lost power and was defeated in a failed rebellion against Genbō
Genbō
, also known as Gembō, was a Japanese scholar-monk and bureaucrat of the Imperial Court at Nara.In 717-718, he was part of the Japanese mission to Tang China along with Kibi no Makibi and Abe no Nakamaro...
is mentioned after his death as "Hirotsugu's soul harmed Genbō to death".
Onryō vengeance
Onryō were believed to be driven by their desire for vengeanceRevenge
Revenge is a harmful action against a person or group in response to a grievance, be it real or perceived. It is also called payback, retribution, retaliation or vengeance; it may be characterized, justly or unjustly, as a form of justice.-Function in society:Some societies believe that the...
, as the example of Hirotsugu against Genbō. Appearance of their revenges were however believed vary from their former enemies' misfortune to natural disasters: earthquakes, fires, storms, famine and pestilence.
Shoku Nihongi
Shoku Nihongi
The is an imperially commissioned Japanese history text. Completed in 797, it is the second of the Six National Histories, coming directly after the Nihon Shoki and followed by Nihon Kōki. Fujiwara no Tsugutada and Sugano no Mamichi served as the primary editors...
does not however give clear relations between those disasters and onryō without minor exceptions like courtiers, it records several disasters in the late 8th centuries and rehabilitation of some then deceased royals in punishment and similar high ranked courtiers, as if the latter was response to the former. The form of rehabilitation by the imperial court sometimes culminated to their worship, their elevation to kami
Kami
is the Japanese word for the spirits, natural forces, or essence in the Shinto faith. Although the word is sometimes translated as "god" or "deity", some Shinto scholars argue that such a translation can cause a misunderstanding of the term...
and thus dedication of shrines to those then deities, for example, as Prince Sawara
Prince Sawara
was the 5th son of Prince Shirakabe , by Takano no Niigasa. In 781 he was named heir-presumptive after his elder brother succeeded the abdicated Emperor Kōnin as the Emperor Kanmu....
and Sugawara no Michizane
Sugawara no Michizane
, also known as Kan Shōjō , a grandson of Sugawara no Kiyotomo , was a scholar, poet, and politician of the Heian Period of Japan...
.
Though they do not always follow the ideal of justified revenge
Goodness and evil
In religion, ethics, and philosophy, the dichotomy "good and evil" refers to the location on a linear spectrum of objects, desires, or behaviors, the good direction being morally positive, and the evil direction morally negative. Good is a broad concept but it typically deals with an association...
, for example, several tales involve abusive husbands, but these husbands are rarely the target of the onryō's vengeance.
Examples of onryō vengeance
- How a Man's Wife Became a Vengeful Ghost and How Her Malignity Was Diverted by a Master of Divination - A neglected wife is abandoned and left to die. She is transformed into an onryō, and torments a local village until banished. Her husband remains unharmed.
- Of a Promise Broken - A samurai vows to his dying wife never to remarry. He soon breaks the promise, and his former wife's onryō beheads the new bride.
- Furisode - A heartbroken woman curses her famously beautiful kimonoKimonoThe is a Japanese traditional garment worn by men, women and children. The word "kimono", which literally means a "thing to wear" , has come to denote these full-length robes...
before dying. After, everyone who wears the garment soon dies.
Possibly the most famous onryō is Oiwa, from Yotsuya Kaidan
Yotsuya Kaidan
Yotsuya Kaidan , the story of Oiwa and Tamiya Iemon, is a tale of betrayal, murder and ghostly revenge. Arguably the most famous Japanese ghost story of all time, it has been adapted for film over 30 times, and continues to be an influence on Japanese horror today.Written in 1825 by Tsuruya Nanboku...
. In this story the husband remains unharmed; however, he is the target of the onryō’s vengeance. Oiwa's vengeance on him isn't physical retribution, but rather psychological torment.
The appearance of an onryō
Traditionally, onryō and other yūreiYurei
are figures in Japanese folklore, analogous to Western legends of ghosts. The name consists of two kanji, 幽 , meaning "faint" or "dim" and 霊 , meaning "soul" or "spirit." Alternative names include 亡霊 meaning ruined or departed spirit, 死霊 meaning dead spirit, or the more encompassing 妖怪 or お化け...
had no particular appearance. However, with the rising of popularity of Kabuki
Kabuki
is classical Japanese dance-drama. Kabuki theatre is known for the stylization of its drama and for the elaborate make-up worn by some of its performers.The individual kanji characters, from left to right, mean sing , dance , and skill...
during the Edo period
Edo period
The , or , is a division of Japanese history which was ruled by the shoguns of the Tokugawa family, running from 1603 to 1868. The political entity of this period was the Tokugawa shogunate....
, a specific costume
Costume
The term costume can refer to wardrobe and dress in general, or to the distinctive style of dress of a particular people, class, or period. Costume may also refer to the artistic arrangement of accessories in a picture, statue, poem, or play, appropriate to the time, place, or other circumstances...
was developed.
Highly visual in nature, and with a single actor often assuming various roles within a play, Kabuki developed several visual shorthands that allowed the audience to instantly clue in as to which character is on stage, as well as emphasize the emotions and expressions of the actor.
A ghost costume consisted of three main elements:
- White burial kimono
- Wild, unkempt long black hair
- White and indigo face make-up called aiguma.
See also
- Japanese Urban LegendsJapanese urban legendsJapanese urban legends are enduring modern folktales of paranormal creatures and their attacks on innocent victims. They rarely include the fantastical or animistic yokai of earlier Japanese superstition, and are mostly based on onryo, Japanese ghosts who have become vengeful spirits and take...
- Kayako SaekiKayako SaekiKayako Saeki is a fictional character from the Ju-on series of Japanese-horror movies and The Grudge trilogy of American remakes. In all of the films, except for the third, she is played by actress Takako Fuji. In The Grudge 3, Kayako is played by Aiko Horiuchi, Fuji having turned down the role...
- Sadako Yamamura
- S-Ko
- The GrudgeThe GrudgeThe Grudge is the 2004 American remake of the Japanese film Ju-on: The Grudge, and the first horror film in the Ju-on series, Ju-on 1. The film is the first installment in the American horror film series The Grudge...
External links
- Ghoul Power - Onryou in the Movies Japanzine By Jon Wilks
- Yūrei-ga gallery at Zenshoan Temple