“Chinese Ghost Culture”

 by: -lhaydee-

         There are many ghosts in Chinese culture; they have been worshipped by the Chinese for a few thousand years. Even Confucius said, "Respect ghosts and gods, but keep away from them."

           While many people believe in ghosts, there are others who don't. The Chinese people often say, "If you believe it, there will be, but if you don't, there will not."

          The ghost is a classical image in Chinese culture, one example is the young woman whose face is covered by long black hair, who dies due to misfortune, then comes back for revenge.

              The word "ghost" for many Chinese conjures up similar images. Often the ghost is a beautiful young woman. The sudden switch from a beautiful girl to a frightening ghost is striking. The seemingly fragile, helpless and beautiful women turning into fearless killers are a favorite theme among Asian movie directors and storywriters.

Chinese Ghost Festival

                   

            Just as the West features Halloween for ghosts and ghouls, the Chinese have a holiday to honor the departed spirits of the underworld -- the Chinese Ghost Festival. It is said that ghosts roam the world every year for one lunar month. In some areas of China, visitors can see small roadside fires, where believers burn paper money and other offerings to appease the restless spirits that have temporarily been released from Hades. 

Ghosts in Chinese culture

Nu Gui 女鬼 

 

        

         Female ghost often in long white dress and long hair. Woman who commits suicide in red dress returns as a ghost in red dress to take revenge on the living. Some ancient folk tales tell stories of beautiful female ghosts appearing like a woman, seducing lecherous men then killing them for their blood or for revenge.

Er Gui 饿鬼

      A hungry ghost which has green or grey skin and a big belly, suffering from malnutrition and unsatiable hunger. It haunts the streets and kitchen, searching for food offerings and sometimes decomposed food.

Jiang Shi 僵尸

        A Chinese vampire which feeds on the blood of living humans, chickens and even dogs. Often seen wearing Qing Dynasty official costume. Its corpse-body was so stiff that it had to hop to move around, while other stronger Chinese vampires were able to move around like a normal human. It could be immobilized by pasting a Taoist talisman on its forehead. Tales on Chinese vampires were most likely to begin during the late Qing dynasty and/or after the fall of Qing dynasty, where peasants often dress-up their deceased kins in Qing official costume as an honor to their ancestry. Female Jiang Shi were known to be dressed in Qing Princess/Concubine costumes. Pronounced as "Kyon Shee" in Cantonese.

You Hun Ye Gui 游魂野鬼

        

        Wandering ghosts of the dead. Many of these roam the living world during the 7th month of Hungry Ghost Festival for a period of one month. Some which lost their way and were unable to return to the underworld continue to be a wandering spirit.

Wu Tou Gui 无头鬼- 

        Ghost of the beheaded. In ancient china, people who committed heavy crimes were sentenced to decapitation, and these headless ghosts roam the execution site.

Diao Si Gui 吊死鬼

       Ghost of people who were hanged to death in an execution or suicide, often appearing as being hanged by a rope and with a long tongue.

Yuan Gui 冤鬼

          Those who died unrightfully due to injustice or wrong accusations become such a ghost which cannot go to the underworld because of their depressed and restless spirit. Their helpless cries can be heard at night, sometimes looking for people to help them clear their names or resolve their problems in the living world.

Gui Po 鬼婆

          Ghosts in the form of an old lady. They are particularly concerned with matters of young children or babies. While some can appear in hideous appearance and hostile, some others look friendly and helps people who are in trouble.

Gui Shu 鬼树

          Which means "ghost tree". These are haunted trees which do not move but can confuse the paths of travellers by appearing in random locations, causing them to lose their way in the forests. The spirits that dwell in them do not appear to people but the mere appearance of the tree itself gives a spooky shiver to those who look at them at night.

Shui Gui 水鬼

       Ghost of the drowned or "water ghost". It seeks to drown a person by pulling his/her leg and drag the victim into the water deep, so as to take over his/her place in the living world and return as a newborn. These ghosts dwell in rivers, lakes or seas and stay wherever they formerly drowned.

Hei Bai Wu Chang 黑白无常

           Also known as Da Ye Bo and Er Ye Bo 大爷伯 二爷伯 which means "great grand-elder" and "second grand-elder". These two were guards of the Chinese hell whose tasks were to bring the souls of the dead to hell for sentencing by the King of the Hell, Yan Luo Wang 阎罗王. They had tall hat and long dress which covers the limbs, sometimes carrying a seal on the right hand and a stick with cloth pieces on the left hand. The elder one wears in white while the second one wears in black. Both have very long tongues.

Niu Tou Ma Mian 牛头马面

              These two guards of the underworld have about the same role as the above Hei Bai Wu Chang, but they had head of a horse and a cow, carrying pitch-fork and chains in their hand to chain up spirits or ghosts. Their names mean "cow head" and "horse face".

Ghost in India

by: "Joshua Salceda"

            India has long been a place where the mystic and paranormal activities has never been far away from the daily life. In many rituals and beliefs, the existence of the supernatural has been a given. One common belief among many Indians is the existence of ghosts and evil spirits. 
            These beliefs get stronger as you move away from the cities into the towns and villages.
Different parts of the country have their own beliefs in the existence of these supernatural things. Most of them are said to be evil, always waiting to prey on the innocent who happen to come in their path. Most of these evil spirits are given names. Some of them are said to be helpful spirits and some are even worshipped in places like Mangalore (Karnataka state).

Some of the following are some of the ghosts that they believe that have been existing in their town.

1. Mohini

              The most well known female ghost among all. These are the ghosts of women and girls who had a failure in love and committed suicide or those women who died before fulfilling some of their physical needs. It is said that this makes them return as vengeful spirits. Most of them are given domain over a certain area which they haunt. They are said to entice males who fall for their charm and and led away to their world never to be seen again. Some say that these males pay with their life and others say that they are held prisoner for eternity.
              In any case, this type of ghost is most dangerous and has been the subject of many Indian films.

2. Shaakini

              A lesser known female ghost. It is the ghost of married women who died early in marriage either because of an accident or illness. Some of these are due to dowry harassment and are said to haunt their killers (most often than not, the in-laws). These are considered to be not so dangerous.

3. Daakini 

             Another female ghost often mixed up and confused with the Shaakini. This ghost is that of a woman who has died an untimely death which may be for any reason. You can assume that this is a generalized category for the ghost. The specific category would be a Mohini or a Shaakini. A Mohini can be both a Daakini and Mohini :)

4. Kutti Chetan(Kutti saithan)

            Most of us have seen the dubbed version of the famous Malayalam film about the little mischievous ghost. People say that this ghost is that of a child. It is not so dangerous unless a tantrik(warlock or magician) has assumed control over it and converts into a malevolent evil spirit.

Some other ghosts from different parts of India.

6. Brahmodoityas(Bengal) 

            - are the ghosts of Brahmans, and might bless you or curse you.

7. Skondhokatas(Bengal) 

            - are the headless ghosts of people who died in train accidents.

8. Nishi(Bengal) 

            - are the ghosts who call people by name in the dead of night and lead them away, never to be seen again.(Now that's freaking scary!!!....and isn't this the Bengal version of the Mohini?)

9. Kolli devva(Karnakata) 

            - The ghosts who run through the forests and woods holding torches. Rational reason could be sighting of will -o-wisps.

10. Kallurty, Panjurli, Koti Chennayya(Mangalore, Karnataka) 

           - These three will need a post of their own. These ghosts are famous people who died for various reasons and are worshipped today as part of elaborate rituals. 

    So far thats all the facts that I've gathered on my research... I can't seem to find the specific pictures of the mentioned ghost above. I guest the Indians are the only ones who new what does all these ghosts look like.

Japanese Ghost

by: ~nhennYah~

                      

         According to Japanese beliefs, all people have a soul called reikon. When a person dies, the reikon(soul) leaves the body and enters a form of purgatory, where it waits for the proper funeral and post-funeral rites to be performed, so that it may join its ancestors. If this is done correctly, the reikon is believed to be a protector of the living family and to return yearly in August during the Obon Festival to receive thanks.

        However, when a person is murdered, commits suicide, or when he/she hasn’t been given an appropriate funeral, the reikon  may become a yuurei to seek revenge. Many yuurei are female ghosts who suffered badly in life from love, jealousy, sorrow, or regret.

       The yuurei then exists on Earth until it can be laid to rest, either by performing the missing rituals, or resolving the emotional conflict that still ties it to the physical world. If the rituals are not completed or the conflict is left unsolved, the yuurei will persist in its haunting.    

--Different types of Yuurei--

          

       Classified on how they died and the reason for their return:

        --Onryo--

                    Vengeful ghosts who come back from purgatory for a wrong done to them during their lifetime.

       --Ubume--

              A mother ghost who died in childbirth, or died leaving young children behind. This yuurei returns to care for her children, often bringing them sweets.

       --Funayuurei-- 

              The ghosts of those who died at sea. These ghosts are sometimes depicted as scaly fish-like human and some may even have a form similar to that of a mermaid or merman.

       --Goryo-- 

              Vengeful ghosts of the aristocratic class.

          --Samurai Ghosts-- 

              Veterans of the Genpai Ghost who fell in battle. Warrior Ghosts almost exclusively appear in Noh Theater. Unlike most other yuurei, these ghosts are usually shown with legs.

       --Seductress Ghosts-- 

              The ghost of a woman or man who initiates a post-death love affair with a living human.

Other Japanese Ghost                               

—Toyol—

         A toyol ia a dead baby who has been revived by a demonic ritual in which it will serve whom ever revises it. It is small, it has green skin and has red eyes. We can compare the toyol to tiyanak here in the Philippines.
                                 
                               

                                    

—Bakechochin—

          It is a haunted lantern that is believed to have eyes and a long tongue that protrudes from its mouth.  It serves as a home for the ghosts of people who are stuck here on earth because they died with hatred in their hearts.  Once the lantern is lit, the ghost will jump from the inside of the lantern and attack the person(s) responsible for lighting the lantern. 

                                          
                         

—Gashadokuro—

          A ghost of people who have died in hunger.  It appears as a skeleton 15 times taller than a regular person and is made up of the bones of the starved dead.  After midnight it will announce its present with a ringing noise that people hear in their ears.  If you do not run away quickly it will bite off your head.

                           

—Kubikajiri—

          A head eating ghost that lives in graveyards and as is seen late at night searching for its head.  It feasts on the heads of the living and the dead alike.  One can smell the creature before it is seen because it smells of fresh blood. (i’m just wondering how can it eat it’s victims head off if it doesn’t even have a mouth??)

                              

--Umi Bozu--

                A huge sea ghost that haunts sailors. It is bald with enormous terrifying eyes.

--Hantulangsuir--

              A small ghost with only a head and tail.  This spirit seeks blood and is constantly on the look out for fresh blood.

--Buruburu-- 

                 The ghost of fear.  It lives in the forests and graveyards.  It takes the form of a shaking old man or woman and sometime only has one eye.  It will attach itself to the back of its victim sending a chill up and down the spine.  The selected victim then dies of fright.

--Funayuhrei--

               A ghost ship that travels silently in the night or in a thick fog.  It will appear suddenly catching ships off guard.  If a shop meets a funayuhrei it will turn violently in circles before sinking.  Then it too will become a funayuhrei left to roam the seas in search of other poor unfortunate ships.

--Nurikabe--

             A wall ghost that appears as a large white wall in front of anyone who is out late at night walking.  If you try to pass around the wall it will fall on you crushing you.  If you try to turn around and run from it, it will continue to appear in front of you blocking your path.  It can be defeated only by taking a stick and whacking the bottom of the wall.  

--Tsukumogami-- 
                  A poltergeist ghost that inhabits tools.  The name means old tools.  This ghost will inhabit old tools and perform chores and repair work by themselves at night.  If the tools are mistreated, abused, neglected or discarded the it will take revenge by attacking the human perpetrators as they sleep at night.

           These are a few Japanese ghosts and spirits that walk the paths and roadways of Japan.  You will see that some are very similar to ghosts of other cultures while some appear to be unique to Japan. Even here in the Philippines, we have our own ghosts that only us Filipinos believe.

--there are different types of yuurei shown in these video--
i just don't know if these is true??
but it is quite real ..