Friday, April 29, 2016

Y is for . . .

Image Source: WikipediaTsukioka Yoshitoshi, The Heavy Basket, 1892. From the Thirty-six Ghosts series. 9.25" x 14.25". The print depicts a number of monsters attacking an old woman. 

Yūrei, or figures in Japanese folklore analogous to Western ghosts. After death, the soul, or reikon, leaves the body and enters purgatory while the proper funeral rites are observed. If all goes well, the reikon becomes a protector of the living and returns each August to receive thanks at the Obon Festival.

If the person dies in a sudden or violent way such as murder or suicide, the reikon can transform into a yūrei, which will return to the physical world. (Wikipedia)

Successful horror films based on yūrei include Ju-On (The Grudge), Ringu (The Ring), Pulse, and Dark Water.

I’ve only seen The Ring. How about you?

5 comments:

  1. Interesting. I've never heard of this, or seen any of the movies you mentioned.

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  2. This is the first time I've heard of these ghosts. But I suspect every culture has their own version. I haven't seen any of the movies either.

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  3. Fortunately, I haven't seen any of these films. I have problems with nightmares. As for the information you’ve given us, I now know the films that you mentioned above will not be seen by me.

    Visiting from the A to Z Blog Challenge.

    Shalom,
    Patricia @ EverythingMustChange

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  4. These are the movies I avoid. Scariest ever!

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