Here it is, book no. 2 of my onmyouji series, and only one month later than I said it would be 😅 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0795N4BHT Once again, reviews, shares, likes, so very welcome and appreciated ❤️
I’m finally back and there’s a book!
To be specific, it's an ebook! I'm dusting off this blog again, because after years and years of writing and re-writing and endless editing, I've finally finished the first book of my Onmyouji Chronicles series: Let Sleeping Dogs Lie, which is now available in Amazon thanks to the wonders of self-publishing. https://www.amazon.com/Sleeping-Dogs-Onmyouji-Chronicles-Book-ebook/dp/B077G3JVN8/ref=sr_1_3?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1510926309&sr=1-3&keywords=let+sleeping+dogs+lie A long while back, I …
The Four Gods
The concept of the four gods, also referred to as the four symbols (四象), originates from ancient Chinese astronomy. Astronomers believed there are 28 mansions or constellations spread out along the sky. They divided the sky into four quadrants - north, south, east and west, each containing 7 of the mansions, and with a divine creature ruling each quadrants. These creatures are known …
Ikiryo and Ushi no Toki Mairi
People have heard of out-of-body experiences, but the Japanese belief takes it a step further. According to folklore, a living spirit is what happens when a spirit leaves a living person to haunt someone, like an out-of-body experience. Supposedly, it takes a strong emotion to provoke this happening - usually hate. If a person holds a strong …
Onibaba
Myths and folklore are littered with 'villains' in the form of an old woman. Think Baba Yaga, and virtually every old witch in the fairytales. In Japan, there is the infamous onibaba (鬼婆) from which noh plays and films have draw inspiration. The name of onibaba is quite straightforward, with oni 鬼 meaning 'demon' and 'baba' 鬼婆 a shorter …
Jorougumo
Today's topic is the jorougumo (女郎蜘蛛) or lady spider, as I like to call it. A spider creature that can change into a woman. Although the jorougumo is quite hideous - it's a gigantic spider, of course it's hideous - it isn't technically considered a youkai, but a nushi (主), wherein a creature that has survived for a long …
Mouryou
I'm terrible at updating, I know. It's just so easy for RL to get in the way and procrastinating and writing practically go hand-in-hand... This time it's about the mouryou, mainly because I like the way the Chinese characters look: 魍魎. So pretty yet so hard to write. Like many youkai, this is one that started in China and …
Kappas! Part 2
Kappas, although they're thought to be only the size of a child, evidently enjoy exhibiting their strength in the form of sumo wrestling, and often challenge people to matches. if they win, it's a safe bet the losers are dragged into the water, but if the kappa is the one who loses, they will keep on …
Kappas!
I've been procrastinating with this one for a while, but here it is: kappa (河童) One of the more well-known youkai in Japanese folklore, and not just because of the sushi kappa rolls (which I'm suddenly craving). A water demon most famously linked with rivers, its also been known to harbour in ponds, lakes, and even the …
Mermaids
'Lo all, been a bit lazy about posting again, but with the month of Halloween to spur me on, here's to much and more ghostly ghouls! Mermaids also have their part among Japanese folklore, but not quite the same way they're featured among Western audiences, with the singing and drowning sailors etc. According to Japanese folklore, the mermaid …
MJ Lin 