Oni x tanuki9/11/2023 ![]() The character 鬼 has changed over time in Japan to become its own entity, and there are significant differences between the Japanese oni ( 鬼) and the Chinese guǐ (鬼). ![]() When the character for 鬼 was first introduced to Japan, it was pronounced as ki ( キ) in the on'yomi reading. The dictionary explained that oni is hidden and does not want to reveal itself. On the other hand, the Japanese dictionary Wamyō Ruijushō ( 和名類聚抄) written in Japan in the 10th century explained the origin of the word oni as a corruption of on/onu ( 隠), meaning 'to hide'. Oni, written in kanji as 鬼, is read in China as guǐ ( pinyin), meaning something invisible, formless, or unworldly, in other words, a 'ghost' or the 'soul of the dead'. Although oni have been described as frightening creatures, they have become tamer in modern culture as people tell less frightening stories about them like Oni Mask and Red Oni Who Cried.Įtymology, change of meaning Sessen Doji Offering His Life to an Ogre (Japanese Oni), hanging scroll, color on paper, c. They are popular characters in Japanese art, literature, and theater and appear as stock villains in the well-known fairytales of Momotarō ( Peach Boy), Issun-bōshi, and Kobutori Jīsan. The tachi (Japanese long sword) " Dōjigiri" with which Minamoto no Yorimitsu decapitated Shuten-dōji' in the legend is now designated as a National Treasure and one of the Tenka-Goken (Five Greatest Swords Under Heaven). The legend of Shuten-dōji has been described since the 14th century in various arts, traditional performing arts and literature such as emakimono, jōruri, noh, kabuki, bunraku, and ukiyo-e. Shuten-dōji has been regarded as the most famous and strongest oni in Japan. It was not until the legend of Shuten-dōji was created that the oni began to be depicted in paintings, and the 14th century Ōeyama ekotoba ( 大江山絵詞) is the oldest surviving emakimono (picture scroll) depicting Shuten-dōji. There is the theory that the reason why stories of onihitokuchi were common is that wars, disasters, and famines where people lose their lives or go missing were interpreted as oni from another world appearing in the present world who take away humans. In Nihon Ryōiki, The Tales of Ise and Konjaku Monogatarishū, for example, a woman is shown being eaten in one mouthful by a oni. A prominent depiction of oni is that they eat people in one mouthful, which is called " onihitokuchi". ĭuring the Heian period (794–1185), oni were often depicted in Japanese literature, such as setsuwa, as terrifying monsters that ate people. As monstrous as oni are, they have been linked to bringing good fortune and wealth. ![]() When in disguise, oni are capable of appearing as a man or woman, regardless of their gender. ![]() Female oni are sometimes referred to by the name Yamauba. Oni can be male or female, but have been predominantly male throughout history. Oni are able to change their looks to fool their victims into trusting them. They also have three to six digits on each hand and foot tipped with claw-like nails. They are typically depicted with red, blue, black, or yellow colored skin, wearing loincloths of tiger pelt, and carrying iron kanabō clubs. They are typically portrayed as hulking figures with one or more horns growing out of their heads, massive teeth, and occasionally a third eye in the center of the forehead. Oni are known for their superhuman strength and have been associated with powers like thunder and lightning, along with their evil nature manifesting in their propensity for murder and cannibalism. They are believed to live in caves or deep in the mountains. An oni ( 鬼 ( おに )) ( / oʊ n i/ OH-nee) is a kind of yōkai, demon, orc, ogre, or troll in Japanese folklore. ![]()
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