Ghosts, Spirits, and Paranormal Entities from Asian Folklore and Mythology (Book 1)

By S. N. Linn

Immerse yourself in the tales of eerie ghosts and mythical monsters from the heart of Asian folklore!

In this first book of a trilogy, you'll discover fascinating illustrations and intriguing legends about 100 spirits and paranormal entities from Asian folklore and mythology, including a twisted-legged ghost from Myanmar that haunts school restrooms, a shape-shifting monster from the Philippines that feasts on human corpses, a vengeful 'Churel' from India, and many more.

 

Each entity is brought to life with stunning illustrations that breathe new life into these age-old legends.

 

Prepare to be both enchanted and spooked as you delve into the paranormal lore of Asia.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Wispolips Publishing
• Release date: Sep 6, 2023
• ISBN: 9789811882579

S. N. Linn

Born and raised in Southeast Asia, S. N. Linn's fascination with paranormal legends began in her early years. She would sit in a small room, dimly lit by candles, listening raptly to ghostly anecdotes shared by her family for entertainment. As a teenager, she eagerly spent her allowance on paranormal magazines. Nowadays, she snuggles up with ghost stories at bedtime. Her long-suffering husband still can’t persuade her to embrace romantic comedies and superhero films that he likes. When she’s not reading ghost stories, she enjoys going on local adventures with her son and husband. She loves instrumental music, candles, and coffee!

Book preview

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Ghosts, Spirits and Paranormal Entities From Asian Folklore and Mythology (Book 1)

S. N. Linn

To my best friend and husband Tom and our son Alex, just for being who he is

Cover and Illustrations: Todor Gotchkov (@ ArtworksByTAG)

Copyright ©2023 by Su Nandar Linn

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in whole or in part, or stored in a retrieval system, or distributed in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without written permission of author.

Published by Wispolips Publishing

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www.wispolipspublishing.com

ISBN 978-981-18-8257-9

Preface (A short one!)

As someone who skips prefaces and go straight to the content when reading books, I have kept this section brief.

To begin, it is important to note that this book is not suitable for children. Some urban legends and folklore described in this book are sometimes violent and disturbing.

Next, I did not intend this book to be a formal work. The information presented here is drawn from various sources: books, online content, as well as personal anecdotes. Being an avid reader of both fictional and non-fictional paranormal literature myself, I wrote this book exactly how I wanted to read—informative, yet not overly dry. I hope you enjoy it.

Last, this is the first book out of a trilogy of the series Ghosts, Spirits, and Paranormal Entities from Asian Folklore and Mythology. I'm already working on the next two books. Stay tuned!

Contents

1.Aacheri

2.Abat/Awok

3.Abura Akago

4.Accident-causing Ghost

5.Aghoy

6.Agta

7.Aka Manto

8.Akop

9.Alan

10.Aleya/Atoshi

11.Ame Onna

12.Amalanhig

13.Amanojaku

14.Anak Sima

15.Annani

16.Antu Banyu

17.Ao ando

18.Asein Thay Tha Yae

19.Asount

20.Aswang

21.Athurakal

22.Ba Jiao Gui

23.Babi Ngepet

24.Bagowa Bhoot

25.Bai Gu Jing

26.Balbal

27.Banaspati

28.Batibat

29.Bayangi

30.Begu Ganjang

31.Belu

32.Berberoka

33.Besho Bhoot

34.Betobeto san

35.Bhoot

36.Boba

37.Boroka

38.Brahmadaitya

39.Brahmarakshasa

40.Bungisngis

41.Burning Ghost

42.Busaw

43.Buto Ijo

44.Chay Kalain Ma

45.Chedipe

46.Chee Saa Sone

47.Cheonyeo Gwishin

48.Cheuksin

49.Chimi

50.Chir Batti

51.Chochin Kozo

52.Chochin Obake

53.Chordewa

54.Churel

55.Crocotta

56.Daki

57.Dakini

58.Dalgyal Gwshin

59.Danag

60.Dancing Corpse

61.Deformed Ghost

62.Diao Si Gui

63.Dokkabei

64.Dorotabō

65.E Gui

66.Ekanore

67.Familiar ghosts

68.Forest Mimic

69.Futakuchi Onna

70.Gaki

71.Galone

72.Gashadokuro

73.Gaung Phyat Ghost

74.Gayal

75.Genderuwo

76.Ghosts with Attachment

77.Gui Da Qiang

78.Gurumpa

79.Hairy Ghosts

80.Hanako San

81.Hantu Air

82.Hantu Pirau

83.Hantu Raya

84.Height-changing ghosts

85.Helpful Spirits

86.Hihi

87.Hinnagami

88.Hinoenma

89.Hitchhiker

90.Hitobashira

91.Holey Back

92.Hua Pi Gui

93.Iju

94.Ikiryō

95.Iqui

96.Iso Onna

97.Ittan Momen

98.Iyaya

99.Jakotsu baba

100.Jayuro Gwishin

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References

1

Aacheri

India

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Aacheri are malevolent ghosts of children who died because of abuse, neglect, or accidents. Harboring deep resentment for their untimely death, they bring sickness and death to the living. In terms of appearance, the aacheri typically manifests as a frail young child. Sometimes, it is also depicted as a demonic entity who roams the mountains, leaving a trail of death and destruction in its wake.

When approaching children, the aacheri takes on the appearance of a young child and befriends them. With older adults, it masquerades as a weak and vulnerable child, appealing for help and rescue. The ultimate aim of the aacheri is to lure its victims closer, allowing it to transmit an incurable disease that will inevitably lead to their demise.

The disease passed on by an aacheri has devastating consequences that extend beyond the initially infected individual. Highly contagious, it rapidly spreads throughout the community, leading to more deaths among both the young and older adults. It is plausible that the myth of aacheri was crafted by individuals of ancient times to promote isolation and social distancing from those affected during times of epidemic outbreaks. 

The legend of aacheri provides a convenient narrative to comprehend the widespread mortality experienced during plagues and endemic diseases, and helps to simplify and contextualize these tragic events, particularly for children who may struggle to grasp the concept of death. 

The aacheri has its origins in Indian folklore and mythology. However, there has been misattribution regarding its origin, stemming from the confusion between Indians from India and Native Americans from North America. This led to the misconception that the legend of aacheri might be associated with Native American lore. 

2

Abat/Awok

Philippines

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Abat (also known as awok) are man-eating monsters from the Philippines. During the day, they appear as ordinary women, but prowl the night as the creatures of darkness. In their monstrous forms, they are depicted as having red, bulging eyes with long, black, disheveled hair.  

Abat have particular fondness for consuming human innards. Using their long, bony hands, they extract the entrails of their prey to devour. Their preferred targets are vulnerable people, such as young children and individuals confined to beds because of illness. 

Abat can divide their bodies into two segments. During the night, they search for prey by taking the upper torso into the night sky while concealing the lower half in a safe place. If they fail to reattach the two body segments by dawn, they will perish. Destroying either part of the body will also result in their demise. Abat do not possess any wings and use only their hands to fly. 

3

Abura Akago

Japan

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Abura akago, also known as the oil-licking baby, are shape-shifting yokai from Japanese folklore. Yokai is a Japanese term used to encompass paranormal entities, including ghosts, monsters, and other supernatural beings. The abura akago is one such yokai with distinctive characteristics.

At night, it takes the shape of a flying fireball and enters people's houses. Once in the house, it transforms into a baby, and licks the oil from paper lanterns. When all the oil is licked away, it reverts to the fireball shape and flies away to the next house. 

A tale surrounding the legend of aubura akago states that they were once oil merchants in their past lives. However, because of their sinful actions of stealing oil and engaging in unfair trade practices, they were reincarnated as abura akago. 

There is also a rational theory that explains the origin of this yokai. In the past, it was not uncommon for people, particularly in rural areas, to use unrefined oils like fish oil to burn their paper lanterns. As a result, the scent of the burning fish oil would attract pets and other animals, leading them to sneak into bedrooms and lick the oil. In a dimly lit room, an oil-licking animal might have appeared as a peculiar creature resembling a young infant licking the lantern. 

4

Accident-causing Ghost

Myanmar

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This is a nefarious ghost that causes fatal traffic accidents. It does so by terrifying the target, diverting their attention from impending danger. Sometimes, it may even physically manipulate them into a life-threatening situation. The ghost targets both motorists and pedestrians. It would spring up on the road, forcing motorists to swerve their ride, causing the vehicle to crash or plummet from high places. At times, the ghost chases vehicles at an inhumanly fast speed, often assuming a terrifying form, which compels drivers to speed up, eventually leading to fatal accidents. With pedestrians, this ghost is known to physically restrain people on roads or railway tracks when a car or a train is approaching, putting their lives in immediate danger.

The accident-causing ghosts are believed to be the spirits of individuals who died from traffic-related incidents. According to traditional beliefs, these spirits, whose lives were cut short in sudden and violent manners, transform into vengeful ghosts. Their existence is driven by a singular fixation: to make others suffer a fate similar to theirs.

Certain locations in Myanmar, infamous for their high frequency of road accidents, are rumored to be haunted by these ghosts. Among these locations, the most well-known is the highway connecting three major cities: Yangon, Naypyidaw, and Mandalay. Since its opening in 2010, this 587-kilometer highway has gained notoriety due to many fatal crashes.

Although speeding and negligent driving have been attributed to accidents, there are those who believe that supernatural causes are behind the unfortunate incidents. Several drivers have reported witnessing mysterious individuals chasing after their cars at speeds impossible for humans to achieve. Interestingly, some accounts suggest that only the driver and the person in the front seat could perceive these ghostly runners, while the rest of the passengers remained oblivious to their presence.

Accident-causing ghosts are often associated with another type of ghost known as asount (refer to Chapter 19). Asount spirits are forced to safeguard a specific location or object for a designated period of time, which can span from a few years to several centuries. According to traditional beliefs, when the time comes for these ghosts to be released from their duties, they are required to take lives in order to replace their positions with fresh souls. These ghosts employ various methods to claim lives and, under certain circumstances, can exhibit behaviors similar to accident-causing ghosts. Unfortunate individuals who happen to be in the wrong place at the wrong time may become victims of these ghosts and subsequently transform into asount themselves. This perpetuates the cycle as they assume the duty of guarding a specific location or object, continuing the pattern of seeking new souls to replace their positions in due time.

5

Aghoy

Philippines

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Aghoy are elf-like creatures from Philippine mythology, bearing a resemblance in their characteristics to the fairies of Western folklore. They are small, fair-skinned, and handsome, but unlike their Western counterparts, aghoy do not possess wings. They are typically described as bare-foot and dressed in attire similar to those of ordinary villagers. 

These mischievous beings make their homes in forests, farms, and remote areas not frequented by humans. Aghoy are known for their territorial nature, and do not appreciate human intrusion into their lands. However, sometimes, they can exhibit a friendly disposition. When an aghoy develops a fondness for an individual, they may offer gifts of herbs and roots and help their human companion in locating lost items.

Aghoy are especially active in the hours of darkness, and they are said to venture to human dwellings early in the morning or in the late evenings. Humans who wander about at such times can unintentionally step or spat on these tiny creatures and offend them. When offended, an aghoy may engage in mischievous behavior and play pranks on people.

6

Agta

Philippines

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Agta (also known as Kapre) are paranormal beings from Waray folklore resembling large, towering humanoids. They are depicted as pitch-black, nude entities, appearing as muscular men with imposing statures that measure approximately twice the height of an average man.

Agta live in remote forests and swamps, dwelling on large trees like palo santo and balete. These beings emerge from their ghostly dwellings at night, standing on the branch of their chosen trees while smoking spectral cigars. Initially, passerby typically notice the luminous glow emanating from their cigars. The intrigued individual who tries to discern the source of the light would eventually see the tall black creature and flee in terror. 

Agta frighten people with their coal black appearance and formidable size. They also occasionally display mischievous demeanor by toppling trees to startle travelers and using the trunks to block their path. They are also known to have the ability to make travelers feel disoriented, subjecting them to be lost in the forest. Sometimes, agta are capable of confusing individuals, even in their own familiar surroundings. 

Although agta are generally more inclined towards devious habits, they exhibit helpful behavior at times. On occasions when they are in their better mood, agta have been known to assist anglers by pointing to good fishing spots.

While agta are typically more terrifying than outright dangerous, they can, however, pose a threat to women. Despite being paranormal entities, agta can sometimes exhibit attraction towards women. When they are infatuated with a particular woman, they may engage in stalking and, in some cases, even attempt to abduct their target of desire.

Agta are said to lure women by throwing flower petals from trees, enticing the ladies to approach their dwellings. While the target is busy picking up the flowers from the ground, the agta seizes the opportunity to abduct them. There is no information available regarding the fate of individuals kidnapped by an agta but given its lustful nature towards women, the abducted victims are likely assaulted.

7

Aka Manto

Japan

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Aka Manto is a malicious ghost that haunts school toilets. The spirit is depicted as a male ghost wearing a mask and a red cloak. Although the narratives surrounding Aka Manto’s legend vary, they typically have the following storyline. 

A student was using a toilet stall in the school restroom. Upon finishing her business, she realized that there was no toilet paper. At that moment, she heard a voice: Do you want red paper or blue paper? If the student responded, red paper, Aka Manto stabbed