The woman standing under the shade of the camellia is beautiful. She draws you in with saying a word. it's as if you are pulled toward her with a string. Slowly you approach; your heart thumping in your ears. You know something is not human about her, but you can't stop yourself.
Her hand rises ever so slowly. You watch with sick facination, wanting to run, but you can't move. Then, she touches you and you know nothing more.
The Furutsubaki no Rei is a Japanese yokai that is created from a the tsubaki tree, which is also called the rose of winter and Camellia japonica. The yokai is the spirit of the tree that has reached a certain age and can manifest itself as a beatuiful woman outside the host tree.
One legend has her transforming a merchant into a bee and killing him.
Another legend has the spirit as a Yonaki Tsubaki (night-crying tsubaki) that foretells misfortune. At a shrine in Akita prefecture, the temple Kanman-ji has such a tsubaki, which supposedly has stood for 700 years.
This evergree is known for an unusual ability. Instead of having petals fall off individually, the flower will fall off all at once. Thus associating them with death and taboo to give to sick people.
Not a lady to trifle with no matter which version of the legend you believe then. Did the merchant upset her to be turned into a bee or was she just in a mood?
ReplyDeleteTasha
Tasha's Thinkings | Wittegen Press | FB3X (AC)
no, she just draws in anyone she pleases and attacks them.
Deleteit's her nature.
i found a site that had some beautiful art work protraying her.
Interesting monster. I find it unique how its touch just ends you. No blood or gore. You're just gone.
ReplyDelete~Ninja Minion Patricia Lynne aka Patricia Josephine~
Story Dam
Patricia Lynne, Indie Author
yep, one of the easier ways to get killed. well, if you had to get murdered by a yokai.
DeleteEven the scary Japanese legends are beautiful and poetic. Thanks for sharing this one!
ReplyDeleteyou're welcome! there was one other tree demon i wanted to do, but i'm saving it!
DeleteSurely an environmentalist's dream (er, nightmare?).
ReplyDeleteif it only stuck to those that harmed the environment,but i think it's just a free for all yokai.
DeleteHuh! Interesting. A very poetic image, with the falling flower and the tree spirit... I bet I could find some anime that feature this one :)
ReplyDelete@TarkabarkaHolgy from
The Multicolored Diary
MopDog
more than likely. maybe even the manga yokai watch had it, but i could be mistaken.
DeleteBrilliant legend. I think the flower falling off the tree in one piece is fascinating and I can see why people found this strange enough to give it meaning
ReplyDeleteDebbie
I agree. Orchid wither and do the same. I wonder if there is a story for that.
DeleteVery interesting post. I never heard about this legend. Visiting you from A to Z. Thanks for visiting my blog.
ReplyDeleteSunni
http://sunni-survivinglife.blogspot.com/
I had not heard it either until I started this A to Z.
Delete