LMST_Topic: 345 J-Horror/ Supernatural Stories_Kwaidan - Stories and Studies of Strange Things
LMST 345
Topic: J-Horror/ Supernatural Stories
Read: Kwaidan - Stories and Studies of Strange Things: Of A Mirror And A Bell
A. From culture to culture, the shared goal of horror stories is evoking fear within the reader/listener. Though having a universal objective, the perception of what is considered scary varies around the world. In a general sense, a Kwaidan refers to an archaic horror story or ghost folklore, that was heavily influenced by the Edo period of Japanese culture. When comparing J-Horror Narratives to Western horror stories and gothic genres, the components differ greatly. In most cases, J-horror stories display a unique thematic mixture of ghostly vengeance as well as elements of Buddhist karma, whereas Western culture provides a more traditional outlook on horror stories, which is often boiled down to good vs. evil.
Unlike more traditional Western standards of what horror is, in the Japanese culture, there is a widespread belief in the notion that the living and the dead coexist. The relevance of supernatural beings, such as ghosts and spirits, are more dominant in Japanese customs, resulting in a different, morally driven, perspective of what is considered to be scary.
By developing Kwaidans with underlying Buddhist beliefs, the boundaries between good and evil are often blurred, and the audience is presented with the theme that there is no “absolute other” of good and evil within the characters. For example, destruction could reaffirm the protagonist’s (and spectators) sense of one’s self. However wicked the actions of a character is, the turn around often leads to “self-salvation through suffering”.
In the reading, and example of this would be after the community discovered that the farmer's wife’s mirror wouldn't melt- causing her a great deal of shame. Regretting her decision of giving up the mirror in the first place, she was overcome with sadness and committed suicide- but not without leaving a note. "When I am dead, it will not be difficult to melt the mirror and to cast the bell. But, to the person who breaks that bell by ringing it shall be given great wealth from my ghost." It is believed in Japanese culture that a person’s last wish or promise before the death of someone who is in dismay, holds a “supernatural force.” By her leaving her word to haunt the bell; people lined up to break the bell and earn the ghost's wealth. The story ends with the disposal of the bell do to an annoyance of people ringing it, ultimately avenging the woman.
Topic: J-Horror/ Supernatural Stories
Read: Kwaidan - Stories and Studies of Strange Things: Of A Mirror And A Bell
A. From culture to culture, the shared goal of horror stories is evoking fear within the reader/listener. Though having a universal objective, the perception of what is considered scary varies around the world. In a general sense, a Kwaidan refers to an archaic horror story or ghost folklore, that was heavily influenced by the Edo period of Japanese culture. When comparing J-Horror Narratives to Western horror stories and gothic genres, the components differ greatly. In most cases, J-horror stories display a unique thematic mixture of ghostly vengeance as well as elements of Buddhist karma, whereas Western culture provides a more traditional outlook on horror stories, which is often boiled down to good vs. evil.
Unlike more traditional Western standards of what horror is, in the Japanese culture, there is a widespread belief in the notion that the living and the dead coexist. The relevance of supernatural beings, such as ghosts and spirits, are more dominant in Japanese customs, resulting in a different, morally driven, perspective of what is considered to be scary.
By developing Kwaidans with underlying Buddhist beliefs, the boundaries between good and evil are often blurred, and the audience is presented with the theme that there is no “absolute other” of good and evil within the characters. For example, destruction could reaffirm the protagonist’s (and spectators) sense of one’s self. However wicked the actions of a character is, the turn around often leads to “self-salvation through suffering”.
In the reading, and example of this would be after the community discovered that the farmer's wife’s mirror wouldn't melt- causing her a great deal of shame. Regretting her decision of giving up the mirror in the first place, she was overcome with sadness and committed suicide- but not without leaving a note. "When I am dead, it will not be difficult to melt the mirror and to cast the bell. But, to the person who breaks that bell by ringing it shall be given great wealth from my ghost." It is believed in Japanese culture that a person’s last wish or promise before the death of someone who is in dismay, holds a “supernatural force.” By her leaving her word to haunt the bell; people lined up to break the bell and earn the ghost's wealth. The story ends with the disposal of the bell do to an annoyance of people ringing it, ultimately avenging the woman.
