Uwan
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Anuwan(うわん)is a Japaneseyōkaidepicted in Edo Period pictures such as theHyakkai Zukanby Sawaki Suushi and theGazu Hyakki YagyōbySekien Toriyama.
Concept[edit]
They were depicted to be a teeth-blackened yōkai with grotesque features who were waving both hands, and appeared to be looking threatening by raising their voice, but there was no explanatory text, so their true identity is unknown.[1]
Teeth blackening was performed in medieval Japan among males of the nobility (kuge) and warrior class (buke), so it is inferred that they may be a yōkai of someone from this class, or alternatively they may come from how monsters in Omine,Aso District,Kumamoto Prefectureare called "wanwan" and how monsters in Taniyama,Kagoshima Prefecture(nowKagoshima) are called "wan".[1]In the background of the picture in theGazu Hyakki Yagyō,there is the interpretation that they are a paranormal phenomenon that appears from the walls of a deserted residence.[2]
Also, in yōkai depictions, the uwan only has three fingers on its hands, so it is theorized that this refers to howonihave three fingers.[1]
Other theories[edit]
In the essayTōhoku Kaidan no Tabiby Norio Yamada, there is the following strange tale (kaidan) inAomori Prefecturefrom the end of the Edo Period. A man named Kasuke was saving money, so he bought some old residence and moved in with a woman, but at night, there continuously echoed a loud voice shouting "uwan!" that he was unable to sleep. The next morning, the two of them, eyes all red, complained about this voice saying uwan preventing them from sleep, but not one of their neighbors could hear such a voice, and it was rumored that they were not able to sleep simply because Kasuke was together with that woman all night.[3]However, an elder who heard this tale said that it was because in this old residence lived a monster called "uwan." There are no primary sources provided for this mysterious tale, so it has been suggested that this was simply made up by Yamada.[4]
There is also the theory that they would appear near old temples and let out a strange voice saying as their name suggest, "uwan!" and startle passer-bys and take their lives as they are distracted, but if one repeats back everything that was said to them, the uwan would flee.[5]This comes from a children's book of strange tales, theIchiban Kuwashii Nihon Yōkai Zukan(いちばんくわしい Nhật Bản yêu quái đồ giam, "The Most Informed Japanese Yōkai Illustrated Reference" ) by Arifumi Satō, and the bookObake Zukan(お hóa け đồ hội, Illustrated Reference Book of Monsters) by Sanpei Kasu quotes this theory, but the primary source here is also unknown,[2]and again, it has been suggested that this is simply made up by Satō.[1][4]
Notes[edit]
- ^abcdNhiều điền khắc kỷ(2000).Kinh cực hạ ngạn・ nhiều điền khắc kỷ biên (ed.).Yêu quái đồ quyển.Quốc thư phát hành sẽ.p. 167.ISBN978-4-336-04187-6.
- ^abĐạo điền hết lòng tin theo・ điền trung thẳng ngày biên (1992).Điểu núi đá yến họa đồ bách quỷ dạ hành.Cao điền vệGiam tu. Quốc thư phát hành sẽ. p. 91.ISBN978-4-336-03386-4.
- ^Sơn đồng ruộng lý phu(1974).Đông Bắc quái đàm の lữ.Tự do quốc dân xã.p. 28.NCIDBA42139725.
- ^abThôn thượng kiện tưBiên (2000).Yêu quái sự điển.Mỗi ngày tin tức xã.p. 63.ISBN978-4-620-31428-0.
- ^Tá đằng có văn(1972).いちばんくわしい Nhật Bản yêu quái đồ giam.ジャガーバックス.Lập phong thư phòng.p. 177.
External links[edit]
Images of uwan[edit]
- http:// pinktentacle /2008/02/edo-period-monster-paintings-by-sawaki-suushi/
- https://publicdomainreview.org/collections/the-bakemono-zukushi-monster-scroll-18th-19th-century/