Wanyudo
Spirits come in all forms. Wanyudo is a spirit in the form of a burning ox-cart wheel. He patrols the border between the living and the dead. Wanyudo rolls back and forth, guarding the entrance to Hell. There are different versions of how Wanyudo inherited this task. In some he was always a wagon wheel. In others, he is a transformed human punished for evil deeds. Wanyudo is now in the service of Enma, Lord of Hell. Jizo and Datsueba are among the other spirit denizens of the frontier that Wanyudo patrols.
Although Wanyudo doesn’t usually bother people—or, at least, not randomly—he is a terrifying sight. Some spirits may initially appear innocuous but Wanyudo is clearly a supernatural being. Wanyudo may take pleasure in simply causing panic and terror however encounters with him are potentially dangerous. If you approach him too closely or without respect or if you draw too near to Enma’s gates, Wanyudo will seize you and ferry your soul to hell. Wanyudo guest stars in the Japanese anime series Hell Girl.
ORIGIN:
Japan
CLASSIFICATION:
Yokai
MANIFESTATION:
Wanyudo is a rolling, burning wagon wheel with a man’s stern, tormented face at the center.
SEE ALSO:
- Datsueba;
- Enma;
- Jizo;
- Mononoke;
- Pan;
- Tsukumogami;
- Yokai
SOURCE:
Encyclopedia of Spirits: The Ultimate Guide to the Magic of Fairies, Genies, Demons, Ghosts, Gods & Goddesses– Written by :Judika Illes Copyright © 2009 by Judika Illes.
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