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East Asian Folktales

A panorama of dragons, ancestral spirits, and moral wisdom from China, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Mongolia, and Tibet.
A celestial woman descends among falling stars in a misty mountain forest glade

The Star Bride of Mount Seorak

December 22, 2025
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High in the craggy peaks of Mount Seorak, villagers often told stories of stars that seemed to fall softly upon the forests during clear winter nights. These were not merely celestial lights, they said, but the descent of heavenly beings sent to watch over humans and remind them of the
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A wooden horse comes to life under moonlight, guarding Baekje royal tombs at night

The Wooden Horse of Baekje

December 22, 2025
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In the ancient kingdom of Baekje, where kings were laid to rest with treasures and sacred relics, there stood an intricately carved wooden horse at the entrance of the royal tombs. Its presence was initially ornamental, a symbol of the king’s authority and the skill of the artisans. But legends
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A young shaman climbs a silver moon ladder to meet glowing ancestral spirits above the cliffs of Jeju Island

The Moon Ladder of Jeju

December 22, 2025
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In the quiet nights on Jeju Island, when the sea glimmers silver under a full moon, the villagers whisper of a ladder of light that descends from the heavens. This ladder appears only for the shamans of the island, the wise women and men who serve as intermediaries between the
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A sacred Korean hahoe mask shedding tears during a traditional village ritual

The Crying Mask of Andong

December 22, 2025
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Lantern light drifted slowly across the packed earth of the village courtyard as elders, performers, and families gathered without chatter or laughter. The night carried a weight that everyone recognized, because this was not a festival meant for pleasure or spectacle. It was the night of ritual reckoning, when the
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A sacred bronze bell resting in a Buddhist temple courtyard

The Bell of Mii dera

December 21, 2025
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Morning mist drifted across the hills of Ōtsu as monks of Mii dera began their daily rituals. The temple stood quietly above Lake Biwa, its wooden halls resting among ancient cedars. For generations, the deep voice of its great bronze bell had marked the passing of hours, calling monks to
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A warrior confronting a demon at the Rashōmon gate in Japanese folklore

The Demon Gate of Rashōmon

December 21, 2025
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The western edge of the capital stirred uneasily at dusk. Merchants shuttered their stalls earlier than usual, monks hastened their steps, and even the dogs seemed reluctant to linger near the towering gate that marked the city boundary. Rashōmon rose above the road like a wounded giant, its pillars cracked,
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A willow tree spirit bride standing beside a river in a Japanese folktale

The willow spirit bride

December 21, 2025
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Morning sunlight filtered softly through the willow grove at the edge of the village, casting long rippling shadows across the riverbank. The branches bent low, their leaves whispering secrets to the flowing water below. Villagers often paused there, sensing a quiet presence that felt neither threatening nor entirely human. Some
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