From: Mad Hamlet <mad-hamlet@usa.net>
Date: 26 Sep 00 09:15:14 MET DST
To: ffml@fanfic.com
Subject: [FFML] (FFML) Spamish, request for information
Greetings,
I would like to know the procedures that are used for demonic banishment
in the various Japanese religions. Shinto, etc..etc..
Pass on this one...
What are those pieces of paper called that Rei from SM used for example,
what do the symbols mean, are there varying strenghts? What other methods are
there? The more specific the information the better. Are there any other THAN
Shinto?
Thanks.
I remain, as always,
Mad-Hamlet
The strips are called ofuda.
Very simply they are prepared spells placed upon the pieces of paper. Just
as there are many different types of spells there are many different types
of ofuda, ranging from warding to control of the subject the ofuda was
placed upon.
Each shrine in Japan has its own different ofuda with many having more than
one.
The Japanese aren't the only ones who use ofuda, the Chinese do as well. A
couple of good examples would be in Mr Vampire and Shaoran From Card Captor
Sakura (notice he has different ofuda for each spell).
The characters on the Ofuda vary. They can either be the name of the shrine
they came from (with the actual spell among these characters(may be in
red)), or they can be what is refered to as "ghost script" (not to be
confused with the postscript program of the same name...) which is easily
read by spirits, this is the type Shaoran has.
There WAS at one stage a Digital Ofuda Database on the web but it appears to
have gone away.
Lucky I DLed all the pics before it did...
http://www.techserv.curtin.edu.au/tsuki_yomi/ofuda
Hope this helps ^_^