Each country has their own ghost-tales. Each one of them consists of a surprising story beyond the human mind. Asia also has a lot of ghost stories. Most of them are folklore and urban-legends. They are very popular not only in Asia also all around the world. Here are some of the most popular ghost legends in Asia. You know some of them from movies and folklore. Now you know them, personally.
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| Kuntilanak |
This entity is very well-known in Asia, especially in Melayu's ethnics. In Malaysia, they called it Pontianak, Matianak, or Buntianak. Meanwhile in Indonesia, people called it as Kuntilanak. Her name itself means "undead women who died during childbirth and seeking revenge". According to villager's stories,a long time ago there was a pregnant woman who died after being raped by some of the village people. Then her body was buried when she was still alive. After she raised from the grave, the woman seeked revenge and killed everybody who had raped her. Not only the rapers, she also aimed her terror towards every man who liked to cheat on women.
Kuntilanak often appears as a beautiful and seductive woman, usually accompanied by the strong scent of jasmine or frangipani. She wore a long white robe. Sometimes she is seen sliding on the ground and sometimes flying from tree to tree. People believe Kuntilanak lives in banana trees.
Some people believe that they can kill Kuntilanak by plunging a nail in the back of Kuntilanak, or where her head meets the neck region. When the nail is plunged, she will turn into a beautiful woman, and will turn back to her true form after the nail is pulled out.
If you want to know more about this entity, there is a movie called Dead End (came out in 2003). This movie was adapted from the stories of Kuntilanak, and is pretty true to the stories about her.
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| Langsuir |
This is an entity that is very famous in Malaysia. Similar to Kuntilanak, but it has a very ugly appearance. It likes to suck its victim's blood from the inside, causing the fatal end of its victim. People believe Langsuir came from a woman who had complcations during labor, as a result of the death of her unborn child and who themselves died because of childbirth. Langsuir has red eyes, sharp claws, long hair, a white (sometimes green)robe, and has a rotten or decaying face and long fangs for teeth.
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| Manananggal |
One of the most well known spirits from the Philippine's. It comes from Tagalog, tanggal, means "the one who separated itself from its lower body".
Slightly similar to the western version of the vampire. It's described as an older, beautiful woman, capable of severing its upper torso in order to fly into the night with its huge wings (almost like bat wings) to prey on pregnant women in their homes. Usually they killed their prey and used their elongated proboscis-like tongue, to suck the heart of unborn babies.
Manannggal only can be killed by a person sprinkling salt or smearing crushed garlic or ash on the top of the standing torso of the creature. The upper torso will not be able to rejoin and will die at the break of dawn. Beside the Philippines, Manananggal is also a well-known creature in other countries in Asia. In Malaysia, its called Penanggal. Meanwhile in Bali, it's been known as Leak. Different from the other Asian countries, Leak is a mythological figure in the form of a flying head with entrails ( such as lungs, the heart and the liver) still attached. People believe Leaks are humans who are practicing black magic. Leaks have the ability to transform themselves into animals and appear as ordinary humans during the daytime.
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