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Home > Uncanny Japan - Folklore and Culture > Tōdaiki: The Truly Horrific Tale of the Candlestick Demon (Ep. 171)


	Podcast:		Uncanny Japan - Folklore and Culture
	Episode:		Tōdaiki: The Truly Horrific Tale of the Candlestick Demon (Ep. 171)
	Category:		Society & Culture
	Duration:		00:23:47
	Publish Date:		2025-05-07 02:03:00
	Description:		It didn't hit me how apt today's topic is to what's going on until I was a little into writing it. I just have always liked this very creepy old horror story and wanted to introduce it here. I'm sharing two fascinating tales that show the extreme ends of cultural exchange between Japan and Tang Dynasty China. The first is called Tōdaiki, or Candlestick Demon - a truly disturbing story about what happens when diplomatic missions go horrifically wrong. The second is Minister Kibi's Adventures in China, which is less harrowing and more silly and bizarre. Both involve real historical figures who traveled to China back when these journeys took months or years and were incredibly dangerous. Ships weren't very big, there was no sophisticated navigational equipment, and you had a good chance of ending up sunk to the bottom of the ocean. In the Tōdaiki story, when young Hitsu no Saisho travels to China searching for his missing father, he discovers him transformed into a living candlestick holder through dark magic - covered in tattoos, with wax dripping down his face, able only to write poems in his own blood. Then I share the much lighter adventures of Minister Kibi, who uses magical powers and clever tricks to outwit his Chinese hosts through increasingly absurd tests. Both stories reveal the incredible risks and cultural tensions that shaped Japan's relationship with China during this crucial period. [Please Note: Some of the links are affiliate links (both Amazon and other). This means that at no cost to you, if you use and purchase through them I receive a small compensation. This is paid by the retailer. It also helps support me and my artistic endeavors. Thank you.] Follow Uncanny Japan Patreon Uncanny Japan Website Thersa Matsuura Website Books on Amazon YouTube Facebook Instagram Buy Me a Coffee (one-time contribution) Subscribe on Spotify Subscribe on Apple Podcasts Credits Music by Julyan Ray Matsuura About SpectreVision Radio SpectreVision Radio is a bespoke podcast network at the intersection between the arts and the uncanny, featuring a tapestry of shows exploring creativity, the esoteric, and the unknown. We're a community for creators and fans vibrating around common curiosities, shared interests and persistent passions. spectrevisionradio.com linktr.ee/spectrevisionsocial Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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