Dujiaogui () or dokkakgwi (), literally "One-Legged Ghost" or "One-Legged Demon", is a legendary creature found in East Asian folklore. The creature appears in Chinese folklore, but the one-legged form is particularly associated with Korean folklore, where it is described as a type of .
Unlike ghosts (), which are believed to be the souls of the dead, are supernatural beings associated with inanimate objects that have acquired a spirit, including old brooms, inkstones, and household tools stained with human blood. The one-legged is one form of the .
Origins One-legged supernatural beings appear in early Chinese mythology and may have influenced later Korean traditions. The Chinese classic Classic of Mountains and Seas (Shanhaijing) describes a one-legged mountain spirit or beast called Kui (). In southern China, the Wutong Shen () was also known as the "One-legged Wutong" (). It was said to live in the mountains and bring disaster to those who harmed it. It was also believed to come down to rural villages and bring blessings to crops. The creature was described as being like an ox with one foot, and its appearance was associated with storms. Some sources connect this tradition with the dokkakgwi in Korea.
After the Six dynasties period, the figure developed other characteristics. It came to be associated with wealth and good fortune, as well as with a lecherous monster that attacked women. One explanation attributes these changes to the southward migration of the Han people and its influence on the beliefs of ethnic minorities. Another links them to changes in the way of life of people living in mountainous areas. Other theories suggest that the figure was based on a tree or a lame person,『中国古代の民俗と文化』(山中の独脚鬼に関する一考察―日中の比較)桐本東太著 刀水書房 2004年 ISBN 4-88708-328-9 or that it was connected with phallic worship.
In Korea, the term refers specifically to its "one-legged" (, dokkak) form. This distinguishes it from other forms of .
In Korean folktales The appears in Korean folktales along with other types of . Many of these stories teach a lesson or warn against greed. One well-known example is The Bump on the Chin. In the story, a kind old man with a large bump on his chin comes across a celebration. He joins the in singing. Pleased with his singing and cheerful manner, they remove the bump as a reward. A greedy neighbor with a similar bump hears about what happened and tries to do the same. His singing is unpleasant, however, and the punish him by putting the first man's bump on him as well. He is left with two bumps.
Another widely told story is The Man Who Defeated a dokkaebi. In this story, a man is repeatedly challenged to a wrestling match by a . He learns that the creature's weakness is its single leg, or, in some versions, its left side, and defeats it. In some versions, the runs away in shame and leaves behind its magical club. In others, it becomes the man's friend and uses its powers to make him wealthy.
Characteristics The is a type of in Korean folklore. It is usually described as a hairy humanoid with one leg. It is said to move by hopping on its single leg. Traditional descriptions also give it a satgat (conical bamboo hat) and a dorongi (straw raincoat). It is often said to appear on dark or rainy days. Some accounts describe it as having two eyes under the brim of its hat, while others give it a single eye. This differs from the modern image of the , which commonly shows a two-legged creature with horns and a stocky body, an image influenced by the Japanese oni.
The is not always portrayed as an evil creature. In folktales, it may play tricks on people or challenge them to Korean wrestling (ssireum). In some stories, it challenges a traveler to a wrestling match and defeats him because of its strength. Other stories describe it leading people astray or hiding their belongings.
The , like other , is associated with magical objects. These include the (), a cap said to make its wearer invisible, and the (), a magical club that can produce things such as gold or food when struck against the ground.
See also Sansei - a one legged yōkai Shanxiao - a one-legged mountain spirit
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