Vampire

River Styx

2011-02-13T11:32:00.005+08:00

The Styx was a river in Greek mythology that formed the boundary between Earth and the Underworld (often called Hades which is also the name of this domain's ruler). It circles the Underworld nine times.

According to some versions, Styx had miraculous powers and could make someone invulnerable.

Hades

2011-01-09T13:36:00.004+08:00

Hades refers both to the ancient Greek underworld, the abode of Hades, and to the god of the underworld.

According to myth, he and his brothers Zeus and Poseidon defeated the Titans and claimed rulership over the universe ruling the underworld, air, and sea, respectively; the solid earth, long the province of Gaia, was available to all three concurrently.

Symbols associated with him are the Helm of Darkness and the three-headed dog, Cerberus.

Golem

2010-12-06T00:20:00.004+08:00

In Jewish folklore, a golem is an animated anthropomorphic being, created entirely from inanimate matter.

In some tales, a golem is inscribed with Hebrew words that keep it animated. The word emet (אמת, "truth" in the Hebrew language) written on a golem's forehead is one such example. The golem could then be deactivated by removing the aleph (א) in emet, thus changing the inscription from 'truth' to 'death' (met מת, "dead"). Legend and folklore suggest that golems could be activated by writing a specific series of letters on parchment and placing the paper in a golem's mouth.

The most famous golem narrative involves Judah Loew ben Bezalel, the late 16th century chief rabbi of Prague, also known as the Maharal, who reportedly created a golem to defend the Prague ghetto from anti-Semitic attacks[4] and pogroms. Depending on the version of the legend, the Jews in Prague were to be either expelled or killed under the rule of Rudolf II, the Holy Roman Emperor. To protect the Jewish community, the rabbi constructed the Golem out of clay from the banks of the Vltava river, and brought it to life through rituals and Hebrew incantations. As this golem grew, it became increasingly violent, killing gentiles and spreading fear. A different story tells of a golem that fell in love, and when rejected, became the violent monster seen in most accounts. Some versions have the golem eventually turning on its creator or attacking other Jews.[4]

The Emperor begged Rabbi Loew to destroy the Golem, promising to stop the persecution of the Jews. To deactivate the Golem, the rabbi rubbed out the first letter of the word "emet" (truth or reality) from the creature's forehead leaving the Hebrew word "met", meaning dead. The Golem's body was stored in the attic genizah of the Old New Synagogue, where it would be restored to life again if needed. According to legend, the body of Rabbi Loew's Golem still lies in the synagogue's attic. Some versions of the tale state that the Golem was stolen from the genizah and entombed in a graveyard in Prague's Žižkov district, where the great Žižkovská tower now stands. A recent legend tells of a Nazi agent ascending to the synagogue attic during World War II and trying to stab the Golem, but he died instead.[citation needed] The attic is not open to the general public. [5]

Hellhound

2010-02-15T19:18:00.002+08:00

A hellhound is a supernatural dog, found in mythology not only in mythology in the underworld, folklore and fiction. A wide variety of ominous or hellish supernatural dogs occur in mythologies around the world, similar to the ubiquitous dragon. Features that have been attributed to hellhounds include black fur, glowing red or sometimes glowing yellow eyes, super strength or speed, ghostly or phantom characteristics, foul odor, and sometimes even the ability to talk. In cultures that associate the afterlife with fire, hellhounds may have fire-based abilities and appearance. They are often assigned to guard the entrances to the world of the dead, such as graveyards and burial grounds, or undertake other duties related to the afterlife or the supernatural, such as hunting down lost souls or guarding a supernatural treasure. In European legends, seeing a hellhound or hearing it howl may be either an omen or a cause of imminent death.

Zombie

2009-01-03T22:51:00.003+08:00

A zombie is a reanimated human corpse. Stories of zombies originated in the Afro-Caribbean spiritual belief system of Vodou, which told of the people being controlled as workers by a powerful sorcerer.

According to the tenets of Vodou, a dead person can be revived by a bokor or Voodoo sorcerer. Zombies remain under the control of the bokor since they have no will of their own. "Zombi" is also another name of the Vodou snake god Damballah Wedo, of Niger-Congo origin; it is akin to the Kongo word nzambi, which means "god". There also exists within the voudon tradition the zombi astral which is a human soul that is captured by a bokor and used to enhance the bokor's power.

Goth subculture

2008-12-28T19:51:00.002+08:00

The original Goths were an Eastern Germanic tribe who played an important role in the fall of the western Roman Empire. In some circles, the name "goth" later became pejorative: synonymous with "barbarian" and the uncultured due to the then-contemporary view of the fall of Rome and depictions of the pagan Gothic tribes during and after the process of Christianization of Europe. During the Renaissance period in Europe, medieval architecture was retroactively labeled gothic architecture, and was considered unfashionable in contrast to the then-modern lines of classical architecture

The most famous gothic villain is the vampire, a folklore legend of Eastern Europe and the Balkans, best known from Bram Stoker's novel Dracula and the horror movies it influenced.

Some of the early gothic rock and death rock artists adopted traditional horror movie images, and also drew on horror movie soundtracks for inspiration. Their audiences responded in kind by further adopting appropriate dress and props.

敦煌飛天

2008-08-10T15:16:00.007+08:00

飛天，是佛教中乾闥婆和緊那羅的化身。乾闥婆，意譯為天歌神、緊那羅，意譯為天樂神。原是古印度神話中的娛樂神和歌舞神，是一對夫妻，後被佛教吸收為天龍八部眾神之一。

乾闥婆的任務是在佛國裡散發香氣，為佛獻花、供寶，棲身於花叢，飛翔於天宮。

緊那羅的任務是在佛國裡奏樂、歌舞，但不能飛翔於雲霄。後來，乾闥婆和緊那羅相混合，男女不分，職能不分，合為一體，變為飛天。

現在，把早期在天宮奏樂的叫“天宮伎樂”，把後來持樂器歌舞的稱“飛天伎樂”。

中陰身

2008-08-06T22:39:00.002+08:00

在今生的死亡與來生投胎之間，有一段過渡時期，這時期叫做“中陰”或“中有”（藏文bardo）。中陰身並非血肉之軀，而是一種細微的心識身。並無實質可言，其形體是下一生將轉生之形相。

中陰身固非實質身體，故此亦不能飲食實質物品，只能以氣味為食，或於有人作熏煙供養法時可得受飲食品以活命。不論生前有瞎眼等生理缺陷或否，在中陰期間，中陰身皆六根具足，而且更會擁有一些神通，例如說類似天眼的眼神通及隨念起刹那間便能到達所想之處的神通等等。

中陰身不受任何山、石、河、海等地理環境所障，可以自由穿行。有時候，中陰身會流連於生前故居，但親友是看不到中陰身的，而且因為人類身上有氣味，中陰身無法太親近，從而令心中生出很大的悲傷執戀。

中陰身的週期，至長亦不超於四十九天，這是一般的情況。在某些例外的少數情況下，中陰期亦有可能更長。中陰期間，中陰身每七天便會經歷一次類似死亡的經驗，然後又換一個中陰身，直至有因緣投胎為止，但一般來說頂多也不過會換七次中陰身。

Embalming

2008-03-30T23:41:00.003+08:00

Embalming, in most modern cultures, is the art and science of temporarily preserving human remains to forestall decomposition and to make them suitable for display at a funeral. The three goals of embalming are thus preservation, sanitization and presentation (or restoration) of a dead body to achieve this effect. Embalming has a very long and cross-cultural history, with many cultures giving the embalming processes a greater religious meaning.

An embalmer is someone who has been trained in the art and science of embalming. This commonly involves formal study in anatomy, thanatology, chemistry and specific embalming theory (to widely varying levels depending on the region of the world one lives in) combined with practical instruction in a mortuary with a resultant formal qualification granted after the passing of a final practical examination and acceptance into a recognized embalming body. Legal requirements over who can practice vary geographically.

After the body is rewashed and dried, a moisturizing cream is applied to the face. The body will usually sit for as long as possible for observation by the embalmer. After being dressed for visitation/funeral services, cosmetics are applied to make it appear more lifelike and to create a "memory picture" for the deceased's friends and relatives. For babies who have died, the embalmer may apply a light cosmetic massage cream after embalming to provide a natural appearance; massage cream is also used on the lips to prevent them from dehydrating, and the infant's mouth is often left open a bit for a more natural expression. If possible, the funeral director uses a light, translucent cosmetic; sometimes, heavier, opaque cosmetics are used to hide bruises, cuts, or discolored areas. Makeup is applied to the lips to mimic their natural color. Sometimes a very pale or light pink lipstick is applied on males, while brighter colored lipstick is applied to females. Hair gels or baby oil is applied to style the hair, especially for deceased who are male. Mortuary cosmetizing is not done for the same reason as make-up for living people; rather, it is designed to add depth and dimension to a person's features that the lack of blood circulation has removed. Warm areas - where blood vessels in living people are superficial, such as the cheeks, chin, and knuckles - have subtle reds added to recreate this effect, while browns are added to the palpabrae (eyelids) to add depth, especially important as viewing in a casket creates an unusual perspective rarely seen in everyday life. During the viewing, pink-colored lighting is sometimes used near the body to lend a warmer tone to the deceased's complexion. A photograph of the dead person in good health is often sought in order to guide the embalmer's hand in restoring the corpse to a more lifelike appearance. Blemishes and discolorations (such as bruises, in which the discoloration is not in the circulatory system and cannot be removed by arterial injection) occasioned by the last illness, the settling of blood, or the embalming process itself are also dealt with at this time (although some embalmers utilize hypodermic bleaching agents, such as phenol based cauterants, during injection to lighten discoloration and allow for easier cosmetizing).

Draco

2007-11-11T09:17:00.000+08:00

The Latin word for a dragon, draco (genitive: draconis), actually means snake or serpent, emphasizing the European association of dragons with snakes, not lizards or dinosaurs as they are commonly associated with today.

In medieval symbolism, dragons were often symbolic of apostasy and treachery, but also of anger and envy, and eventually symbolized great calamity. Several heads were symbolic of decadence and oppression, and also of heresy. They also served as symbols for independence, leadership and strength. Many dragons also represent wisdom; slaying a dragon not only gave access to its treasure hoard, but meant the hero had bested the most cunning of all creatures. In some cultures, especially Chinese, or around the Himalayas, dragons are considered to represent good luck and fortune.

Anubis

2007-10-17T21:55:00.000+08:00

Anubis is the Greek name for the ancient jackal-headed god of the dead in Egyptian mythology whose hieroglyphic version is more accurately spelled Anpu. He serves as both a guide of the recently departed and a guardian of the dead.

Anubis was the guardian of the dead, who took souls to the Underworld and protected them on their journey. It was he who deemed the deceased worthy of becoming a star. Ancient Egyptian texts say that Anubis silently walked through the shadows of life and death and lurked in dark places. He was watchful by day as well as by night. He also weighed the heart of the dead against the feather symbol of Ma'at, the goddess of truth. One of the reasons that the ancient Egyptians took such care to preserve their dead with sweet-smelling herbs was that it was believed Anubis would check each person with his keen canine nose. Only if they smelled pure would he allow them to enter the Kingdom of the Dead.

鬼火

2007-08-11T22:11:00.000+08:00

原來是因為含有磷化氫，磷化氫在空氣中能自燃，就形成了鬼火。

人類與動物身體中含有很多磷，死後腐爛了生成磷化氫。

在田野上，不管白天或黑夜，只要光強，就看不見所謂的鬼火。

磷化氫很毒，又很容易爆炸。鬼火（磷火）既然是一種自然現象，本身並沒有自主的意志，但是因為磷火比空氣稍輕，所以一般都是飄浮在半空中，離地約一～數公尺的高度，而且會隨著空氣的流動而飄來飄去，如果一個人走夜路經過亂葬坑發現了鬼火，因為害怕轉身就逃跑，人體在奔跑時會帶動身後的氣流也往前流動，如果距離夠近，這團鬼火（磷火）自然會受到這股氣流的牽引而跟著往前飄，以至於看起來好像是鬼火在追人。

Horcrux

2007-07-29T13:31:00.000+08:00

The Horcrux is a "receptacle in which a Dark wizard has hidden a part of his soul for the purposes of attaining immortality."[1] With part of a wizard's soul thus stored, the wizard becomes immortal so long as the Horcrux remains intact, typically hidden away in a safe location. If the wizard's body is destroyed, part of the soul remains preserved within the Horcrux.[2] However, the destruction of the Horcrux creator's body leaves the wizard in a state of half-life, without corporeal form.[3] The dark magic involved in the creation of a Horcrux is considered most despicable and is therefore rarely published, even in books devoted to the Dark Arts.
A Horcrux can be made from any normal object, as well as living organisms. Destruction of the Horcrux destroys the fragment of soul contained within it, ending the protection it provides, and rendering the creator mortal if there are no remaining Horcruxes. A wizard must have at least one piece of his soul intact on Earth in order to continue living. Thus, if all of the Horcruxes created by one wizard were destroyed, then there would be no way for the wizard to return after being killed, as his death would release the last piece of his soul from mortal existence.[4]

The creation of a Horcrux requires the creator to commit a murder, which, as "the supreme act of evil, (...) rips the soul apart."[6] Once the murder has been committed, a spell is cast to infuse one portion of the ripped soul into an object, which becomes a Horcrux. The spell can be found in the book Secrets of the Darkest Art.
There is no apparent limitation on the nature of the items that can be made into a Horcrux; even living creatures may be used. There also seems to be no limit to how many Horcruxes a wizard can create. However, each time the soul is split and a new Horcrux is created, the creator risks losing more of his natural humanity.

Unlike normal objects, Horcruxes are notoriously difficult to destroy. They cannot be destroyed by conventional means such as smashing, breaking, or burning.

A Horcrux can be magically undone only if the creator goes through a process of deep remorse for the murder committed to create the Horcrux. The pain of this remorse is so excruciating that the process itself may kill the creator.

Poltergeist

2007-07-29T13:29:00.000+08:00

Poltergeist(German for noisy ghost) is a term used to describe a supposed spirit or ghost that manifests itself by moving and influencing inanimate objects.

Reports of poltergeist activity typically feature raps, bumps, thumps, knocks, footsteps, and bed shaking, all without a discernible point of origin or physical reason for occurrence. Many accounts also report objects being thrown about the room, furniture being moved, and even people being levitated.

Curse

2007-07-29T13:24:00.000+08:00

A curse is the effective action of some power, distinguished solely by the quality of adversity that it brings. A curse may also be said to result from a spell or prayer, imprecation or execration, or other imposition by magic or witchcraft, asking that a god, natural force, or spirit bring misfortune to someone.

The deliberate levying of curses is often part of the practice of magic, taking place at the boundary between organized religion and folkloric customs.

Inferius

2007-07-21T22:57:00.000+08:00

An Inferius (plural: Inferi) is a corpse controlled through a Dark wizard's spells . An Inferius is not alive, but rather just a dead body that has been bewitched into acting like a puppet for the witch or wizard. Unlike ghosts, it is apparent that Inferi cannot think for themselves. They are created to perform a specific duty assigned by the Dark wizard who commands them, remain idle until their task can be performed. This task is then thoughtlessly carried out, whether or not it will produce any result. Inferi are difficult to harm by magic; however, they can be repelled by fire or any other forms of heat or light, When defeated, they return to their idle state.

There are two main differences between ghosts and Inferi. The first is the aforementioned fact that ghosts have an active consciousness. The second, is that ghosts are transparent and retain their sense of being. Therefore, ghosts and Inferi are opposites: one has sentience but no body; the other a body but no sentience.

Wand

2007-07-01T12:05:00.000+08:00

A wand consists of a thin, straight, hand-held stick of wood, ivory, or metal. Generally, in modern language, wands are ceremonial and/or have associations with magic but there have been other uses, all stemming from the original meaning as a synonym of rod and virge, both of which had a similar development.

Magic wands commonly feature in works of fantasy fiction as spell-casting tools.

Bats

2007-06-19T21:24:00.000+08:00

A bat is a mammal in the order Chiroptera. Their most distinguishing feature is that their forelimbs are developed as wings, making them the only mammals in the world naturally capable of flight (though other mammals, such as flying squirrels and gliding flying possums, can glide for limited distances).

Bats are closely associated with vampires, who are said to be able to shapeshift into bats, fog, or wolves. Bats are also a symbol of ghosts, death, and disease.

打包

2007-06-09T01:01:00.000+08:00

程序1 通知家屬：邀請家屬盡快到院。

程序2 家屬到院：安排接見醫生,由醫生正式通知家屬病人經己辭世。

程序3 安慰家屬：家屬可能會情緒激動,需從旁安慰和照顧。

程序4 觀看遺容：護士把死者身上一切急救和醫療設備移除後,把屍體清理整潔理妥當，若雙眼不能自然，合上、用暖水棉花慢慢把眼皮合上,然後用被單覆蓋遺體，敫請家屬觀看遺容。然後把死者嘅遺物包括飾物、假牙等歸還家屬及簽收。

程序5 遺體料理：預備物品-消毒劑、棉球、膠鉗、繃帶、屍籤、屍單等。

程序6 預備環境，員工服裝：拉上屏風以尊重死者，穿上保護袍，手套，口罩或面罩。

程序7 施行步驟：除去死者衣服；用消毒劑棉球塞進死者各腔穴(男:鼻孔、耳孔、口、肛門;女:鼻孔、耳孔、口、肛門、陰道)；有其他外科傷口,用紗布蓋好,用繃帶扎托下頜；穿上屍袍；用繃帶把手固定在身体兩旁,腳就綁在一起(這是避免在搬運時手腳伸出引至折斷),把屍籤固定在腳跟,再用屍單包裹屍體；釘上屍籤；蓋上被單並拉好屏風；通知殮房員工用運屍車搬到殮房。

程序8 辦理事項：通知家屬接領遺體,和何處申辦死亡証。

程序9 善後清潔：清潔及消毒所有用品-床、被舖；重新舖床。

Serpent

2007-06-03T23:22:00.000+08:00

Serpent is a word of Latin origin (serpens, serpentis) that is commonly used in a specifically mythic or religious context, signifying a snake that is to be regarded not as a mundane natural phenomenon nor as an object of scientific zoology, but as the bearer of some symbolic value.

The serpent is one of the oldest and most widespread mythological symbols.

In some instances, serpents serve as positive symbols with whom it is possible to identify or to sympathize; in other instances, serpents serve as negative symbols, representing opponents or antagonists of figures or principles with which it is possible to identify. Serpents also appear as ambivalent figures, neither wholly positive nor wholly negative in valence.

Potion

2007-06-01T22:05:00.000+08:00

A potion (from latin potionis, meaning beverage, potion, poison) is a drinkable medicine or poison.

In legend a potion is a concoction used to heal, bewitch or poison people, made by a magician, sorcerer or witch.

Creation of potions of different kinds was a common practice of alchemy.In modern fantasy, potions are often used as spells in liquid form. Commonly fantasy uses for potions are healing, amnesia, transformation, love spells, invisibility, and invulnerability.

東華義莊

2007-05-05T10:01:00.000+08:00

由香港東華三院於1875年成立的義莊。在香港開埠早期，當時廣東各縣市及海外有不少人來港打工，如不幸身故，因為沒有雪房，屍體容易腐爛發臭，於是先行入殮再暫厝義莊，待後人來港才移回鄉。義莊現時設於香港島薄扶林沙灣大口環道。由於樓群建於不同時期，建築具摻雜中西特色。

內設有大堂2個、莊房72間、骨殖倉1個，最多可存放約300件靈柩、骨殖及靈灰及骨灰龕位6,733個等。靈灰龕位-每個港幣1,000。大堂及莊房-每月租金由港幣$50至＄400不等。

Maggot

2007-04-22T21:41:00.000+08:00

A 'maggot' is the larval stage of the fly life cycle, famous for eating decomposing flesh.

Some types of maggots found on corpses can be of great use to forensic scientists. By their stage of development, these maggots can be used to give an indication of the time elapsed since death, as well as the place the organism died.

Maggots are classified using "instar" stages. An instar I is about 2-5 mm long; instar II 6-14 mm; instar III 15-20 mm. These correspond to an age of 2-3 days, 3-4 days, and 4-6 days (for average house flies or bottle flies) since the eggs were laid. Some forensic scientists use this data to determine the approximate time of death of a human body.

關於死者化妝的資料

2007-04-19T22:10:00.000+08:00

死人化妝入行條件及需知要入殯儀呢行唔難，
但呢行強調既；並唔係你有冇膽或驚唔驚！

的的確確；死人化妝呢行薪金非常可觀；
正如一個"學師仔"即使係佢既起薪點亦已經有 $23000。

呢行亦無年齡、性別、經驗限制！係咪好吸引？ ..........見人見致吧！

不過你係需要具備特別"條件"至能夠勝任！！
而所為"條件"即係你本身五行各方面夠唔夠正氣同殺氣！
至於師傅樣點至知你有冇"條件 "？？
師傅係有種"另類應徵 "方法。
各位有意"應徵"的話....請考慮清楚！！！

首先師傅會安排你響一個停屍間，
而停屍間裡當然會有件"好企理既咸魚"等緊你！
停屍間內好細,房內祇有你、咸魚、一盞油燈、一張 '和一部冷氣。其它欠奉請自便！
師傅會安排三日俾你！
呢三日你祗需坐響呢間房；坐既時間係每日由黃昏約6:30至凌晨12:30不等！
....響停屍間；你基本上係乜'都唔需要做，師傅純粹要你齋坐響度對住條咸魚幾個鍾頭！
其間師傅祇會間中入'望嚇你，
你唔好期望師傅會企響度同閒談，
因為師傅藉此考驗你定力同忍耐力(當然期間你可以去食飯去洗手間 ).....

就係咁；你要連續"齋坐三日 "！
至於師傅是否錄用你就好睇你往'個星期。至於點解？？
原因係大部份人"坐完三日 "後往 '個七日都會有不同'"反應"，
而呢七日期間師傅會跟你通電 "觀察 "你情況。何謂"反應"？
何謂"觀察"？
因為大部份人都會出現無故嘔吐、發燒、有惡夢、暈眩或大病等等無法解釋既'狀 ....
故此；師傅都定必需要知道你"過後反應 "....
師傅以此作為你是否具備"錄用條件"！

當你"坐三日"後有以上任何一種"反應"；
均表示你陽氣不足、正氣少、殺氣低，受唔起陰氣及靈氣磁場。
即使你再有"膽大包天"都係徒然！

因為 "過後反應"正正代表你生辰八字、五行唔能夠承受過多陰氣及靈氣磁場....
故此跟"睇相 "並無關係！！
若果"坐三日"都依然食得、'得、冇唔妥，則恭喜你！！ ....
殯儀行業等緊你！

當正式被師傅收為徒後；
基本上並無特別儀式或要求，衹需謹記師傅所提及既行規及禁忌便可。

而由學徒做起到升任至資深化妝；為期至少需三至五年不等。
起初師傅會將一般由醫院病逝而又完整無缺之屍體；
響你面前"打理一番"；期間師傅會邊做邊講解.....之餘亦會同先人傾偈......

起初你係行行企企、拾嚇手尾、睇師傅台戲、記化妝品用途種類、次序....
通常師傅俾你睇得有七、八件咸魚後.....大約第十件至會俾你掂"佢'"！！

然而；你起初既"對象"都係企企理理、冇穿冇爛 (即醫院病死者)較為Easy-Job！
而其他"大制作"則會由師傅"表演"....
(大制作= 死於跳、跳樓、火燒、甩皮甩骨冇忽好........)

有新人 (死者 )到首先要打針 (防腐劑 )；然後入 ! 櫃 ( 雪櫃 )！！
通常先人會於起程(出殯) 前兩日移至另一凍的房解凍。
要同佢地沖涼、化妝、穿壽衣.....最重要一環係按家屬意思去辦！！！

沖涼後.....裝身.....先將大量浸滿漂白水之綿球；
搗塞於人體每一個有孔位置！(作用以防血水倒流！)
穿壽衣；必需要由腳開始著上去，即襪、鞋、褲/裙、上衣........如此類推。
先人壽衣由下而上穿上乃取其寓意先人會升上天免落地獄！

先人化妝品、用品、配件...通通定必為頂級品牌！
例如； "Maxfactor";、 "露華濃 "...."資生堂"...."SK-II"....."Chanel".....等等。
用"靚'"原因係基於特別上妝、持久、減低屍班色。亦作為對死者一種尊重吧！

Embalming

2007-04-11T23:29:00.000+08:00

Embalming, in most modern cultures, is the art and science of temporarily preserving human remains to forestall decomposition and make it suitable for display at a funeral. The three goals of embalming are thus preservation, sanitization and presentation (or restoration) of a dead body to achieve this effect. Embalming has a very long and cross-cultural history, with many cultures giving the embalming processes a greater religious meaning.

Lenin is a famous example of modern embalming

Embalming chemicals are a variety of preservatives, sanitising, and disinfectant agents and additives used in modern embalming to temporarily prevent decomposition and restore a natural appearance for viewing a body after death. A mixture of these chemicals is known as embalming fluid and is used to preserve deceased individuals, sometimes only until the funeral, other times indefinitely.
Typical embalming fluid contains a mixture of formaldehyde, methanol, ethanol, and other solvents. The formaldehyde content generally ranges from 5 to 29 percent and the ethanol content may range from 9 to 56 percent.

Ouija

2007-03-24T15:05:00.000+08:00

Ouija is the belief that one can receive messages during a séance by the Ouija board (also called talking board, spirit board) and planchette. The fingers of the participants are placed on the planchette which then moves about a board covered with numbers, letters and symbols so as to spell out messages.
The term "Ouija" is derived from the French "oui" (for "yes") and the German/Dutch "ja" (also for "yes").

The motion of the planchette is explained by the ideomotor effect. A typical session with the board has two or more people touching the planchette with at least one hand each, so that no single person need apply much force in order for the group as a whole to cause it to move. Each person experiences the illusion that the planchette moves under its own power.

Toe tag

2007-03-17T15:21:00.000+08:00

A toe tag is a piece of cardboard with string that is attached to the big toe of a dead person in a morgue for identification purposes among the morticians correctly identifying corpses.

Morgue

2007-03-17T15:18:00.000+08:00

A morgue or mortuary is a building or room (as in a hospital) used for the storage of human remains.

There are two types of morgue cold chambers:

Positive temperature 36/39°F (+2/+4°C): This is the most common type, used for keeping the bodies a few days or weeks. Decomposition of the corpse continues at a reduced rate.

Negative temperature -5/-13°F (-15°C/-25°C): This is used by forensic institutes for the storage of bodies that have not yet been identified. The body is completely frozen, halting decomposition.

Crows

2007-03-10T13:26:00.000+08:00

Crows, and especially ravens, often feature in European legends or mythology as portents or harbingers of doom or death, because of their dark plumage, unnerving calls, and tendency to eat carrion. They are commonly thought to circle above scenes of death such as battles.

Another largely known myth still talked about today is of Crowman. Crowman, or Crowgio to be exact, stood upright just as a normal huminoid would, but had very elaborate and beautiful wings that would span to each of the walls of a large office. It is said that a human woman of Eastern heritage married the Crowman and birthed three exotic sons. They are all said to be living in a local rural area and not much else is known about this incredible creature.

Mummies

2007-02-24T22:32:00.000+08:00

A mummy is a corpse whose skin and dried flesh have been preserved by either intentional or accidental exposure to chemicals, extreme cold, very low humidity, or airlessness.

AntiChrist Crosses

2007-02-24T22:21:00.000+08:00

Anti christ crosses are traditional crosses turned upside down. History tells that the reversed cross is the sign of the devil. This Devil cross is a big favourite with the Gothic Style team.

Witches' Best Friend - Black Cats

2007-02-24T22:15:00.000+08:00

Cats were often believed to be familiars of human witches. Cats are believed, by some Wiccans, to have the ability to sense the presence of spirits before humans notice them.

Black cats, because of their ability to remain unseen in dark places or at night, were considered especially desirable partners for witches. Some witches were purported to have the ability to shape-shift into a cat nine times, hence the archaic belief that cats have "nine lives"

Black cats were sometimes used in magical rituals, sometimes as purported participants, other times as sacrifices.In witch trials, ownership of a cat was often taken as "evidence" of Satanic association and witchcraft. Cats, believed to be evil in their own right, were often punished or burned alive along with humans during these trials.

Sky Burial

2007-02-10T13:08:00.000+08:00

Sky burial is a ritual practice common in Tibet that involves a priest's cutting the human corpse into small pieces and then placing it on top of a mountain and expose it ritually, especially to birds of prey.

This way of disposing of a human corpse is not, as some believe, a ritual to honour the birds of prey. The majority of Tibetans adhere to Buddhism, which teaches rebirth after death. Because the soul disintegrates at death, there is no need to keep the body, as it is now an empty vessel. Birds may eat it, or nature may let it decompose. Therefore, the function of the sky burial is simply the disposal of the remains. Other reasons of why the body may not be buried or cremated is because the rugged Tibetan terrain makes the ground too hard to dig, and with fuel and timber scarce, the sky burial is more practical.

禿鷲

2007-02-10T13:01:00.000+08:00

一個非洲小孩因疾病和飢餓使得命在旦夕時，旁邊即刻就有一隻禿鷲虎視眈眈盯著小孩，禿鷲在耐心等待小孩的生命終結。因為小孩的生命一結束，其屍體立刻就會成為禿鷲的一頓美餐。

殭屍

2007-01-23T14:11:00.000+08:00

殭屍是一種死後經過很長時間卻仍然沒有腐爛的屍體、變成類似木乃伊。沒有腐爛的原因可能是氣候或土質的關係，但是現在還沒有實物報告。

清朝野史，述異記（東軒主人著）中有出現殭屍的故事，大致是說清朝初年，湘南西邊，有一個靠山的小村落，村中一個無賴因盜墓而中屍毒，後雖被一老人救回，但因再度做不當的事，被全村的人打了一頓，再丟在後山草叢中讓他自生自滅。

過了幾天，他再來求救，但這次沒人願意幫他。村民們將他打他一頓，然後綁在樹上，雖有人出言勸阻，但無人理會。最後他死在樹上，晚上村民想將之安葬，但發現屍首不見。
最後他回來殺了全村，村民因被咬而一個一個變為殭屍，一些及時離開的村民在早上回村探望時也慘成殭屍。

湘西趕屍之說

又稱移靈，發源於湘西沅陵，濾溪，辰谿，敘浦四縣，在屍體未腐化時由術士趕回鄉安葬。趕屍的術士大約三五同行，有的用繩繫著屍體，每隔幾尺一個，然後額上貼黃紙符，另外的便打鑼響鈴開路，畫伏夜行。天光前投棧，揭起符紙，屍靠牆而立，到夜間繼續上路。

亦有人指趕屍者其實背起屍體而行，但由於身穿黑衣夜行，途人便自然看不見趕屍者，以為有行屍。

屍變概念

1. 養屍地，這較為科學。土壤土質酸鹼度極不平衡，不適合有機物生長，因此不會滋生蟻蟲細菌，屍體埋入即使過百年，肌肉毛髮也不會腐壞，有些資料顯示屍體的毛髮，指甲會繼續生長。這種屍體稱作蔭屍，算是屍體和僵屍之間的過渡期形態，如果不加以處理很快便會化為僵屍。風水學中亦有此一說。

2. 坊間流傳道家有太陰煉形之法，屍體葬數百年，期滿便會復生
3. 新死的屍體被邪物/邪氣附身
4. 屍體吸收了陽氣，借人生氣而屍變
5. 人死之際，魂一散而魄滯

屍花

2007-01-12T22:40:00.000+08:00

科學家利用基因分析方法解開了屍花的身世謎團。屍花開的花顏色血紅，直徑達一米寬，並散發出腐肉般的惡臭。一組研究人員1月11日在《科學》期刊上發表文章稱，屍花源自一種古代植物科，該科植物本以小花為特徵。圖為印尼蘇門答臘的屍花，攝於2005年7月資料照。

My favourite subjects - Medusa

2007-01-04T16:55:00.000+08:00

In Greek mythology, Medusa (Greek: Μέδουσα, Médousa, "guardian, protectress"[1]), was a monstrous chthonic female character, essentially an extension of an apotropaic mask, whose gaze could turn onlookers to stone.

Medusa was originally a beautiful nymph , but when she had intercourse with Poseidon in Athena's temple, the goddess transformed her hair to serpents and her made her face so terrible to behold that the mere sight of it would turn a man to stone.

My favourite subjects - 雪女

2006-12-24T08:27:00.000+08:00

Yuki-onna (雪女, Yuki-onna, snow woman) is a spirit found in Japanese folklore.

Yuki-onna appears as a tall, beautiful woman with long hair. Her skin is inhumanly pale or even transparent, causing her to blend into the snowy landscape.

She sometimes wears a white kimono, but other legends describe her as nude, with only her face, hair, and pubic region standing out against the snow. Despite her inhuman beauty, her eyes can strike terror into mortals. She floats across the snow, leaving no footprints (in fact, some tales say she has no feet, a notable feature for many Japanese ghosts), and she can transform into a cloud of mist or snow if she is threatened.

In many stories, Yuki-onna reveals herself to travelers who find themselves trapped in snowstorms and uses her icy breath to leave them as frost-coated corpses. Other legends say that she leads them astray so they simply die of exposure. Other times, she manifests holding a child. When a well-intentioned soul takes the "child" from her, he or she is frozen in place.

阿修羅

2006-12-03T13:47:00.000+08:00

阿修羅天龍八部之一，男極醜，女極美，擅戰且好戰。

阿修羅–Ashura意譯為非天、非同類、不端正。阿修羅為印度最古諸神之一，屬於戰鬥一類之鬼神，經常被視為惡神，而與帝釋天（因陀羅神）爭鬥不休，以致出現了修羅場、修羅戰等名詞。

My favourite subjects - God of Death

2006-11-01T22:01:00.000+08:00

Death has been personified as a figure or fictional character in mythology and popular culture since the earliest days of storytelling. Because the reality of death has had a substantial influence on the human psyche and the development of civilization as a whole, the personification of Death as a living, sentient entity is a concept that has existed in many societies since the beginning of recorded history.

In the United States, death is usually shown as a skeletal figure carrying a large scythe, and wearing a midnight black gown with a hood, while in Europe it is often depicted similarly, but dressed in white, which is the traditional colour worn at funerals in many places.

My favourite subjects - Kappa

2006-10-25T09:47:00.000+08:00

Kappa (河童, Kappa), are mythical creatures; a type of water imp found in Japanese folklore.

Most depictions show kappa as child-sized humanoids, though their bodies are often more like those of monkeys or frogs than human beings. Some descriptions say their faces are apelike, while others show them with beaked visages more like those of tortoises or with duck beaks. Pictures usually show kappa with thick shells and scaly skin that ranges in color from green to yellow or blue.

Kappa inhabit the ponds and rivers of Japan and have various features to aid them in this environment, such as webbed hands and feet. They are sometimes even said to smell like fish, and they can certainly swim like them.

The kappa's most notable feature, however, is the water-filled depressions atop their heads. These cavities are surrounded by scraggly hair, and this type of bobbed hair style is named okappa atama for the creatures. The kappa derive their incredible strength from these liquid-filled holes, and anyone confronted with one may exploit this weakness by simply getting the kappa to spill the water from its head.

One trusted method to do this is to appeal to the kappa's deep sense of etiquette, for a kappa cannot help but return a deep bow, even if it means losing its head-water in the process. Once depleted, the kappa is seriously weakened and may even die. Other tales say that this water allows kappa to move about on land, and once emptied, the creatures are immobilized. Stubborn children are encouraged to follow the custom of bowing on the grounds that it is a defense against kappa.

My favourite subjects - Werewolf

2006-10-22T19:51:00.000+08:00

A werewolf (or lycanthrope) in folklore and mythology is a person who shapeshifts into a wolf, either purposely, by using magic, or after being placed under a curse.

The medieval chronicler Gervase of Tilbury associated the transformation with the appearance of the full moon, but this concept was rarely associated with the werewolf until the idea was picked up by modern fiction writers. Most modern fiction agrees that a werewolf can be killed if shot by a silver bullet, although this was not a feature of folk legends. Werewolves are sometimes held to become vampires after death

My favourite subjects - Witchcraft

2006-10-22T14:59:00.000+08:00

Witchcraft, in various historical, religious and mythical contexts, is the use of certain kinds of alleged supernatural or magical powers. A witch is a person who practices witchcraft, and may be male or female. In historical, mythological and demonological contexts a male "witch" is more frequently termed a wizard, sorcerer, warlock, or simply a magician.

My favourite subjects - Unicorns

2006-10-21T22:37:00.000+08:00

The unicorn is a legendary creature usually depicted with the body of a horse, but with a single – usually spiral – horn growing out of its forehead (hence its name – cornus being Latin for 'horn'). The unicorn's blood and horn are supposedly mystical healers.

A skill I Admired - Parceltongue

2006-10-19T20:08:00.000+08:00

A parcelmouth is a person who can communicate with snakes by speaking Parceltongue.

My favourite subjects - Gargoyles

2006-10-17T01:23:00.000+08:00

The term gargoyle is most often applied to medieval work, but throughout all ages some means of throwing the water off roofs, when not conveyed in gutters, was adopted. The gargoyle's grotesque form was said to scare off evil spirits so they were used for protection.

Gargoyles are typically depicted as a (generally) winged humanoid race with demonic features (generally horns, a tail, talons, and may or may not have a beak). Gargoyles can generally use their wings to fly or glide, and are often depicted as having a rocky hide, or being capable of turning into stone in one way or another, a reference to their structural roots.

My favourite subjects - Lucifer

2006-10-17T01:03:00.000+08:00

Lucifer is a fallen angel commonly associated with Satan, the embodiment of evil and enemy of God.

Lucifer is generally considered, to have been a prominent archangel in heaven, prior to having been motivated by pride to rebel against God. When the rebellion failed, Lucifer was cast out of heaven, along with a third of the heavenly host, and came to reside on the world.

My favourite subjects - Dark Arts

2006-10-17T00:29:00.000+08:00

Black magic or dark magic is the branch of magic that is used to perform evil acts or that draws on malevolent powers. In the Inquisition, Christians were afraid of witches and warlocks practicing evil black magic.

In the Inquisition, Christians were afraid of witches and warlocks practicing evil black magic. In modern times, witches and warlocks will use the term to describe the bad magic that they do not do in contrast with the good white magic that they do practice. Black magic would be invoked to kill, injure, or cause destruction, or for personal gain without regard to harmful consequences to others. As a term, "black magic" is normally used to describe a form of ritual that some group or person does not approve of. Not everything that is called black magic truly has malevolent intentions behind it.

Separate but Equal: Black and white magic are exactly the same thing, differentiated only by their end goals and intent. According to this theory, the same spell could be either white or black; its nature is determined by the end result of the spell.

Close relative - Vetalas

2006-10-17T00:18:00.000+08:00

The vetala, like the bat associated with modern day vampire, is associated with hanging upside down on trees found in cremation grounds and cemetaries.

In India, tales of the Vetalas, ghoul-like beings that inhabit corpses, are found in old Sanskrit folklore

My favourite subjects - Vampires

2006-10-17T00:11:00.000+08:00

Vampires are mythological or folkloric creatures, typically held to be the re-animated corpses of human beings and said to subsist on human and/or animal blood. In folklore, the term usually refers to the blood-sucking undead of Eastern European legends, but it is often extended to cover similar legendary creatures in other regions and cultures. Vampire characteristics vary widely between different traditions. Some cultures have stories of non-human vampires, such as animals like bats, dogs, and spiders.

Vampirism is the practice of drinking blood from a person/animal. Vampires are said to mainly bite the victim's neck, extracting the blood from the carotid artery. In folklore and popular culture, the term generally refers to a belief that one can gain supernatural powers by drinking human blood.

Dedicated for 阿卡生

2006-10-16T23:35:00.000+08:00

哇哈哈，另一個blog。專為阿卡生而設。

欠你的，呢個新"玩具"，你慢慢攪啦。^^