Tradition: Japanese mythology
Alternative Names: Ushi-Bakemono
Category: Cow
The Myth
Ushi-Bakemono is a yokai with elements of social satire, introduced in Hyakki Hirugyo, from Keigetsu Omachi’s Eiri Kunwa, an illustrated collection of moral tales published in 1916. It is listed as the 35th of the 41 yokai in the work.
Ushi-Bakemono is depicted with a human body and the head of a large black ox. At first glance, its appearance resembles Shennong, the ancient Chinese deity, but unlike Shennong, the creature is an ox monster that provides no benefit to humanity.
The ox monster is said to doubt everything around it, including gods, morality, the state, and life itself. It wanders aimlessly through a fog, questioning these aspects of existence.
The horns on its head represent jealousy and insidious cunning. The creature is said to attempt to push down anyone and everyone in order to advance itself.
Although such a being may call itself a modern person, the tale presents it as something less than human: an ox monster wandering through the world, driven by doubt, jealousy, and cunning.
Sources
Takahashi, Toshihiro. “牛の化物 [うし‐ばけもの] (Ushi-bakemono).” 新版TYZ 妖怪図鑑 (New TYZ Yokai Encyclopedia). July 25, 2021. https://tyz-yokai.blog.jp/archives/1078437905.html