Mōryō

Overview

Mōryō crouches against the roots of a pine tree, with a broad grin and long dark ears rising on either side of its head. Its small body is covered with closely spaced strokes of hair, and long nails project from the hands. In front of it lies a human figure, face upward, with an arm extended down the slope. Vines wrap around the pine above the creature.

The heading 魍魎 identifies this named being. The placement of the small creature beside a prone person makes the plate more specific than a solitary woodland portrait. No sequence explains how the person came there, however, and the illustration alone does not establish the outcome of an encounter. Its verified features are the tree-root setting, unusual ears and the juxtaposition with a motionless human body.

Origins & earliest records

Named illustration in Toriyama Sekien’s Konjaku Gazu Zoku Hyakki, first published in 1779. The historical Smithsonian Libraries copy is the inspected witness; book publication is not a claim about the earliest oral tradition.

Records & interpretation

Printed name and complete composition individually inspected in an enlarged historical scan. Explanatory prose is not presented as a fully checked transcription.

Selected bibliography

Documented works and useful reading. This is not a list of every appearance.

1. 01

   Konjaku Gazu Zoku Hyakki

   Toriyama Sekien · 1779; historical digitized edition

   Volume 3; IIIF canvas index 6 (zero-based); printed name 魍魎.

Family & connections

A source-supported family tree or inspiration record has not yet been compiled for this profile. Related reading below indicates a connection in subject matter, not a proven lineage or creative influence.

Primary records and illustrations

References

Sources supporting this profile. Linked pages have their own scope and editorial standards.

1. Institutional primary-book recordSmithsonian Libraries — historical illustrated volumeResearch access: 2026-10-05
2. Direct primary illustrationNamed primary plate: 魍魎Research access: 2026-10-05

Image credits

Mōryō, named plate by Toriyama Sekien

Printed name 魍魎 and composition individually inspected at enlarged resolution. Actual image URL taken from the IIIF manifest.