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1.1 Why moths
are more likely to be seen during Qing Ming and Hungry Ghost
Months?
Legend has it that moth are human souls transformed. During
Qing Ming and Hungry Ghost Festival, the souls will take the
form of flying insects like butterflies and moths, to pay
the living a visit. Indeed, moths and butterflies have been
primarily described as physical manifestations of spirits
that are visiting our homes. Spirits are believed to have
either transmuted into a physical form or possessed a physical
being. At times they might even land on the photo of the deceased
and hide behind the photo frame reinforcing the idea that
they are somehow connected to the deceased. Children are often
warned not to disturb it or else ill-luck will come upon the
family. Adults often set the example by leaving the moth alone,
sometimes in fear and anxiety. Woe betides those who kill
an insect that is actually a vessel of a soul. It is a crime
that is nearly as grave as killing one's ancestors.
Is this supernatural tale a fact? Or is it a popular belief
passed down through time? Does it have any connection with
the shamanism or animalism? SPI investigated each element
of the tale, in search for an explanation.
1.2 Chinese cultural origins of the myth
The belief that flying insects like moths and butterflies
embodying a human soul has its origins in Taoist beliefs (Note:
There is a distinction between religious Taoism and Taoist
beliefs.) According to the Book of Transformation ( ),
written by Tan Qiao of the Five Dynasties, it has 110 essays
in 6 volumes about six forms of transformations: ( )
Way Transformations, ( )
Techniques Transformations, ( )
Potency Transformations, ( )
Humaneness Transformations, ( )
Food Transformations, and ( )
Frugality Transformations. Combining Taoist theory with Confucian
thought, it holds that the world is rooted in the Emptiness.
The Emptiness transforms into spirit, spirit into breath,
breath into form, and form returns to the void. The void is
the root and destiny of all things.
For example, a maple tree can transform turn into a human,
wheat can turn into butterflies, a lady can turn into virgin
rock, and earthworms into flower lilies. But it is likely
that the scriptures were referring to a metaphysical and philosophical
interpretation of the world around us rather than a literal
one. Shamanic beliefs since the time of ancient China holds
the mystical belief that the material and physical is interchangeable
with spiritual beings. Observation in natural change of matters
and life (birth to death, water to rain, e.g.) escalated into
imagination of supernatural interchanges of animals and plants,
rocks and substances. Using only observations and spiritual
interpretations rather than scientific knowledge as their
means to explain the world around them, many were convinced
that shamanic beliefs hold the truth about how the world works.
In general, we suppose form-shifting is also popular in other
ancient cultures. Chinese polytheism is one of the most fascinating
systems of belief that carries a wide range of bizarre folk
tales.
1.3 Popular symbolism of butterflies
In Chinese culture two butterflies flying together is a symbol
of love. There is a famous Chinese folk story called Butterfly
Lovers ( ),
the Chinese version of Romeo and Juliet.
In Taoist philosophy, a Taoist philosopher called Zhuangzi
once had a dream of being a butterfly flying about without
any care or concern for the world, however when he woke up
and realized it was just a dream. But the experience left
a remarkable impact on him, making him ask himself, "Was I
before a man who dreamt about being a butterfly, or am I now
a butterfly who dreams about being a man?"
According to a chapter in Kwaidan titled "Butterflies" in
Stories and Studies of Strange Things, by Lafcadio Hearn,
a butterfly was regarded as the personification of a person's
soul; whether they are living, dying, or already dead. One
Japanese popular belief says that if a butterfly enters your
guestroom and perches behind the bamboo screen, the person
whom you most love is coming to see you. But while one butterfly
is a sign of good things, a horde of butterflies are regarded
viewed as ill omens. When Taira no Masakado was secretly preparing
for his famous revolt, there appeared in Kyoto a vast a swarm
of butterflies. The commoners were frightened believing that
it butterfly swarm was a herald of evil.
The symbolism of butterflies is not only confined to the Eastern
cultures. The Ancient Greek word for "butterfly" is 
(psyche), which primarily means "soul", "mind". According
to Mircea Eliade's Encyclopedia of Religion, some of the Nagas
of Manipur trace their ancestry from a butterfly. Other old
cultures believed that butterflies symbolize rebirth. They
took this idea from observing how a caterpillar transforms
into a new being after being inside a cocoon for a period
of time.
There is another
myth of butterfly associating with a famous Taoist deity called
" ",
Xuan Tian Shang Ti - High Heavenly Xuan God, which also takes
other names such as Xuan Wu ( ),
Di Gong ( )
or Teh Kong in Hokkien dialect. The image of this deity is
known as the dark lord of the north, in which the black color
symbolizes North direction in the belief of the five elements.
He was a warrior capable of powerful magic-craft and colloquially
impersonalized the Big Diper, The seven brightest stars of
the constellation Ursa Major in the Northern hemisphere, in
the context of idol worship.
The legend was popular in Taiwan, that says one day Xuan Tian
Shang Ti (XTSI) met a butterfly fairy when he was doing spiritual
cultivation in Wudang Mountains for attaining his immortality.
The butterfly transformed deliberately into a very beautiful
girl and attempted to seduce XTSI in the hope of getting him
to marry her. The plot was to test his mortal lustfulness
and see whether he would abandon his religion.
By this legend, it is propagandised that a Taoist temple in
Alishan, Taiwan, a mystical moth would fly into that temple,
about a week before 3 March (lunar calendar) every year. Bear
in mind that 3 March lunar date is right in Spring season
where hibernation from Winter was over in the nature world.
As incredible as it gets, the mystical moth is believed to
come for celebrating the birthday of XTSI, it would stay in
its temple till his birthday is over. This tale is quite consistent
enough with the legend to make most folks believe it is real.
In this episode, the butterfly fairy instead of transforming
into a butterfly (why?), she becomes a moth, a local moth
that is unique in the habitats of Alishan mountain regions.
The appearance of such moth in the temple seems to support
the legend of XTSI and to probably evangelise some religions.
References:
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